Amy Poehler

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Amy Poehler

Amy Meredith Poehler (born September 16, 1971) is an American comedian, actress, writer, producer, and podcast host. She hosts Good Hang with Amy Poehler, a conversation-driven podcast launched in 2025.

Comedy and improv career

Poehler trained at the ImprovOlympic theatre in Chicago and was a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB), an improvisational comedy troupe that became a significant force in American comedy. UCB opened training centres in New York and Los Angeles that produced a generation of comedians, writers, and performers who went on to shape television comedy in the 2000s and 2010s.

Saturday Night Live

Poehler joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2001 and became co-anchor of the Weekend Update segment alongside Tina Fey in 2004, the first time two women held the desk simultaneously. Her SNL tenure lasted until 2008 and included notable impressions of Hillary Clinton and other political figures. Her final on-air appearance during the show's regular season came while she was visibly pregnant.

Parks and Recreation

Poehler starred as Leslie Knope in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009–2015), a role that became one of the defining television performances of its era. Leslie Knope, an optimistic, hypercompetent small-town government employee, was widely praised as a distinctively positive female lead in a comedy landscape that often defaulted to cynicism. The show earned Poehler a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Musical or Comedy Series in 2014.

Producing and directing

Poehler has worked extensively behind the camera as a producer and director. She co-founded the production company Paper Kite Productions. Her producing credits include a range of comedy and unscripted television projects.

Books

Poehler's memoir Yes Please (2014) was a bestseller and reflected her comedic voice and improvisational ethos.

Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Poehler launched Good Hang in 2025. The show is a conversational podcast in which Poehler talks with friends, collaborators, and other public figures in a loose, warm format. As of early 2026 the show has released approximately 58 episodes. It is among the newer entries in the top 10 global podcast rankings.

Style

The show's tone reflects Poehler's improvisational background: relaxed, curious, and genuinely conversational rather than structured around prepared questions or thematic segments. Episodes are wide-ranging and lean toward personal stories and creative process rather than news or current events.

Cross-show context

Good Hang is the only comedy-focused talk show hosted by a woman in the current top 10 global podcast rankings. Poehler's celebrity profile distinguishes her entry point into podcasting from hosts like Ashley Flowers or Steven Bartlett, who built their audiences from within the podcast medium. Poehler arrived with an existing fanbase from television and film, and the show functions in part as an extension of her established public persona.

See also

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