This episode blends a promotional introduction to the new PayPal app with an in-depth, heartfelt conversation among key creators and cast members from *Parks and Recreation*. The PayPal segment highlights the app’s all-in-one functionality, including shopping, payments, rewards, and purchase protection, emphasizing convenience and security. The main content, however, is a rich, nostalgic reflection on the show’s origins, development, and enduring impact. The creators discuss how the show began as a non-spinoff idea to satirize government bureaucracy, inspired by real-world events and the desire for a long-term, evolving narrative. A central theme is the show's inventive character naming, with absurd, non-existent names like "Ophelia Papipapepe" or "Tyrion Fonzarelli" used to avoid real-world conflicts and add humor. The cast shares vivid, emotional memories of on-set experiences—like improvised scenes, physical comedy, and the heartfelt wedding of April and Andy—highlighting the genuine camaraderie and chemistry among the team. These moments are framed as not just entertainment but as a meaningful, enduring source of comfort, especially during challenging times like the pandemic. Ultimately, the episode celebrates *Parks and Recreation* as a testament to creative freedom, authenticity, and the power of friendship in storytelling.
This episode is brought to you by PayPal.
You know what's oddly satisfying?
Finding everything in one place.
And that's exactly what the new PayPal app does.
You can shop, pay, earn rewards,
and manage your account all in one place.
Plus, find deals on your favorite brands
every time you open the app.
PayPal also offers purchase protection on eligible items,
so you're covered if something doesn't go your way.
Download the new PayPal app to get started.
See paypal.com slash protection terms.
Hello, everyone.
Welcome to another episode of Good Hang.
We are continuing our clip package episodes,
and this is the second of three.
So we will be back with new episodes
and guests in just two weeks.
But this week, we are putting together
an amazing episode of all of the people
from Parks and Recreation who have come into the studio
and sat and talked to us.
And it is a great list.
It is Mike Schur, Rashida Jones,
Aziz Alam, and I.
I'm sorry, Catherine Hahn, Paul Rudd,
Aubrey Plaza, Adam Scott.
And please know, there are more coming.
In fact, a little teaser,
we do have Nick Offerman joining us
in season two of this podcast.
If there are seasons in podcasts,
we are insisting there are.
And so you're going to hear from all of these people today.
And the reason why we're doing these clip shows
is because I am finishing up shooting a new show
for Peacock.
called Dig with my buddy Mike Schur,
who, as we all know, created Parks and Rec.
So let's kick off this episode
by hearing from Mike Schur first.
This episode of Good Hang is presented by Subaru.
Some cars go the extra mile.
Long range Subaru hybrids take that to a whole new level
with up to 597 miles per tank.
In the Crosstrek Hybrid,
a car that I've given my family,
and up to 581 miles per tank
in the Forester Hybrid,
another car that I also enjoy.
Subaru, love goes the extra mile.
Visit Subaru.com slash hybrid to learn more.
Range based on EPA estimated combined fuel economy
and full tank of fuel.
Actual mileage and range may vary.
♪ Get up, what do you say? ♪
♪ All right ♪
♪ I'm the one who was a really good hang ♪
In the very, very beginning,
the idea for the spinoff of The Office,
or was it even an idea for spinoff, was what?
Well, so Ben Silverman-
What became Parks and Rec?
Ben Silverman was running NBC,
and he asked Greg to do a spinoff.
And so Greg's response, typically thoughtful and considered,
was, I would love to do another show.
If the best idea that I have for a show is a spinoff,
then I will do a spinoff.
If the best idea I have is something else,
I'll do something else.
Greg is a real,
one of the main things that he gave me
in terms of how to do this job is,
best idea wins.
Doesn't matter who it comes from,
if it's staff writer or a 25-year veteran co-EP
or a person who works in costumes or whatever,
best idea wins.
That's it.
And there is no corollary to that.
In every situation that you're in creatively,
best idea wins.
And so that's what he said, basically, to Ben.
And he was like,
it's very important to me that you understand
that if the best idea I have is not a spinoff of The Office,
then we're going to do something else.
And Ben was like, totally hear you, buddy.
And the next day in the variety,
he was like, Office spinoff is coming.
Ben just totally ignored him
and just announced an Office spinoff.
Sure.
So Greg and I started meeting.
Greg asked me to do it with him.
So we started meeting.
We would go to Norm's Diner in the Valley
like twice a week for breakfast.
And we would just think of ideas.
And we would talk about what interested us
and what was going on.
And we would inch down a little path
and then hit a dead end and then inch back.
And we would, we just met constantly
over showing your work.
We met all the time forever.
And eventually came up with the idea of like, you know,
and by the way, just to say it,
some of the ideas we talked about were Office spinoffs.
They were like Craig Robinson and Rainn Wilson
and all these people on the show
who could clearly be in their own show.
So we talked about,
family shows with them or whatever.
Greg was, I think, wary of taking assets away
from a show that was very successful
in part because of its large, rich cast.
We stumbled upon this idea of like, okay,
Dunder Mifflin on The Office is a fake company
and it's a way to satirize the private sector.
What if we create a whole fake town
and satirize the public sector?
And as we're having that idea,
the world economy goes kablooey
and they're talking about like massive government bailouts.
And we start to realize that like the government,
obviously federal really,
but also state and local was like going to be very present
in people's lives.
Like people were going to be like looking
to the government for help.
So we started getting excited about that.
I had this idea for an abandoned lot
that would be turned into a park
over the course of the entire run of the show.
Very wirey idea.
I was obsessed with the wire as were you.
Yeah, we share that.
And I thought like the way that the wire,
portrayed like calcified systems
and how slow gears grind and stuff was fascinating to me.
And I thought it would be really funny
where if you did a show that ideally lasts for a long time
and in the pilot, it's like, we're going to do this.
And then it literally doesn't get done
until the very end of like nine years later.
So that was the idea that I really liked.
Greg then was like, what if it's not a lot?
What if there's like a giant hole in the ground?
What if it's a pit?
And I was like, that's so much better.
And so that idea of all the 73 ideas we had
started to like fizzle out.
And it obviously is not a spinoff of The Office.
And Greg, true to his word, was like,
this is what we want to do.
At some point, we called you
because we heard you were leaving.
And you were like, I'm theoretically interested in this.
Let me know.
The show was given a guaranteed 13 episode order,
which now is very commonplace at the time was like insane.
And The Office was going to be on
after the Super Bowl that year.
And this show was going to launch.
And this show was going to launch after The Office.
Then you called us back and said, actually, sorry, Prego.
That's exactly what you said.
Yeah, I said Prego.
You said Prego.
Prego.
I sent you a telegraph.
I said, Prego, stop.
Show's off, stop.
And it was like, well, you're going to give birth
like the week we have to shoot this, so no go.
And then like, I remember very clearly two weeks later,
I went into Greg's office and I was like, you know,
there's no, like we had,
we were working on the show at that point pretty strenuous.
And I was just like,
I just don't think there's anyone but Polar who can do this.
