Ashley Padilla
Episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler · September 22, 2026 · 1 h 16 min
Amy Poehler talks with SNL cast member Ashley Padilla about her mother, a teenage arrest, working for Diane Keaton, Groundlings, sketch craft and impressions.
Summary
Amy Poehler opened the episode with a video check-in with SNL cast member Andrew Dismukes, who praised Ashley Padilla's grounded, realistic approach to sketch comedy, recalled their first collaboration on a Weekend Update piece, and asked what the Groundlings had taught her that prepared her for Saturday Night Live.
Padilla described being a loud, funny child whose uncle helped her make a sketch at 13, her admiration for Dwight Schrute and Steve Carell on The Office, and her single mother, an Adobe executive who pushed her toward comedy classes. She recounted being a poor student, leaving community college after a week, and being arrested at 16 after hiding in a rose bush for hours following a party, which led to court-ordered family therapy. She later rose through the ranks at Sephora before a breakup and dissatisfaction led her to the Groundlings.
Padilla spoke at length about working for Diane Keaton, starting with errands and growing into running Keaton's Instagram and designing a fashion book published by Rizzoli; she credited Keaton with teaching her to notice the world with childlike wonder and to stop dressing for male approval. She said she had nearly quit comedy before manager Naomi Odenkirk encouraged a three-person show that led to her SNL showcase, where she performed a Keaton impression. Padilla argued that women should write material for themselves, explained her love of slow, behavior-driven comedy such as her birthday fart sketch, and discussed cutting her hair short as a rejection of prescribed femininity.
The episode closed with a rapid-fire impressions game, Padilla's enthusiasm for survival reality shows including a planned Survivor bid with SNL head writer Alison Gates and the series Extracted, and Poehler's tribute recommending Keaton films such as Marvin's Room, Reds and Crimes of the Heart.
Chapters
- 0:05
Introduction
Amy Poehler introduces guest Ashley Padilla and previews the episode's topics.
- 1:49
Andrew Dismukes on Ashley
Andrew Dismukes discusses his chemistry with Padilla, their Weekend Update collaboration, her realistic style and poses a question about the Groundlings.
- 11:31
Ashley arrives and gratitude for the job
Padilla joins, jokes about being boring, and she and Poehler discuss the pinch-me feeling of being paid to do comedy on SNL.
- 16:03
Childhood comedy and The Office
Padilla recalls making a sketch with her uncle at 13 and learning from Dwight Schrute and Steve Carell to play characters truthfully.
- 20:47
Family and a hardworking mother
Padilla describes her siblings and her single mother's rise at Adobe and encouragement to pursue comedy.
- 23:36
School, arrest and court-ordered therapy
Padilla recounts dropping out of community college, being arrested at 16 after hiding in a rose bush, and family therapy sessions.
- 30:32
Sephora and finding the Groundlings
Padilla describes rising at Sephora, a depressive breakup, odd jobs in Los Angeles and enrolling at the Groundlings.
- 36:07
Working for Diane Keaton
Padilla explains how she became Keaton's assistant, ran her Instagram, made a fashion book with her and learned wonder from her.
- 43:17
Nearly quitting and the SNL audition
Padilla describes nearly giving up comedy before Naomi Odenkirk's help led to an SNL showcase and discusses impressions on the show.
- 48:27
Groundlings lessons and sketch craft
Padilla answers Dismukes's question, arguing women should write for themselves and explaining her love of slow, behavior-driven comedy.
- 56:36
The 50th season, Lorne and the haircut
Padilla discusses starting in SNL's 50th season, her admiration for Lorne Michaels, and cutting her hair as a statement about femininity and Keaton's influence.
- 1:03:27
Impressions game
Poehler and Padilla trade rapid-fire impressions including Austin Butler, Joan Cusack, Tommy Lee Jones and Laura Linney.
- 1:08:06
Survival shows and Extracted
Padilla describes her obsession with survival reality TV, a possible Survivor bid with Alison Gates, and the show Extracted.
Linked moment · 1:12:06Skip to 1:12:06 using a listen link in the info box.
1:12:06Diane Keaton film tribute
Poehler closes by recommending Diane Keaton films in her memory.
Key points
What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.
- Andrew Dismukes
Dismukes says Padilla is a confident performer who brings real acting to her sketches.
“she's such a confident performer and so able to bring like real acting to the sketches she does”
- Andrew Dismukes
Dismukes says Padilla's writing ideas center on playing the realness of a scene rather than being over-the-top silly.
“her ideas are all like about playing the realness of the scene”
- Andrew Dismukes
Dismukes argues that Groundlings performers arrive at SNL unusually well equipped for the show.
