New Jersey native and acclaimed stand-up comedian, Ben Bailey is the most desired cabbie in New York City. He is the Emmy-nominated host of Discovery Channel shows, Cash Cab and Cash Cab: After Dark and was singled out by Entertainment Weekly on their MUST LIST in 2006.
As far back as Ben can remember, he was always delivering something. Whether it was flowers, sandwiches, pizza or people, he had over 68 odd jobs prior and during his stint as a rising stand-up comic. So, when Ben was offered the job as the host/driver of Cash Cab, it was a no-brainer. And when he was told that he had to successfully pass real taxi school to become a licensed New York City cab driver in order to take the job, Ben made it happen.
Now, in its 3rd season, new episodes of Cash Cab will begin airing today March 3. (Check local listings for show schedule)
In the meantime, read below about the cabbie comic.
1) As a former limo driver, ever had to drive while a couple was having sex in the back?
I didn't have any specific moments like that. But one time, I took an elderly couple out on Valentine's Day. I drove them into the city -- but I had shows to do. What I would usually do [when I had stand up gigs] was drop people off, they would have their dinner or go to their show and then, I would go to my show and pick them up afterwards. One Valentine's Day, I had a couple in my car that were in their late 60s. 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 go do a show. They came with me. They bought tickets and watched the show. They were really nice, drinking champagne in the back of the limo. And, they had their little romantic moments, too. It was kind of a cool night.
2) Can you walk me through an episode of Cash Cab? How does the show work?
Here's how it works. I drive a taxi; I pick people up. As soon I 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.
3) Ever hit a bike messenger while driving the Cash Cab?
You know, friends and I have talked about this over the years, how cars [and pedestrians], paradoxically, exist in the same space but somehow don't hit each other -- you would swear that someone's about to get run over and they don't. I've had a couple of those, like once we were cruising down Broadway -- somewhere below Herald Square, cruising along and there's no one on the street. There's one or two parked cars on the street, no cars in front of me, the lights are green and I'm asking [the contestants] questions. This kid on a bike just comes flying across 25th street and he is headed -- like, I knew I was gonna hit him. [The contestants] and everyone knew that I was going to hit him and there's no way around it. Everyone is just frozen -- in that moment where you just can't move -- the only thing you need to do is do something but you can't. He just 'blink' goes right by us -- doesn't even slow down or even look at me. Somehow he just goes past us, without even seeing us. Everyone working on that episode -- that was from Season 1 -- would remember that because all of our hearts just froze for a second.