And he was like, I had the same thought last night.
And very quickly, we made a phone call to NBC
and said, if we can get Amy for this,
we will give up seven of the 13 guaranteed episodes
because we'd only be able to make six.
Dang.
And give up the Super Bowl slot.
Well, you guys, I'm so appreciative you did that.
I mean, the thing was,
it was actually a very simple decision
because we were like, you know,
getting Amy Polar on your show is a long-term decision.
Like that's a,
that's a decision you make for like this,
what you hope will be a very long chunk of time.
Like the Super Bowl slot is a short-term decision.
It's like, yeah, you'll get this like frisson of energy,
but like it doesn't last.
Like no one ever,
like very rarely does that determine the fate of a TV show.
And so we then called you back and said,
what if you could start shooting three months after you give birth?
And then we made the show.
And it proved to be the most satisfying creative experience
I've ever had.
And I like-
More than this podcast?
No, this is my number one.
Number two, it's number two.
Yeah, this is, I mean, besides this.
Now, one of the ways, like very concrete ways
that is, I feel like an example of what I'm talking about,
which is like the joy in the details
is the way you like to name characters.
Yeah.
And I think you gave me,
I think you allowed me to use this in my book actually,
but you gave me like a list of possible names
instead of Leslie Knope, the character.
I played on Parks and Rec.
Like you gave me like a bunch of different alternative names.
But you also love to name characters left and right.
What is it, what is fun about names for you and naming?
Okay, so it's two things.
The first is growing up,
first major comedic influence, Monty Python.
Monty Python, experts at silly, stupid names,
like hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of them.
You can go look them up in their sketches.
But the actual,
the actual thing,
what's going on here is different.
So I would go to actors IMDB pages
to see what they had been in
when we were casting them in the early days of the show.
And you would see like woman number two
or like man in crowd or guy with sandwich.
And it really bummed me out.
That person like auditioned for this and booked this gig
and drove all the way across town
and like put on fake clothes and put on makeup and whatever
and had to stand in a certain place,
follow a million instructions,
say a line or two,
and then they yelled cut.
And then that person drove all the way home
and they got paid like $600 for like a week's worth of work.
And they should be,
there should be something better than man number two
or man in crowd.
And so I decided at that moment,
this is early in season one,
I think of Parks and Rec,
that every character who appeared on the show
was going to have a first and last name.
So when you saw instead of,
if it says man in crowd,
you're like, oh, well that,
it doesn't really count as an acting gig.
But if you see Marv,
The Vavma.
which is a name I gave a character once.
You're like, who the hell is Marva Vavma?
What was Marva Vavma up to?
So I, and it has been,
it started with that intention
and has become one of the great,
truly one of the great joys of my life
is to give every,
because here's the other thing,
sorry, you can cut all this out.
But the other thing is,
if you name a character Jack Smith,
you can get away with it
because there are 10 trillion Jack Smiths.
But if you name a character
anything even mildly interesting,
like Winona Cooper,
there's going to be like four Winona Coopers
in the state that you're setting the show in.
And then the legal comes back
and says, you can't name a character that.
A lot of people don't know that.
You have to get names cleared.
You have to be cleared.
And there have to be either none
or so many that not any one of them could be,
could think that you're saying anything about them.
So I go for none.
Yeah, I go for the weirdest names.
We had a character recently
on the show on A Man on the Inside
named Ophelia Papipapepe.
There's no Ophelia Papipapepe
anywhere in the continental United States.
So you get to use that name.
That has been my goal
is to have none,
have the Google search come up empty
with every name of every character.
Okay, with that in mind,
will you please read some of these names
that you have invented?
Yeah.
Like just a few here
on the bottom of this page.
Okay.
Mona Lisa Saperstein.
Yes.
Jenny Slate's character.
Yes.
Do you remember all these do you think?
Amazing.
Trod Frankenstipe.
Okay, tell us about Trod.
So Trod Frankenstipe was a local reporter
or he had a like almost like a little show
like this in Pawnee
where he would interview political people
like Leslie Knope.
A great way to come up with a name
that doesn't exist
is to take a normal name like Todd
and then just stick another letter
in there somewhere.
Trod.
And then Frankenstipe
is just Frankenstein with a P at the end.
Tyrion Fonzarelli.
Tyrion Fonzarelli.
Obviously a combination of two characters
from TV history.
Tyrion Lannister and Arthur Fonzarelli.
This name goes to Matt Murray.
Matt Murray did this.
Ah, Panther.
Yeah, Panther.
Tyrion Fonzarelli was a
A writer on Parks and Rec among other things.
Was a guy in a jewelry store
who was buying an engagement ring for his
to be betrothed when Anne and Chris Traeger
were shopping for rings.
Great.
Leslie Knope.
Yep.
Gretzky, Susan Pellegrino.
Okay.
This, so Gretzky, Susan Pellegrino
was like the fourth in a series of names
that for some reason all involved
the last name of the greatest hockey player
who ever lived, Wayne Gretzky.
Yeah.
I don't offhand remember
who Gretzky, Susan Pellegrino is.
Also, it should be noted, hyphens,
huge part of my naming process.
Yeah, so exciting.
It's a way to get another name in there.
Another name and also there's no way
that someone's going to have this name.
No one's first name.
The first name is Gretzky, Susan.
Gretzky, hyphen, Susan.
Typhoon Montalban.
Oh, I love Typhoon.
Typhoon was Donna's hairdresser.
Yep.
Typhoon, also Matt Murray,
I believe named, gave Typhoon
the first name Typhoon.
We needed a last name.
Where do you go for the last name?
Ricardo Montalban.
Typhoon Montalban.
Sassandra Sassasnorp.
Okay.
Sassandra Sassasnorp was,
I believe, I could have this wrong,
was just, it was like Sandra Snorp.
Okay.
And then legally,
Google was like,
didn't clear.
We found a Sandra Snorp somewhere.
We found a Sandra Snorp.
So guess what you do?
You add five more S's,
now you're good.
Sandra.
To Sandra Sassasnorp.
Summer Ole Kraken Frog Frong.
Okay.
This is a Monty Python ripoff,
straight up.
Okay.
Ole, O-L-E with an accent
and I guess just that part.
In, there's a Monty Python sketch
called, I think, Election Night Special
where they're just going through
election results in local elections
all over the country.
And there's,
there's a silly party
and a sensible party.
So all the people
in the sensible party
have names like John Smith
and all the people
in the silly party
have very crazy names.
And there's also
a very silly party
and a slightly silly party.
It's, if you want names,
go watch that sketch.
It'll, it'll, it'll,
it'll sate you.
That's a good one.
Frog Frong is a great last name.
Great one.
Yeah.
Okay.
So do you think
some of your best acting
was in Parks and Rec
when you had to pretend
that you didn't know
who Genuine was?
You know, it's,
it's still one
of my biggest complaints.
I remember we did
the table read for that
and I was like,
no, no,
no one's going to buy it
because I don't buy it.
