Amy Poehler

Poehler advised that the real career win is being present and enjoying where one is rather than chasing the next goal.

“I think the real win is being actually where you are in life and trying as best you can to enjoy it”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Marcello Hernández (Oct 6, 2026) · Listen from 1:01:54

Poehler theorized that the worst basketball injuries happen to men in their forties.

“I think the worst injuries happen with men in their 40s when they play basketball”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Andrew Garfield (Sep 29, 2026) · Listen from 57:30

Poehler said she derives self-esteem from doing a job well.

“But the idea of doing a good job still means a lot to me. I know it means a lot to you. I get a lot of self-esteem from work”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Andrew Garfield (Sep 29, 2026) · Listen from 32:15

Poehler describes Lee as someone who takes her work seriously but not herself.

“you are a person who takes their work seriously, but not themselves seriously”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Greta Lee (Jun 23, 2026) · Listen from 16:13

Poehler says teasing within a family or trusted group is a sign of intimacy and safety.

“i love a family that teases each other i that to me is a sign of intimacy yes and it's a sign of safety”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Sarah Sherman (Jun 16, 2026) · Listen from 1:07:28

Poehler tells Sherman she believes Sherman is a good actor who fears success more than failure.

“I think you're not afraid of the failure. I think you're afraid of the success because I actually think you can do it”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Sarah Sherman (Jun 16, 2026) · Listen from 41:05

Poehler says Ferrell's bombed Gabe Kaplan sketch illustrates that every performer is always close to failing.

“Everyone is one thing away from bombing all the time. That's no matter who you are”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Will Ferrell (Jul 14, 2026) · Listen from 1:08:40

Poehler says Ferrell's patriotic office-worker sketch after 9/11 reassured audiences that comedy would survive.

“I remember the audience laughing and being like, oh, we're going to be okay. Okay, comedy is going to be okay”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Will Ferrell (Jul 14, 2026) · Listen from 40:14

Poehler says an innate confidence is what distinguishes successful SNL performers, and that Sherman has it.

“there is an innate confidence about you that, and I say that because I want you to know, to me, that's like the, what distinguishes people on SNL right away”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Sarah Sherman (Jun 16, 2026) · Listen from 29:06

Poehler argues that SNL has smartly returned to being a variety show with a wide range of voices and styles, rather than a homogenous one.

“the show has smartly remember that it is a variety show with a million different voices and different styles”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Sarah Sherman (Jun 16, 2026) · Listen from 20:56

Amy Poehler argues, drawing on her SNL experience, that nervous people take themselves too seriously and the secret is to be playful.

“The secret is to be a big dummy and pretend that life is a dream”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Billie Eilish (May 5, 2026) · Listen from 21:07

Poehler argued that the comedy in Armisen's accent bits comes from the confidence of his choice rather than accuracy.

“He's just in the moment deciding I'm going to do it like this. And it's very relaxing”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Fred Armisen (Apr 7, 2026) · Listen from 8:17

Poehler described The Odyssey as a meditation on aging that resonated with her at midlife.

“But I'm thinking about it as this meditation on aging”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Matt Damon (Jul 7, 2026) · Listen from 15:31

Poehler, 54, says her fifties have been her favorite decade and that people don't talk enough about how life can improve with age.

“The 50s have been my favorite decade”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Brandi Carlile (Mar 31, 2026) · Listen from 37:28

Poehler said she addresses over-checking directly, telling collaborators she will speak up if something is wrong.

“I promise you, I won't suffer if I don't like something. You'll know. If I don't like something, I'll let you know. But I have to nip it in the bud because it makes me insane”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Fred Armisen (Apr 7, 2026) · Listen from 42:14

Poehler said she and Armisen share a determination not to forget the joy in their work and a dislike of complainers.

“It matters to us that we don't forget the joy part in all of the other hard stuff. We don't love a complainer”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Fred Armisen (Apr 7, 2026) · Listen from 39:18

Poehler said McCartney's openness about his creative process made her feel she could write a song.

“I always felt like watching you work made me feel like I could write a song”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Paul McCartney (Oct 13, 2026) · Listen from 22:56

Poehler said she values performers seeming relaxed and having a good time more than having the best jokes.

“Like I always say like I always want people to seem relaxed I don't really care if they have the best jokes or if they're the funniest”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Marcello Hernández (Oct 6, 2026) · Listen from 47:02

Poehler recommended the Sally Field film Places in the Heart as an underappreciated favorite.

“check out a movie called Places in the Heart with sally field and danny glover and a young john malkovich”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Andrew Garfield (Sep 29, 2026) · Listen from 1:07:24

Poehler argues that Padilla's willingness to take her time on SNL's tight format feels transgressive and thrilling.

“the luxury of having a little bit of time taking a little time It feels transgressive”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Ashley Padilla (Sep 22, 2026) · Listen from 52:23

Poehler argues that Ferrell excels at playing with status, portraying characters who are powerless yet overconfident.

“It's a very good example too of what you do so well, which is like the big and little of it all”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Will Ferrell (Jul 14, 2026) · Listen from 46:40

Poehler advises mothers to offload tasks they dislike and not feel guilty for not loving every part of parenting.

“give yourself a break. You're not supposed to love everything. And it doesn't make you a bad mom if you don't”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Mindy Kaling (Jun 30, 2026) · Listen from 58:10

Poehler says she has a personal rule to avoid discussing people's bodies on her podcast.

“I try not to talk about people's bodies. Because it's like people's bodies are their own business”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Mindy Kaling (Jun 30, 2026) · Listen from 47:20

Poehler ranks stand-up as cooler than long-form improv, which she considers cooler than short-form improv and a cappella.

“Long form improv is cool though. Stand up is the coolest”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Mindy Kaling (Jun 30, 2026) · Listen from 22:24

Poehler argues that young women's entry into comedy in the late 1980s and 1990s was fraught in ways men did not face.

“young women, especially in the late 80s and 90s, their way into comedy, like how you get in was really fraught in a way that men just did not have to worry about”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Mindy Kaling (Jun 30, 2026) · Listen from 18:29

Poehler recommends watching Broadcast News, calling it film and comedy at its best.

“open up a bottle of wine and watch broadcast news tonight. Albert Brooks, Holly Hunter, Joan Cusack, just film and comedy at its best”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Greta Lee (Jun 23, 2026) · Listen from 1:11:04

Poehler credits Russian Doll's success to the genuine chemistry between Lee and Natasha Lyonne.

“what anchored that show was the genuine chemistry between the two of you”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Greta Lee (Jun 23, 2026) · Listen from 55:18