He visited the Otago Corrections Facility in Milburn on Sunday to deliver to about 40 inmates one of his "very non-PC" talks on how to be a "healthy bastard".
Dr Baldwin, who has lost count of how many addresses he has given since his down-to-earth book spelling out men's health issues, Healthy Bastards, was published last year, said he appreciated being able to speak inside prisons because it gave him a chance to get his message to the "real oil".
"Don't get me wrong, but when I talk to a lot of groups, I am talking to a lot of worried well."
He said he was grateful for the Department of Corrections "getting in behind me", support which had not yet been forthcoming from the Ministry of Health, ACC or a corporate backer.
Although sometimes those who asked him to speak paid some expenses, he really needed financial backing to push his campaign to get the unhealthy to change their "evil ways".
Dr Baldwin believed his approach, using some basic humour to help get across a serious message, was more effective than "fancy pamphlets or glossy brochures" for many men, particularly those who might not be competent readers.
Sunday's talk was scheduled to fit in with one of Dr Baldwin's regular visits with the Bulls Flying Doctor Service, which involves him flying from Bulls, near Palmerston North, to the South in his Cessna to undertake medical checks for pilots in rural areas.
However, this time, unusually, he had an entourage, his own film crew, which is working on a film encompassing the beauty of the South Island seen from the air, a search for the "healthiest bastard in the bush", and his mission to get men to pay the same attention to their bodies as they would a favourite car or motorbike.
He decided on the film, which will be completed early next year, after plans for a television series, based on his book, fell through.
At Milburn, he drew some applause when he showed some of the high country footage filmed from the air which is to be included in the film.
The talk was well-received, with several people asking questions, and many taking the opportunity to speak briefly to Dr Baldwin afterwards.
Dr Baldwin's subjects included ageing, cancer and male anatomy - "it's surprising the number of guys who don't know about the anatomy of their privates".
He told the men that his idea of a healthy bastard was someone who recognised their body was an amazingly designed robot or machine and "at least tries to take care of it".
But this was only part of it. Healthy people also positively developed that "hard to define energy force within", whatever people chose to call it.
He saw daily how people's spirits interacted.
"If a nasty bastard walks into the waiting room, it doesn't take long for everyone there to feel the same, even if you're not looking at the person.
You get to feel it somehow."
Equally, a "happy bastard rubs off on you".
Speaking afterwards, Dr Baldwin said he hoped to return to the prison to talk to other groups. On Sunday evening he spoke to an audience of about 70 in Balclutha, at an event organised and sponsored by the Clutha District Community Wellness programme.
Organiser Irene Mosley said the visit had been prompted by the suggestion that most "feel-good stuff" for men was based around having a beer.
It was felt that Dr Baldwin's talk would be educational about men's health but in an enjoyable way.