Okay.
Pick anybody else
on this cast
to, to try to play that
in an honest way.
It is so unfair
that you're making me do this.
It really, yeah,
it still hurts.
Because how, how,
how familiar
are you with Genuine?
We were married.
Genuine.
I mean, you know,
I live in 90s R&B.
That's where my heart is.
It's not here.
I mean, it is with you,
but for the most part,
it's not present.
It's in 90s R&B.
So he's a very important figure.
Yeah.
I feel like
we've had some hard-ass laughs.
And I was trying to think
the other day, like,
places that we've laughed,
deep laughs.
And it really does add years
to my life.
I know that.
And I wonder if you could tell
the story about
when we were on Parks
and it was,
because we talk about it.
We've talked about it before.
When we were on Parks
and it was the first season,
it was the hunting episode.
And just to kind of set up,
we were shooting
that whole week
way far away
somewhere in California,
you know,
I don't even remember where.
And we had to do a scene
with Nick Offerman.
And that,
I think about it sometimes,
the way that laugh came,
it was like,
it was giggle,
giggle,
orgasm city.
But,
but,
but,
don't worry,
we'll cut that.
But,
but,
what do you remember about it?
What do you want?
Well,
I remember we were,
he maybe ate something weird
and we were trying
to give him Ipecac.
Isn't that what it was?
So Nick Offerman
playing Ron Swanson
ate something weird.
Something,
yeah,
I don't remember actually
what happened in the show.
Isn't that funny?
I was like determined
as a nurse,
I was like,
you have to throw up.
Like,
you can't.
Right.
You're going to get sick.
And he's like,
I'm fine.
Right.
And I,
we were trying to get this
like liquid in his mouth.
And,
you know,
it's Hollywood.
So things that happen
like on camera
don't actually happen
in real life.
So it was written
that we like hold him down
and he's resisting us
and we give him this,
this thing.
But,
like,
you don't know,
you don't know
how small you are
because I think both of us,
like,
I'm always like,
I'm like a tall person,
right?
Like I ask people
if I feel tall.
But I'm not.
And I'm not.
How tall are you?
Five,
three and a half.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I'm five two.
And Nick is solid.
Yeah.
He's a solid dude.
Yeah.
He's like a
Midwestern corn fed dude.
Dense and like,
and muscular.
And he,
we were trying
to hold him down
and he was,
whipping us around
with such ease.
Like,
we couldn't,
we actually,
the both of us
could not hold him down
and he was like,
literally he would just go,
beep,
and we would just fly off the bed
in each direction.
We could not stop laughing.
One of us,
we each had one arm.
Yeah.
And he would,
it felt like just
the flick of a wrist
and we would fly across the room.
Because he was being gentle.
He was being gentle.
Yeah.
He wasn't,
he was doing like stage resist.
He wasn't fighting for his life.
Yeah.
No.
No.
And we could not get him
to stay down.
Could not.
Could not.
And I,
I remember that feeling.
Also,
I think there's something fun
about wrestling.
Like,
there is.
So good.
It's so good.
And being thrown around
is so fun.
Yes.
And he was
throwing us around
and I feel like I just,
like if I was to picture it
in my mind,
you were just like,
wee!
Like I could just see you
going past me
and your hair going,
why?
And then your legs going,
wee!
And me,
and me,
and I just remember like,
Rashida!
Like,
I've never seen you
flying by,
which can't be true.
I feel like we were
tumbling all over the floor.
Like,
every time we got back
on the bed,
we were like,
and we were,
we were kind of like,
in each,
we were both trying to be
like on top of him
and then like,
just flipping over
really quickly.
And I think too,
because Nick is such a
lovely,
gentle guy in general,
we knew,
there was something about us
that knew we weren't
going to get hurt.
It was safe.
It was safe, yeah.
But he was making like
grunting bear sounds.
It was really,
really, really.
It was really fun.
That was a really,
I mean,
I'm trying to think of like,
there's so many good,
good crack-up moments.
Crack-up moments.
I'm 100 years old.
What a crack-up.
But,
I'm just like,
I was like,
There's that spot in,
in Andy
and April's house,
remember,
where we could never
get a scene done?
Just that one,
that living room.
There's a dead spot.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It was haunted.
Yeah.
And then I remember
there was one time
you were like,
Rashida!
Because I could not
get through it.
But I really,
it felt like haunted.
It did not feel like
it was my fault.
Yeah.
I'm sorry I said that.
There was,
a couple times I would see
bloopers for the show
and I'd be like,
Amy.
No,
but those days were so long.
They were.
They were long.
And it was fun
until it wasn't.
You're like,
oh my God,
it's dead.
We just want to go home.
I know.
And the,
and there was a scene
for people that care.
There was,
there was a spot
in that,
on that set
where anyone
who stood there
couldn't get their lines.
And then of course
it became
self-fulfilling prophecy
in many ways.
But there was just
a lot of
deep laughs
and deep,
and deep laughs
off camera.
