CA$H CAB
Originally published in Southern Views Magazine, www.soviewsmag.com - February/March 2010
Ben Bailey is back to pick up unsuspecting contestants on the streets of New York City and giving them a chance to win big money.
Hailing from Morristown. New Jersey, standup comedian Ben Bailey is a man who knows how to make people laugh. Before Ben became the "cool dude" hosting Cash Cab, he got his start by answering phones at The Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. California.
At age 21, and no clear direction, Ben was asked to perform standup by the booker at The Comedy Store. His humor landed him a great job as a standup comedian on the spot that night. After performing a few years in Los Angeles, Ben moved back to New York to perfect his new talent.
When asked to host Discovery Channel’s show, Cash Cab, he immediately accepted and went to take the city’s exam to get his cabbie’s license.
He is humble about how he got here, and is keenly aware of how lucky he is, saying, "In three years, I’ve gone from a virtual unknown to this. It's nice but it's all so strange, in a good way, but it takes some getting used to.”
Before becoming the Emmy-winning host, Ben paid his dues as a delivery driver and a chauffeur (among others). He has fond memories of those times and recalls a particularly memorable moment when driving a limousine as a struggling young comic. "One Valentine's Day, I had a couple in their late 60s in my car. I took them out – they asked what I was going to do while they were doing their thing. ‘Are you going to wait for us?’ [the couple asked]. I told them that I was a comedian and that I was going to do a show. They came with me, bought tickets and watched the show. They were really nice. It was kind of a cool night.”
Cash Cab first aired in January of 2006. The premise was a novel one, “I drive a taxi; I pick people up. As soon as they get in and tell me where they want to go, I hit a button, the ceiling lights up, music plays and I tell them that they are in a ‘Cash Cab,’ a game show and that they are the next contestants. While I drive them to where they want to go, I ask them trivia and general knowledge questions. They win money for answering correctly and if they get three wrong. I kick them out and they lose everything.”
The hit show is now entering its fourth season, picking up unsuspecting contestants on the streets of New York City and giving them a chance to win big money on the way to their destination. Ben's acerbic charn and salacious wit make this his dream job and he is the first to tell you, "Oh, I was born to do this job.”
One of Discovery's more popular programs is about to find a wider audience as it is picked up for syndication this fall. Ben is still a little dazed with the fast rise to fame, saying “It’s weird. I'll tell ya. It's kind of like walking into a cartoon. I’ve been running after this all my life.”
“THEY WIN MONEY FOR ANSWERING CORRECTLY AND IF THEY GET THREE WRONG, I KICK THEM OUT AND THEY LOSE EVERYTHING."
Described as ‘addictive’ and an ideal choice for TV lovers, Cab is sure to find a warm welcome among viewers who love a show with a quick wit and excellent sense of humor. Ben's background as a stand-up comedian was the perfect set-up for this show and keeps passengers and viewers entertained for the whole ride. As an Emmy-nominated host, Ben and Cash Cab combine the fast-pace of a game show with knowledge and entertainment; core attributes of Discovery content.
The Cash Cab phenomenon has reached an all time high with the advent of the Cash Cab-application at the App Store. Fans of the show can watch their favorite cabbie on TV and can now take it anywhere they are. The cab-mania is just desserts for Ben and the Discovery network but he tries to keep a level head, saying, "It's hard to stay grounded sometimes, but I am.”
