Ben Bailey
 |
| Ben Bailey | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Bailey at the 2012 premiere of Bad Parents | |
| Birth name | Benjamin Ray Bailey |
| Born | October 30, 1970[1] Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Medium | Television, stand-up |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Genres | Observational comedy, satire |
| Subject(s) | Everyday life, self-deprecation, marriage, pop culture |
| Notable works and roles | Host and executive producer of Cash Cab |
Benjamin Ray Bailey (born October 30, 1970) is an American comedian.
He is best known for hosting the Emmy Award-winning game show Cash Cab in New York City.[2]
Early life
[edit]Bailey was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and raised in Chatham Borough, New Jersey.[3] He has an older sibling. Bailey graduated in 1988 from Chatham Borough High School as part of the school's 76th and final graduating class.[4]
Bailey attended Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, before moving to Los Angeles in 1993 Bailey to pursue a career in entertainment. Standing at 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm),[1] he was offered a job as a bouncer for The Comedy Store after bumming a cigarette from a man in the parking lot.[5][better source needed]
Career
[edit]Stand up career
[edit]According to Bailey, he was telling stories with some comedians after hours at The Comedy Store when Skip E. Lowe, who was emceeing at the club, found his stories humorous and offered him an opportunity at stand-up.[6] He soon after returned to the East Coast where he quickly became a crowd favorite at the clubs in New York City. He has since gone on to perform at major festivals such as Montreal and Chicago (Just For Laughs) and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He currently tours as a headliner.[7]
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Bailey streamed comedy on his YouTube channel from his basement, with his girlfriend as co-host and producer.[8]
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In 2006 Bailey starred in his first special on Comedy Central, Comedy Central Presents Ben Bailey.[9] In 2011 Bailey released a two part special Road Rage and Accidental Ornithology.[10][11] In 2016 he released Ben Bailey Live & Uncensored and most recently in 2024, Bailey released the please tell me what to say special on his YouTube channel.[12][13]
Cash cab/other endeavors
[edit]Bailey is the host and producer of the American version of Cash Cab, a TV game show played in a taxicab that Bailey drives around New York City, broadcast on the Discovery Channel and Bravo. Bailey hosted the show for all 14 seasons from 2005-2012 and its comeback from 2017-2020. He also hosted the short lived 2007 spin off Cash Cab After Dark.
He also appeared on the new Shovio.com's TalkBackTV. He narrated the Discovery Channel's series Smash Lab.[14] [better source needed][15][better source needed] From 2011 to 2012, Bailey was the host of Who's Still Standing? on NBC.[16] On May 13, 2012, it was announced that the show would not be renewed for a second season due to high production costs.
Bailey has also appeared in ABC's The Knights of Prosperity, Hope & Faith, NBC's Law and Order SVU, and Fox's Mad TV also appearing in Blue Bloods, 30 rock also having a recurring role on One Life To Live.[9] In 2019 Bailey made a cameo appearance as himself in the 7th episode of the show Perpetual Grace, LTD where drives the cash cab.[17]
He has also appeared talk show’s such as The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Oprah, Rachel Ray, Good Day New York, along with numerous morning/radio shows nationwide.[12]
Bailey has had several film appearances most notably in Bad Parents, he was also set to appear in Spider-Man 2012 however his scene ended up being cut from the final film.[18]
Bailey also does television commercials for Michigan electric/natural gas company DTE Energy and ALDI.[19]
Bailey also hosted a few short lived podcast’s Tall But True where he had special guest and told stories,[20] also hosting The Big New Show. He has since made appearances on other comedians podcasts.[21]
From 2022 to 2023 Bailey hosted Money Grab in the Cab, a show very similar to cash cab as he drives around pits farmers asking them questions as they earn money for their local FFA chapter.[22][23]
In 2023 Bailey appeared in The Game Show Show, a documentary about the history of game shows.
Personal life
[edit]Bailey lives in Morristown, New Jersey.[24] He met his ex-wife, Laurence, in a pub in Morristown in the 1990s.[25] The couple married in 1997 and divorced in 2012.[25] They have two children.[26]
Bailey is a licensed taxi driver in New York City.[27]
Awards
[edit]As the host of Cash Cab, Ben received Daytime Emmy nominations in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 for "Outstanding Game Show Host", winning in 2010, 2011 and 2013.[28]
The show took home honors at the Daytime Emmy awards for Best Game Show in 2008, 2009, and 2010 and winning Most Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show in 2010.