Like one of the things,
one of the things
I treasure,
and there's so much
so many things I treasure about my friendship with you was that we would be talking like this
and we'd be just talking and talking and just like talking about our day and talking about life and
then they would just go action and then we would just talk like Leslie and Ann and we'd do our
scene and be like we kind of I'll speak for myself kind of knew it kind of didn't right and then
they'd then they'd cut they'd work on it and we would just go back to talking like it was like
a dream job we filmed in between our conversations yeah and also I think I remember very clearly in
the pilot because we had already been friends for years when we shot the pilot and they were doing
one of those spy shots and we were in your office and we were talking and it was like you know other
people were like oh this is great like this is a thing that really works their friendship we're
really going to be able to sell it we're like uh duh no kidding what do you mean I mean they really
did base the entire show at the end of the day on the fact that Leslie and Ann
you
were you know each other's number one yeah yeah not hard to do no and what I mean we've talked
about this before but we when we first started the show I think it was like it was kind of like
we were trying to figure out who was going to play what part and who was going to come on board
and um and kind of like the beginnings of that show were I'll say a little clumsy
crunchy
crunchy
crunchy
crunchy
crunchy
crunchy
crunchy
crunchy
crunchy
crunchy
crunchy the beginning of that show were I'll say a little clumpy crunchy crunchy crunchy crunchy
crunchy
can we talk about it yeah I'd love to oh my god yeah it was because I think for I don't think a lot of
people know this for the beginning I think we both were worried that we had taken each other's part
like yes yeah so so I had been on hold for this untitled thing yeah that was gonna that Greg and
Mike were gonna write right and I had done a year on the office and they let me go which made sense
it was it was a lot of work but I was like I'm gonna do this I'm gonna do this I'm gonna do this I'm
it made sense I was you had such a tough job there because yeah everybody wanted Jim and Pam and then
guess who shows up a very likable cool and everyone was like oh no wait that's love Karen it did not
feel that way people did not like me like fans were not about it but they had to create tension
for the relationship to be earned later so I was the third point in the triangle it's fine I like
accept it but anyway so Mike was like we're working on this other show I'll put you on hold we don't
know what it is yet remember people thought it was like a
spin-off of the office for a second but anyway so they kept like kind of decide like changing the
the care the main characters of the show when they pitch it to me the boss was a was a guy
and they didn't know if they were gonna cast me or not but I remember you were extremely pregnant
yeah we'd just gotten back from Italy you and I were in Italy yeah that's right we were in Italy
and it was very hot that's right and a day later you were like let's go to lunch I need to talk to
you about something do you remember where we went pasties yes I do New York City I do oh god and I
said let's talk about something yeah and you say no no no you and I was like I want you to raise
this baby with me it's yours this baby is I know that's impossible and you need to accept it um
but you know I actually hold this this moment as like a gold standard of friendship and being
able to take care of your oneself and the person that you love at the same time I really do polos
because it was what you did and how you did it was very hard because you took me to lunch and said
I'm so sorry but they offered me the part both of us thinking it was the same part I was on hold for
being created by a friend of ours and so I immediately started crying in pasties and you
held my hand and you were so warm and you were so there was something about it where you were like
I know I'm sorry buddy but you also you didn't like do the thing that I sometimes do where I'm
codependent where I'm like I know I suck I'm the worst person I don't even deserve it like whatever
I would say to try to make the other person feel better which doesn't work you didn't do that you
like held your space and you also comforted me at the same time which was like a very beautiful thing
I wonder what sure's version of this is let me tell you okay I left him a message almost immediately
because I'm not shy I was and I was like oh I'm such an idiot for thinking I could even be on the
show like anybody wants me on this show of course I didn't get this like Amy is like a you know oh my
god what a mean part of yourself very mean very mean we that's a that's a person we're trying to
um to not invite to the dinner party anymore but um so I called him I was like hey would love to
talk to you he was on a plane and he landed he's like uh I was like you want to you want to tell
me what's going on because it would have been really nice for you to tell me and not Amy to
tell me that I wasn't getting this job and he's like no no no back up we changed the boss it's a
and Amy's playing the boss I was like you oh my god like we might be working together yeah it kind
of went from oh no to oh my god we might be the two women on the show and I still wasn't cast
because I still had to do a bunch of chemistry reads after that but but that became you know
this huge possibility of like my life being the best from the worst to the best god I'm sweating
even thinking about that he wasn't
they had they just hadn't decided things and they they were trying to build around you I think is
what happened around that character so I think they had just done that and I think you wanted
to tell me as soon as possible yeah because we were so close yeah which was the right instinct
and Mike decided to get on a plane which was his instinct and he just flew for hours he just he
just went to different cities and he never got off the plane and that's what execs do that's
what a powerful person does is they get on the plane they just get on as many
things as possible my phone was off your little zizi's all grown up I know my zizi is just he's
an old man now I know if you watch if whenever I see old parks things I was like I didn't know
that me and Aubrey did a show and we were little kids like it's really how old were you when you
started I was 13 and then when we finished I just turned 18 I got my driver's license like in the
middle of the run a lot of people don't know that you were 18 when you were playing Tom
Haverford on Parks and Rec yeah it is true though it is you you look like a baby you were a baby
I didn't know anything yeah in the first seasons I I didn't know how to act or anything I should
not have been on television NBC should be like we gotta get is there any Indian guy that's done
more acting a lot of people don't know you were the first person hired for parks uh yeah I met
with them yeah what was that meeting like do you remember it well it was
so mysterious what they're up to yeah I had a meeting with them and I told them I don't know
what you're doing but whatever it is that would be a dream job and um and you know this was like
when the office was on and Mike and Greg were both involved in that and that was you know my
favorite show like that on the air and and so I told them whatever you're up to let me know and
then of course you know when it all came together with you and Rashida and everything and well I'm
kind of learning I when I was talking to Plaza when Plaza was here she was
talking about like her meeting with them too yeah yeah very famous stories yeah yeah I know and
it's kind of funny I kind of forgot the Avengers assemble feeling of those guys going out and and
getting people and bringing them in and and talking about like we're gonna do something
very cool I mean it what it didn't even feel like there was a ton of auditioning it was more just
them picking people that they thought was funny not only funny and I I feel like all of us whenever
each other do interviews kind of say this kind of stuff ad nauseam but it's so true but also just
the best people I've ever met in my life yeah like really I cannot believe it because we've all done
other stuff and you know not everybody's you know look we've all done other stuff I don't talk about
everything the way I talk about parks you know you do something some people it's just your energy
not necessarily mean or bad but just something like we all just clicked and there was a vibe
to you and Mike you know when I did master none with Alan and as I become a director I you know
what I learned from you and Mike in terms of how to lead um I mean I can't thank you enough it was
the best role model I could ever have sees let me see if you can guess how many times how many
episodes of parks you did do you do would you know to guess I would say between 7 and 13
10 10 okay it's kind of right between that's amazing but it was such a huge impact on my life
like it's still the thing I get most recognized for really yes and I just remember well first
of all you were the most incredible number one on a call sheet because you had dance parties
at lunch every day and anybody that walked on that like set just was filled with such
confidence and such joy which is I had the greatest time on that show I have such I don't
have the greatest that's where we kind of fell in love but that is that's really Catherine where we
I think actually met my first kind of like real memory is in the trailer of parks and rec and
we used to Catherine is talking about dance parties and we used to do a thing where just
like after lunch we would play three songs best the great autumn butler our makeup artist
had great taste in music and
we would just kind of dance around for two or three songs yeah the best I think for me a way
to honestly just keep my energy up yeah but it became a way to meet people in the trailer and
I remember two things
I love about you right away.
How much you love to laugh.
People that know you know that.
I do.
You love to laugh.
If someone's going to break in a scene,
it's this professional over here.
You know.
Do you think you break a lot?
I have to be really serious in my mind.
Like if I have,
because if it starts to happen,
it is tears.
Yeah.
And mucus.
But you,
I have seen you in bloopers
and you're hanging in.
Yeah, I do hang in.
You hang in.
I do.
Yeah.
You, in fact,
go in harder, I think.
I think I have to.
I know it's a survival technique.
I just have to dig in a little bit.
I do.
I go harder.
I feel like every time
I've done a scene with you,
you are so good at improvising.
In fact,
like a lot of your character
on Parks and Rec,
Jen Barkley's moments
were improvised.
Were they really?
Well, one of the favorites,
one of TikTok and memes
and GIFs and GIFs.
Poncho?
Is Poncho.
Yeah, Poncho was.
So let's talk about
what happened.
For people that have never seen that,
what is it?
Tell us what that scene was.
Well, I went to Ben and Leslie's house.
I'm speaking as Jen Barkley,
my character.
I'm the first person.
Well, for people that aren't watching,
she just transformed.
I just transformed.
Her eyes turned dark
and she's a completely different person.
A lot more hairspray.
I went to their house.
They have children.
I am not into children at all.
