New York -- So, Stephen Baldwin, how did you perfect Barney Rubble's laugh for the new "Flintstones" film?

"To do the laugh, you innately have to be a little kooky. It was something that kind of just came naturally to me anyway because I grew up watching the show and loved it so much. Yeah, I know it sounds a little silly that it came naturally," he said in an interview.

"The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas" is the second live-action comedy based on the cartoon series. This prequel to the 1994 film is the story of the courting days of Fred and Wilma Flintstone, played by Mark Addy ("The Full Monty") and Kirsten Johnston of NBC's "3rd Rock From The Sun," and of Barney and Betty Rubble, with Jane Krakowski of "Ally McBeal" playing Betty.

According to figures released by Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc., "Viva Rock Vegas" took in $10.5 million on its opening weekend, putting it in second place behind "U-571," which took in $12.2 million.
Baldwin, 33, is the youngest of the four acting Baldwin brothers. His previous films include "Last Exit to Brooklyn," "The Usual Suspects" and "Friends and Lovers." He will appear in the upcoming film "Cutaway" with Tom Berenger.

He said the positive publicity surrounding the film caused a one-week rise in the value of Stephen Baldwin (SBALD) from $978 to $1,500 on the on-line game Hollywood Stock Exchange, where actors are traded like bonds and movies are traded like stocks. Baldwin is involved in the on-line game, which he plays regularly.

"Only on Wall Street do they call that much of an increase of a stock over a three-day period a 'Yabba Dabba Do,' joked Baldwin, who had been lobbying hard on behalf of his "starbond" on the Hollywood Stock Exchange Movie Market.

He said he would have no problem challenging any or all of his brothers Alec, William, and Daniel for the right film role.

His childhood love for musical theater would have led him to acting even if his brothers hadn't, he said, although following in their footsteps hasn't always opened doors.

"I guess it helps now, but it was kind of a 50-50 split when I was starting out. I think that was because of the expectations people in the business had based on their experiences with a sibling. If a producer worked with Alec, and then I was going to work with that producer, his attitude might be different if he liked him or he didn't. I've been in that situation before."

Baldwin, his wife Kennya and daughters, Alaia, 7, and Hailey, 3, live in Nyack, New York, a suburb of New York City, where the family is renovating an old farmhouse.

He is very popular at home these days, thanks to his Barney Rubble role and an endless supply of M&Ms, a perk from his job as a pitchman for the candy.

Baldwin would like to a New York-based TV series, which would give him a regular schedule and let him spend more time at home.

"I want to wake up in the morning, get in the car, drink my Starbucks, read the Daily News and listen to Howard Stern," he said.

Dabbling in different projects and taking on a variety of roles keeps him interested and makes him interesting to audiences, said Baldwin, who is managing the career of a New York State Golden Gloves boxing champion.

He recently retooled his Manhattan restaurant to add an upscale cocktail lounge, and changed the name from Alaia to Luahn (Brazilian for "lunar").

"I like to keep them guessing, and I like working a lot," he said. "They can't hit a moving target, you know what I mean?

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