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | MadTV | Security guard | |
| 2002 | Late Friday | Guest appearance | |
| 2002 | Platinum Blend | Guest appearance | |
| 2003 | Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn | Guest appearance | |
| 2003 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Transit Sergeant Ambrose | |
| 2004 | Hope and Faith | Eddie Vanderbeek | |
| 2004 | Last Call with Carson Daly | Guest appearance | |
| 2005-2020 | Cash Cab | Host and executive producer | (458 episodes) |
| 2005 | One Life to Live | Haskell | (4 episodes) |
| 2006 | Comedy Central Presents | Himself | TV special |
| 2007 | Cash Cab After Dark | Host | (13 episodes) |
| 2007 | The Knights of Prosperity | Ralph Carnucci | |
| 2007 | The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch | Guest appearance | |
| 2008 | Smash Lab | Narrator | |
| 2009 | After the Catch | Host | (5 episodes) |
| 2010 | The Oprah Winfrey Show | Guest appearance | |
| 2010 | 30 Rock | Himself | |
| 2011 | Ben Bailey Road Rage | Himself | TV special |
| 2011 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | Guest appearance | (2 episodes) |
| 2011 | Best in the Business | Host | TV miniseries |
| 2011-2012 | Who’s Still Standing | Host | (6 episodes) |
| 2012 | Big Morning Buzz Live | Guest panelist | |
| 2014-2015 | Brain Games | Self | (2 episodes) |
| 2016 | Deadliest Catch The Bait | Self | |
| 2016 | Unforgettable | Lorenzo Abrelli | |
| 2016 | The Other F Word | Brian | |
| 2012-2017 | Racheal Ray | Guest appearance | (2 episodes) |
| 2018 | Caroline & Friends | Guest appearance | |
| 2018 | Kill Tony | Guest host | |
| 2019 | Perpetual Grace, LTD | Himself | |
| 2021 | Blue Bloods | Emmet Fells | |
| 2022-2023 | Money Grab in a Cab | Host | (15 episodes) |
| 2023 | The Game Show Show | Self | (2 episodes) |
| 2024 | Sherri | Guest appearance |
| Year | Title | Role | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Bad Meat | Agent 1 | |
| 2007 | Don’t Shoot The Pharmacist | Zach Wright | |
| 2012 | Bad Parents | Graham | |
| 2013 | Delivery Man | Himself | Uncredited |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Kaufmann, Joanne (June 26, 2008). "He Drives This Game-Show Vehicle". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on May 17, 2009. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
- ^ "Daytime Emmys". Knoxville News Sentinel. March 14, 2007. Archived from the original on April 24, 2008.
- ^ Kuperinsky, Amy. "Cash Cab is back with N.J.’s Ben Bailey on a new network. Here’s a preview.", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 6, 2019. Accessed October 6, 2019. "Bailey, 48, a stand-up comedian and actor (and yes, a former driver ... of limousines), lives in Morristown and grew up in Chatham (borough). He won three Daytime Emmys for hosting Cash Cab."
- ^ "Chatham Borough has final graduation", Daily Record, June 30, 1988. Accessed January 27, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "The borough's 76th class was the last to graduate Chatham High School.... As of July 1, the borough's and Chatham Township's school districts will merge, and the Chatham Township High School building will become the regional school.... Members of the graduating Class of 1988 are: Denise Marie Adams, Daniel Ralph Agostinelli, David Michael Allan, Troy T. Atterberry, Benjamin Ray Bailey..."
- ^ "Ben Bailey Facts". September 11, 2015. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017.
- ^ Tolk, Prescott (September 2, 2001). "Local Comic Keeps the Big City Laughing". The Hudson Reporter. Archived from the original on April 1, 2008.
- ^ "Ben Bailey". Bravo. September 19, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- ^ "The Way We Get By: Cash Cab's Ben Bailey is Hoping We Can All Slow Down". Talkhouse. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
- ^ a b "Ben Bailey | Stand-Up Comedy Database | Dead-Frog". Dead-Frog - A Comedy Blog. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- ^ Ben Bailey Comedy (January 3, 2023). Ben Bailey: Road Rage and Accidental Ornithology | Full Special. Retrieved September 1, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ Rodriguez, Manny (May 21, 2011), Ben Bailey: Road Rage (Documentary, Comedy), Ben Bailey, Levity Productions, Triple B Productions, retrieved September 1, 2025
- ^ a b "Ben Bailey". Ben Bailey. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
- ^ Ben Bailey Comedy (November 5, 2024). Ben Bailey: Please Tell Me What I Said (Full Comedy Special). Retrieved September 1, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Ben Bailey". IMDb.com. Retrieved July 1, 2017.[unreliable source?]
- ^ "Smash Lab". IMDb.com. Retrieved July 1, 2017.[unreliable source?]
- ^ Ben Bailey biodata, Nbc.com; accessed November 11, 2015.
- ^ TheOncomingStorm (March 14, 2021). Perpetual Grace LTD - Cash cab. Retrieved September 1, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Cash Cab's Ben Bailey Visits The Don Geronimo Show - CBS Sacramento". www.cbsnews.com. May 31, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
- ^ Ben Bailey crashes ALDI and gets shoppers to say what they love about it, Adweek.com; accessed April 5, 2016.
- ^ "Tall But True". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
- ^ Howie Mandel Does Stuff (December 31, 2024). Ben Bailey Doesn't Offer Secrets for Financial or Relationship Success | Howie Mandel Does Stuff. Retrieved September 1, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ Money Grab in the Cab (Game-Show), Ben Bailey, REL Productions, October 24, 2022, retrieved September 1, 2025
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ "Money Grab in the Cab - RFD-TV Now". www.watchrfdtv.com. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
- ^ Kuperinsky, Amy (December 4, 2017). "'Cash Cab' is back: How N.J.'s Ben Bailey became master of mobile trivia". NJ.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- ^ a b Fowler, Linda (July 16, 2009). "'Cash Cabbie' is a Jersey Driver". NJ.com. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
- ^ "Episode 1093 - Ben Bailey". January 30, 2020.
- ^ Koch, Drew (December 11, 2017). "'Cash Cab' Host Ben Bailey Has a Real Taxi Driver's License, and That's Not All You Didn't Know About Him". Bustle. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ "Profile: Ben Bailey". Therealbenbailey.com. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
External links
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| International | |
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| National | |