I wore a plastic poncho
so that I wouldn't get any skin.
I wore a plastic poncho.
Sticky fingers are crap all over me.
And at some point,
the kids rush by with paint,
nail me with the paint,
and at some take,
just to make you guys laugh,
I don't even,
did not have any idea
it was going to be any,
I just swung my arms open
and went,
Poncho!
Poncho!
And that really has me
kind of making a thing.
It's like Batman's cape.
I mean.
Oh, that was the best.
Like, I just wanted
to make you guys laugh
and just having so,
the energy was so loose.
So I like,
it's funny you say that
but I'm realizing,
again, I can do it
if I know who I am
and like the given circumstances
and like that,
I feel like,
I feel really free
in that department,
but just.
Well, you know how like we,
we were on set a lot
and I would watch you work
and I would say the same thing
about Adam
and I wonder too
if it's because of your,
both of your training,
but I would watch the way
you two worked
and you would have a moment
where we,
you'd say,
really, really loose
and, but just right before the scene
and I can think of a couple of scenes,
the great scene
where Jen Barkley is telling Leslie,
no, basically,
you know, you have to start.
Oh.
You have to start thinking bigger,
which is a huge moment in the show.
I love the writing in that scene.
Oh my God, that scene.
Mike Schur and the writers,
like, I just love how they slowly
took care of Leslie
and they sent people in
to give her these messages
and Jen Barkley is just this like,
Gen X ball buster.
Yes.
Who, who kind of sees something
that Leslie doesn't.
Anyway, in that moment
when you're giving that speech,
I remember very clearly
right before the scene,
you just took a moment
and I think we joked about it later
because I, I was like,
it was like watching,
it was watching a real actor.
Oh God.
You were on Parks and Rec.
You only did five episodes.
Do you know that?
I know.
But you played a character
that stood the test of time.
I mean,
I mean, if only,
if only we had Bobby Newport,
just a guy who wants to be liked.
Yeah.
And who.
I know, if only, right?
I mean, Bobby at the time.
Means well,
just doesn't quite grasp any of it.
He wants to go to the after party.
Yeah.
Bobby Newport, played by you,
was like the rich son
of the Sweetums family.
The family, the Newports
that owned the big factory
in the fictional town of Pawnee
that Parks and Rec took place
and Bobby Newport ran against Leslie
and it was like what Bobby had
that Leslie could never get
was that gee whiz,
like I can't believe I fell into this.
Like I just want to have a good time, you guys.
Yeah.
I think that's even a line
that that's how Bobby feels about abortion.
Oh yeah, right.
What did he say about abortion?
I guess my thoughts on abortion
are just like,
I want everybody to have a good time.
I just want everybody to have a good time.
I mean, come on, guys.
What?
And Bobby kept getting flustered
by Leslie wanting it
because he wants it.
Like there's that great scene
where he's like,
can you just drop out of the race
because I want it.
Yeah, yeah.
Because I want it.
I want it.
Come on.
Please, you can do it.
Just do it.
Come on.
And people are like,
I don't know, I love the guy.
He's great.
And he doesn't seem to want it.
And he doesn't know anything.
But neither do I.
That's, you know.
Leslie was capable
and great for that job.
Bobby Newport is not.
No.
And Bobby was,
I think was thinking like,
maybe I'll just get it.
And then Leslie, you can do it.
Yeah.
How about that?
That's a good compromise.
What are your memories
of doing that character?
Such a funny character.
You were so great.
Thank you, Amy.
My memories of that were,
I can't believe I get to work
with my favorite people in the world.
You and Adam and Catherine and Rashida.
It was like, this is the dream.
I mean, this is, you know,
I remember when you were talking to Tina
on the very first episode you did
where you were saying,
you feel like the great thing that can happen
if you are able to sustain enough of a career
that you can get to a point
where you work with your friends
or you get to work with people you really like.
Because it's not like,
it's not work.
It's just,
it's just the best.
And I mean,
it was such a fun character, obviously.
And the show is so great
and you're so great in it.
It was just,
it was a dream.
Yeah.
It was a dream.
And you know,
and I was,
I loved it.
I loved every second of it.
I loved hanging out with all you guys.
It was so fun.
It was really fun.
It was.
And it was,
those scenes were so funny.
Like he got,
you got to do the stuff
that was the stupidest.
Talk about fun, stupid.
It's the stupidest stuff.
Well, there's nothing,
there's nothing funnier to me
than unearned confidence.
Yeah.
Like just,
just somebody feels like they,
you know,
it's like,
I've got it figured out.
And it's like,
no, you don't.
Yeah.
But,
but if it's,
and if it's,
if it's like nice,
like if it's fun,
it's really funny
if it's not nice,
unearned confidence.
But,
that was the thing of like,
he had a lot of kind of unearned confidence,
but he had,
he was just dumb.
Yeah.
He wanted to have a good time.
He was sweet though.
But he's a nice,
he was sweet.
He was sweet.
And that,
and that was,
and that was a fun,
that was kind of,
that's a fun thing to get to play.
Yeah.
That's a fun kind of character to get to play.
Would you,
would we describe him as like guy-less?
Is that the word?
Yeah.
I think that's a good way to do it.
Yeah.
There's,
yeah.
I know that word.
So I just wanted to know.
That's a really good,
by the way,
of course you do.
Fucking great word.
He was a fucking great word.
Fucking great word.
God damn.
This episode is brought to you by Hilton,
the official hotel partner of the Big Ten.
Every college football weekend,
fired up fans hit the road with their lucky shirts,
pre-game rituals with friends and family,
and oddly specific traditions.
Good thing Hilton's unmatched hospitality is ready.
They know not to wash your lucky jersey.
They'll find you a room with your favorite player's number
and prepare your must-have pre-game waffles.
When you need a team that will do whatever it takes on game day,
it matters where you stay.
Hilton,
for the stay.
This episode is brought to you by Allstate.
Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance.
Not checking whether you set an alarm
before having an afternoon power nap,
only to wake up two hours later,
drowsy,
confused,
so many missed calls.
Yeah.
Checking first is a good idea.
So check Allstate first,
for an auto quote.
It could save you hundreds.
You're in good hands with Allstate.
Potential savings vary,
subject to terms,
conditions,
and availability.
Allstate North American Insurance Company and Affiliates,
Northbrook, Illinois.
This episode is brought to you by CarMax.
Thinking of selling your car,
but still a little unsure if or how?
Start by getting an online offer from CarMax.
It's a real offer,
worth real money,
but there's no pressure to take it.
CarMax gives you up to seven days
to compare offers and think it over.
And when you're ready to sell,
they'll pick the car,
directly from your home.
Get a real offer today at CarMax.com.
At-home pickup not available in all locations.
Distance restrictions and fees may apply.
This episode is brought to you by eBay Live.
Here's how it goes.
First, you're watching the eBay live stream,
telling yourself,
I'm just looking.
And then boom,
you see a vintage Rolex go for an absolute steal.
