Last night, there was a party at the Ermenegildo Zegna store on 5th Avenue called Passion for Silk, which celebrated the silk in their Spring/Summer 2012 collection. There were many people there and they were all very well dressed and attractive. One particularly attractive and well dressed man might be running for New York City mayor. His name is Alec Baldwin. It's not surprising Baldwin has a Passion for Silk—he has a passion for everything. This includes a passionate distaste for City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, about whom he held forth. 

Can I start calling you Hizzoner now?
I work on a television show called 30 Rock. I have a contract to do the show through the next season which, by all accounts we're hearing, is going to be truncated. Nevertheless, I think it would encroach on my ability to raise money. So I'm not going to run for office until 2013, as much as I would like to.  

Is there anyone you are supporting then?
I am going to work very hard for a particular candidate: He and I. Who it is I can't say. [Editorial Note: Either NYC Public Advocate Bill di Blasio or Borough President Scott Stringer.]

And Christine Quinn?  
This is a woman who stormed out of an event yesterday after lecturing a group of students who were jeering Bloomberg on the merits of democracy. Yet she single handedly worked with Bloomberg to overturn the term limits for her own personal gain. Everyone in this town knows what Bloomberg said. He said, "If you do this for me I’m going to give you my rolodex. I’m going to raise a shit bag of money for you."

Right, but isn't that how the game is played? The ship of state isn't a speedboat. There are lots of moving parts, and accomodations must be reached. 
People distort the personality of what kind of person can do that work. They say it has to be a professional who’s done this before, who’s in the system. Let me tell you this: I’ve got a great job right now and I’m making a great living, and it’s a wonderful time in my life and everything is really really good. Yet I would drop that if the opportunity came to run for another job where it was my chance at being able to serve people. The politician class is made up of guys who have been fondling themselves about this since they were in high school. These are people who are seeking these positions of power because it completes a missing piece of themselves.

Tell me about your Passion for Silk.
I have so many caterpillars in my basement now working overtime.

I hope they’re abiding my New York State Labor laws.
They are. 


Photo of Alec Baldwin and fianceé Hilaria Thomas courtesy of Ermenegildo Zegna.