“when people come to SNL from Groundlings, it feels like that. It feels like those people are so equipped for SNL off the jump”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla says she admired Dwight Schrute because the character played everything from his own truth rather than going for jokes.
“And what was crazy and funny was that he was doing it out of his own truth as a character, so he wasn't trying to go for the joke”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla holds that a comedic character should never know they are funny.
“You don't know you're funny. The character doesn't know they're funny”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla credits her mother's example with giving her fearlessness about her place in the world.
“I just never had any fear I never wondered if I was too small for the world”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla recounts that she was arrested as a teenager after hiding in a rose bush for hours.
“They arrested me because I hid in a rosebush for, I think, four hours”
Listen from 26:46 · Adolescent arrest and court-ordered therapy
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla argues that people only retain information they are genuinely interested in learning.
“Unless you're interested in it. Because to absorb information, you have to want to know”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla says Diane Keaton taught her to notice the world around her with childlike wonder.
“she got me to like notice everything as if I was with a child”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla says she resisted online, front-facing comedy because it did not suit her, which slowed her career.
“I respect what people are doing online with the comedy. I'm not good at that”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla says she had decided to quit comedy, having learned from Keaton that there were other creative paths.
“I was like, there's other ways to make money and be creative. That's what she taught me”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla says the way women are written in scripts often bothers her.
“the writing for women sometimes bothers me in a way that I cannot”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla suggests women need to be more willing to write material for themselves to see complex portrayals.
“I do wonder sometimes if to get there, we just need to be a little more willing to write for ourselves”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla explains that SNL writers helped her adapt Groundlings material to be punchier and more suited to television.
“helping me make it more SNL, more for television. It's got to be a little punchier. It's got to be choppy”
- Amy Poehler
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”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla says she fights to keep pauses because comedy rooted in behavior cannot be rushed.
“Because I like watching people behave. And to behave, it's not rushed”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla expresses deep admiration for Lorne Michaels.
“I just really, really admire him. I just think he's so smart”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla says short hair makes her feel open and vulnerable because she cannot hide.
“It was, like, I like to be open and fresh and, like, vulnerable. It makes me feel vulnerable because I can't hide”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla credits Keaton with teaching her she does not need to live for men's approval.
“You taught me that, like, I don't have to be in this world for a man's approval”
- Ashley Padilla
Padilla says she and Alison Gates have seriously discussed applying to Survivor together.
“really lay out the game plan of if we want to go on Survivor together”
People
In the conversation
- Amy PoehlerAmerican actress, comedian and podcast host, formerly of Saturday Night Live
- Ashley PadillaAmerican comedian and Saturday Night Live cast member, Groundlings alum
- Andrew DismukesAmerican comedian, writer and Saturday Night Live cast member
Discussed
- Diane KeatonAmerican actress; Padilla's former employer and mentor
- Lorne MichaelsCreator and executive producer of 'Saturday Night Live'
- Naomi OdenkirkTalent manager who helped Padilla get her SNL showcase
- Steve CarellAmerican actor and comedian, Colbert's office mate on The Dana Carvey Show
- Alison GatesSNL head writer and frequent Padilla collaborator
- Kristi NoemU.S. Secretary of Homeland Security discussed in connection with a DHS contract scandal
- Pam BondiU.S. Attorney General reported fired during the episode
- Karoline LeavittWhite House press secretary referenced in a discussion of briefings
- Jodi MancusoHead of the SNL hair department
- Laura LinneyAmerican actress Poehler said Padilla resembles vocally
Topics
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From the publisher
Ashley Padilla is so good at impressions. Amy hangs with the 'SNL' star and talks about hiding from the cops in a rose bush, running Diane Keaton's Instagram, and the best ways to play a fart. Host: Amy PoehlerGuests: Andrew Dismukes and Ashley PadillaExecutive Producers: Bill Simmons, Amy Poehler, and Jenna Weiss-BermanFor Paper Kite Productions: Executive producer Jenna Weiss-Berman, coordinator Sam Green, and supervising producer Joel LovellFor The Ringer: Supervising producers Juliet Litman, Sean Fennessey, and Mallory Rubin; video producers Jack Wilson, Belle Roman, and Aleya Zenieris; lighting director Caroline Jannace; audio producer Kaya McMullen; social producer Bridget Geerlings; video editor Drew van Steenbergen; and bookers Kat Spillane and Paige GarbariniOriginal Music: Amy Miles Visit uber.com/safety to learn more. Switch today at https://www.Visible.com for just 25/mo. Or get the premium Visible+ pro plan and save $10 on your first month with code HANG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 28, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.