Suddenly a rare beanie baby pops up,
adrenaline hits,
and you're bidding.
You might lose that first one,
but you bid again and win.
And that winning rush,
incredible,
because you beat everyone to it.
Meanwhile, on eBay Live,
you don't just watch the action,
you're in it.
Download the eBay app to stream and shop live.
eBay Live,
things people love.
This episode is brought to you by Subaru.
There's something about being on the road
that has a way of leading to those
unexpectedly memorable little moments.
And in the all new 2026 Subaru Hybrid,
it's like the destination isn't even important.
It's the drive, baby.
And let me tell you,
Let me tell you, I'm in that car
and I feel like a million bucks.
folks. Quiet ride. Comfortable. Love my Subaru. Can't get enough. With up to 581 miles in the
Subaru Forester Hybrid and even more, 597 in the Crosstrek Hybrid, you can go further between
stops and stay in the moment longer. The
Subaru Forester Hybrid and Crosstrek Hybrid, love goes the extra mile.
We meet on the set of Parks and Rec. And for people that don't know, like you had a crazy
week when you got hired. You got like three jobs that same week. What happened that week
you were hired on Parks?
So I basically, I was like trying to get a part in Funny People, the Judd Apatow movie
with Seth Rogen and Adam Sandler. And I went through kind of this whole vetting process
in New York. And then enough where Allison Jones, who casted me in the movie, was like,
who cast that movie and Parks and Rec, was called me and was like, all right, like you made it to
the chemistry read stage. So you have to come out to LA and read with Seth and see if you get the
part basically. And so, but I didn't really have an agent or anything. And I kind of had to like
pay my way, you know, to go out there. So it was like a little bit janky, but I got myself out
there to do that. And then while I was out in LA for that week to do the Funny People thing, Allison
was like,
how would I send you on some other things? Like, how do you feel about that? And so,
yeah, so one of them was, she wanted me to go meet Mike Schur and Greg Daniels, who at the time
were shooting on The Office. And they were shooting, they were on the set of The Office.
So she sent me to the set of The Office. And I didn't even, I guess at that time,
I didn't realize like, I didn't think like, oh, I could, these meetings will get me a job.
I didn't understand. I mean, I think it's one of the things about being young that's kind
of nice is you're not really aware what you're actually, like, what's at stake.
No, definitely not that. I mean, if it was an audition, obviously, I know like, all right,
I'm going to get the part or not. But like, general meetings, I didn't really get the vibe
of that.
How old were you then?
I was 24, 23, 23 maybe. But so then I went to the set of The Office and I was so starstruck.
I see in my horse eye, BJ Novak and Mindy Kaling walk by and I was like, oh,
my God. I was like, they're in the show or whatever. And Mike Schur is like, hello.
And he's like at his desk, like, and I'm like, what? And then I just met him for like,
he describes it. He really embellishes this story. I think he loves this story. He loves it. But he's
like, and then I met the weirdest person. I'm like, there's no bigger fan of Aubrey Plaza
than Mike Schur. Yeah, right. He loves it, though, because I think like, I mean, it just speaks to,
honestly, the fact that you've always been yourself, confidently yourself, and you don't
have a vibe of like, you don't, you are the opposite of a pick me, as the kids would say.
Like, you do not have that vibe. And that draws people in. And I think he was like,
who is this person? Yeah. Who seems mad at me? Yeah. I try to give her a job. Yeah, literally.
And why are you wearing jean shorts in a general meeting? Like ripped jean shorts. And you're like,
what this was? No. And then I got a phone call. And they were like, you're on a TV show. I'm like,
what? No. But then. Which one? I know. What, you're like, The Office? Yeah. I literally probably said
that. I didn't know what was going on. And then they were like, actually, you got the part, but
actually, you have to audition to play yourself. You don't have to name names, but I wonder who
else was up to play you. I don't think that anyone. Oh, right. It was just one person. I think they
just made me do it, like, for the network or something. I think I found out later. I mean,
maybe not. I don't know. It's probably like, you know. Yeah. It was you, Sharon Stone and Gina
Gershon. Yeah. So you get the part. We're on the set. And then, like, I mean, we could do a whole,
obviously, we could do a whole episode about our experiences there. And there are so, like,
I mean, I don't, the best thing about our relationship, I feel like, is I don't, like,
a lot of, I think,
long-lasting relationships is you don't always, like, remember how you met. Like,
I just remember, like, just, I just have this vision of you being next to me on the set of that
show. And me being like, welcome. Like, you know, Leslie was supposed to be, like, welcoming April.
And April was supposed to be like, what am I doing here? And Amy was welcoming Aubrey. And Aubrey was
like, what am I doing here? Truly, yeah. I mean, I remember when we first met. And I think I told you,
the story, it was the promos that we shot.
That's right. That's right.
Which was weird because we hadn't shot the show yet. And the rest of the cast hadn't even been
cast yet. I think at that point, it was just, like, Aziz, me, you.
Yeah.
Maybe another, Rashida.
Maybe Rashida, yeah. I don't think we had Nick yet or.
I don't think so. But they had me and I was there, like, physically there. So they shot this promo of us on a
swing set. And that's when I met you, like, officially for the first time. And I think I was literally on a
swing, like a child. Like, and I was like, and I was like, Jess, don't make any sudden movements.
Except swinging.
Except swinging. And then you, which is kind of good because swinging is really good somatically.
Yeah, yes.
For me, like, I liked. But then, yeah, you came over and we were both just swinging like little babies.
That's how we met on a swing. We met on a playground, which is kind of nice.
Really nice. And it feels like the show was that.
Like, it was, it felt like a true, like, playground space. It really was. Like, we, I mean, I loved and love
working with you. I love playing with you. I love acting with you. I love you as an actor. I love you
as a person. I love your acting, Blasi. You know how good I think you are.
And I feel like our dynamic, well, like, the arc of, in many ways, like, April had the biggest growth in the show.
She goes from.
Truly not wanting to be where she is to, like, you know, ending the show, like, with some kind of purpose and a love in her life and, like, some, also, like, a, she kind of stands up for what she doesn't want to do, which is a big part of your 20s.
Like, but when you started that character, when you started her, did you have any idea where you thought it would go? Did you have any, you know, did you, did you see?
No.
Yeah.
No, I just, no, I think I just, once I realized, like, oh, what's so fun about this character is that, like, it's a game of not showing anyone that I really care.
Yes.
And, like, once I locked into that, it was real, like, it felt like there was no limit to, like, the growth or, like, what could happen because if you hint that there's something else going on.
Mm-hmm.
It's, like, you can kind of play with that and also in different ways with every different character.
So, I feel, like, maybe on an unconscious level, but I felt like, oh, there's so much to play with even though it feels really subtle and simple.
Yeah, that was her secret is she cared, but she pretended she didn't.
Yeah.
And so, when it would pop out, it was so satisfying.
Yeah.
It was so funny and good.
And the ways in which she tried to keep those things hidden were so funny.
Yeah.
And then I think just the Andy-April thing was such an organic, like, I had no idea that was going to become a thing until that one episode.
So, let's talk about that.
So, Andy played by Chris Pratt and you, April and Andy, had an episode where a bunch of us were off, like, doing the, like, a harvest.
We're at the Harvest Festival.
We're at some festival.
I don't know where you guys were.
We were doing something together.
Yeah.
Or you were, like, camping or something.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
We were, like, camping episodes.
I don't know.
And so, they put you guys in the office and just said, like, let's see what happens to these two characters when they hang out.
Yeah.
And basically, the chemistry that those characters had was the building block for why they eventually became, like, the real romantic love story of the show, other than Leslie and Anne.
Yeah.
Because Anne doesn't deserve…
Don't talk about Anne.
Sorry.
But what do you remember of that day?
I have a…
Well, Greg Daniels directed.
He directed the episode, which I will always remember because he was so delighted.
Like, he had such a, like, little kid energy.
And he was so…
He just was, like, very willing to, like, let's just try things.
And we had a whole day where we were just playing.
It was, like, kind of like what you said, like, the office, like, the bullroom or bullpen.
Yeah, bullpen.
What do we call it?
The bullpen.
The bullroom.
The bullpen, like, became a playground.
And I just remember I have an image of, like, us sitting under the table.
We were, like, under that main table for a while.
Like, I don't even know what we were doing down there.
But we were under there.
Yeah.
And I just remember…
I don't know.
It just felt…
It was so fun.
It just felt like…
I remember before then there was…
I think it was, like, the finale of maybe the first season.
I don't remember what season.
But there was a very subtle moment where we're all in a group.
We're in a circle.
And Andy's, like, saying something.
He's saying something about his band or he's, like, something about, like, I think, like, this band name is cool or whatever.
And everybody's like…
else was like no and april and i was just like i like it and it was like an improvised thing but i
do you remember that where i remember being like and then i remember like knocking on mike sure's
like door and being like listen i was like april loves andy and april thinks andy's cool because
he's so not cool that he's cool do you understand and mike was like get out of here and i was like
you i was like you better listen to me um and then you did you knocked on his door it was like i mean
yeah it was more like just a little conversation but it was like it was like a it was like a layer
to that character because you become his advocate like and that's the part of april that like is
like another interesting layer is like again she acts like nothing matters and she's um you know
completely disaffected but she's actually very fiercely loyal yeah and very um and like sticks
up for people she believes in which i think is a character character trait of you too plazzi like
you're very you're
very loyal friend yeah you're a really really protective friend um and you really stick up for
people who you love and that side of it was so great because then we got to see her like manage
him care about the band see potential for him that he didn't see in himself and he was just like i
can't believe how lucky i am and i remember when the writers had you guys get married we were all
like what like i know that was insane
that was do what do you remember of that day shooting it we there was a lot of crying you
cried i mean i love a wedding you cry i remember you like cried in the kitchen and then you were
like crying like off camera and i was like stop i cried that much yes you did you like literally
cried all day it was so weird i was so happy you're in love you're like crying all day there
was like i was like not crying all day i was like we're not even the camera i was like we're in my
trailer like why are you doing this and you were like how do you feel i'm like oh my god i'm like
oh my god no i'm ordering a salad for lunch like this is my job i was crying because you were
crying so hard and i was worried that we weren't gonna get the shot i was crying because i was sad
at how much you were crying i don't think so i think that you thought it was real and yeah i
assumed it was legally binding yeah yeah but it was so good and it was and the and the vows were
so funny yeah and the wedding was so stupid it was so funny okay i mean i guess like when do you
have you re-watched
parks and rec nope what i'm finding this out okay i wouldn't even know how shut up
okay okay you ask me how you've never what the big giant screen that you watch your movies on
how does it work go blue these days i wouldn't go to go to go to what type in where the search
how someone tell me peacock no yes yes
go there or go to itunes i wish i knew how just just pick up your controller and just which one
into it and it'll come up okay it's probably not the right one go to your dvds you love your dvds
i wish i had one right now um but so you've never re-watched it no i don't know what's wrong with
you guys i if it comes on in a hotel room i literally throw something i throw it adam says
i will literally break the TV
watching the show makes him sad
nick has told me he has not re-watched it liar he jerks off to it every night
you know he sits there and like touches himself
you're so right he's got it on right now
tammy you're right he does watch it for his real life megan malali they get off on that they watch
it they watch you're so right they watch it together and they and then they just slap each
other in the face they're disgusting they're so disgusting
nick i know you're listening you're not fooling anybody two more things about parks uh what we had
so many fun guest stars come in and like you connected with some of them in interesting ways
i don't know if you remember this but do you remember when chris bosh was on the show the
basketball player chris bosh he was a miami heat player oh yes and he was was he in like
i had like different beat basketball like roy um yeah we had right yes
yeah chris bosh yes chris bosh he was with like aziz and um was he like john ralphio yeah
entertainment 720 yeah but like i don't know if you know this story it was a fairly quick story
but it was so stupid but i was a really big chris bosh fan so like i was like oh my god like i can't
believe he's coming like this is insane i was like i want to play a prank on him do you know this no
and so he had to go through hair and makeup but you know he i think had very little hair and you
know whatever um didn't need makeup because he's a guy or whatever um but you know how they always
put them through the works anyway yeah so i was like i'm gonna pretend to be the hair stylist
and i think it was terry maybe was in there and you know how she had those glasses or whatever
so i was like terry give me your glasses or i can't remember whatever and i'm thinking like
this is gonna be hilarious because it's gonna be me and he'll be like ha ha it's you um so i like
pretend to be terry i'm like at her station
and then he goes through like makeup first and they're like you look good you know a little
powder and you're good and then he like went he was like yeah yeah thanks a lot and then he sat
down in my chair and i was like well and i looked at him and i was like what are we gonna do today
and i was like doing like a dumb thing and he didn't make any eye contact with me he was just
looking down and he was so sweet but he didn't make eye contact he was just like yeah whatever
you think oh no and you were like and i was like well i think
that you're looking pretty good sir and he'd be like yeah i'm so i'm good all right and i'd be
like well you're not that good and then i was like i just kept it going and someone videotaped it oh
my god it was so awkward didn't recognize me at all didn't know who i was don't think he ever knew
who i was i mean not once chris bosh isn't gonna be watching the show before he comes in he didn't
know he's too busy i was he thought i was uh he thought you were a hair person and like the pas
he's almost done in my department of hair and then basically it just died and he never you
never nope well chris is probably listening so now you know never not did you even work with
him on set that day never saw him again literally never saw him again ever in my life every single
day someone tells me parks got them through the pandemic and i heard you mention it on a previous
episode isn't that every single day yeah yeah people say i don't know i don't know i don't know
i watched it during covid i watch it with my kid my kid's going through a hard time i like to watch
it at night because i get i have a lot of anxiety like i cannot believe the way that that show
continues to be a medicine for people it's it's so nice isn't that nice and ben and leslie i know
i know we just we do you remember we were texting just a couple months ago and just kind of
commented on how nice they are they're
So nice.
They're so much nicer than us.
So much nicer.
And they're so nice to each other.
I know.
And every woman deserves a Ben.
Every woman deserves a partner like Ben who roots for you and, like, looks at you and is just like, that's my gal.
Like, everyone deserves that kind of relationship.
But also, Leslie, from the word go, loved Ben.
Oh, beyond.
Like, now looking back, it's like they were just in love with each other.
I know.
Immediately.
And their arc was such so juicy.
I know.
And it was Mike and the writers because they meet and they're just like, well, what's your deal?
Oh, yeah.
It was like.
Hot.
And then they like each other, but then they can't.
They can't be together.
Yeah, that was great.
They can't be together, which is like, really?
I mean, they probably could have been together.
I know, it didn't matter, but.
And then they have to break up.
And Mike was like, this is totally fake and whatever.
But we just need to have Rob care about you two being together.
And it worked.
And it was like, made it even hotter.
It was.
And then Ben was like, I want you.
Like, Ben kept putting Leslie's, you know what it is?
They kept putting each other's needs over their own.
They cared about what the other one needed.
Yeah.
And they respected each other.
Yes.
Like, they really liked what the other one did.
And it was the best thing about that relationship is how, you know, with the exception of Ann, who is.
Of course.
Leslie's number one.
Of course.
I've accepted that.
Yeah.
Is the way that they, they just rooted for each other.
Yes.
They really rooted for each other.
I haven't seen a ton of, it makes me sad to watch the show because I miss it.
I've heard you say that.
Yeah.
Why does it make you sad?
Because I miss it.
I, like you were saying, like, we really appreciated being there every day and it was so fun.
Yeah.
And also just sort of.
Sort of walking in that building and then suddenly you're there and the hallways and the.
Yeah.
It was so fun and the people just loved everybody.
I think one of the things that was so fun about what we got to do is the camera helped us.
At least it helped me have my feelings about, you know, there.
I tell people like, of course you, of course we love Ben.
We got to like Ben.
We watch Ben watch less.
And we love Leslie.
So like when people love Leslie, we love them and we got to watch Ben love her because the camera.
camera watch like we got to do so much indirect stuff like we didn't have to face to face all the
time we had feelings our characters had feelings for each other because of the camera and that's
right though even though i mean and it's such a beautiful uh genre that mockumentary because it
allows you to just even create space and depth in the shot people are just not in the same room
that's right and like i remember we always used to say we loved it when there were spy shots through
like blinds because it made our acting better. Do you remember that? Yes. Do you also remember
this thing we used to do where sometimes we would be doing a scene and we'd be like, okay,
I can't, I'm not someone who can predict the future a hundred percent, but I will say it was
like a couple of times a season. I will say, I can say with 100% certainty that neither of us will
ever win an award for acting for this scene. You would say it sometimes. I mean, and also
on the other side, I would sometimes say, you know, I said this on the podcast, like I would
say like, Adam, your acting is so good. You'd be like, shut up. We're in the middle of the scene.
Because it was like, oh my God. I mean, but, oh yeah. I mean, that's what I love about working
with you. And I just-
I just feel like before we end, like, I just want to feed our fans a little bit more,
which is what, what do you think was the most romantic scene between Ben and Leslie?
Oh man. It's so sweet.
I know, but what's the most romantic?
The most romantic? I think, I think, well, there are a couple of nominees.
Okay.
But I think, I think maybe Smallest Park.
Ugh.
Because I-
We just heard a little groan. I hope it's a good groan.
Someone just being like, ugh, bleh.
I love Smallest Park.
Me too.
Nicole Holofcener, the great Nicole Holofcener directed that.
And Chelsea wrote that one.
Chelsea Peretti wrote that episode.
And I remember really like feeling connected shooting that and just being like, this is
kind of feeling like how special it was-
Yes.
Making the show.
Yes.
And that was-
Yeah, that was, but I don't know. What, what, what do you think?
Well, I have a lot. I mean, I feel that that was such a big one. I feel like some of the,
I have such a affinity for the beginning, beginnings parts of Ben and Leslie, because
I do think it also just reminded me of like, we were, you know, the show was deciding that
they were going to love each other too.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And I really love this tiny moment when they,
realize they have, they like the same spot when they like to sit under the sunflower mural.
Well-
I love that moment.
When I ask you if you know where that mural is and your response is real, it's a rewindable moment.
I love that moment between both of us because, and of course, Parks then pays it off years later.
Yeah, years later.
Yeah.
By sitting underneath it.
Yeah.
I also, you know, when we shot Ben and Leslie's wedding, it was so fun. It was like, we were all
just sitting there all day goofing around. And it was so fun. And like-
I think we had real champagne too, maybe.
We probably did.
Yeah.
We probably did. And then that probably became a problem later in the day.
Yeah, probably. Champagne, not something to have when you're, when you have like a 10 hour work day
ahead of you. Are you asked all the time if there'll be a more-
Yeah.
Parks or a reboot or something. I always feel like it's, it's been, it's done. Like it was perfectly done.
It's tough. Like, yeah, it was kind of-
Like, how do you do that?
Perfectly. Maybe they should do like Muppet Babies. They should do like Parks and Rec Babies.
That's right.
Like everyone has babies.
All of us has babies. Like that Instagram thing where everyone's-
Oh, yeah. We've seen that.
The AI babies.
Yeah, the AI babies. They should do AI babies.
But like a whole series-
Yeah.
Of all of us just in a crib together.
Yeah. But they should do it like present day where like the politics are really dark-
Yep.
And mean.
And so it should be like tiny babies fighting each other.
Yeah. They hate each other. It's like apocalyptic political babies.
And they're all like, oh no, they're so-
I hate you so much.
I hate you so much. Yay. I mean-
Yay. I hate you.
Because we made the show in an era where public service was encouraged and valued.
Right.
And funded.
Yes.
It was, or I mean, you know, I'm sure it wasn't as funded as much as it
should have been, but it was funded at least. It's an entirely different tone to American life.
You know when you have that feeling sometimes like you wish you could go back to high school
and enjoy it?
Right.
That's how it felt. Like we actually got to do it in real time.
Yeah. Because it was genuinely goofy and funny.
Yeah.
Like the best jokes-
What is one of your favorite jokes? What is one of the favorite funny scenes you got to do? So many.
So many. I mean, I always think of-
Yeah.
You guys on the ice at the ice skating rink with Gloria Estefan.
Yeah.
I mean, that is, I remember at the table read that was, we couldn't stop laughing because it was so funny.
Yeah. Mike Scully wrote that episode and-
Oh, Mike Scully's the best.
We got to walk across that ice and I remember just thinking this is so fun.
It looked so fun.
What a fun job.
That wasn't even in that scene.
Yeah. That's right.
Yeah.
That's right. Sorry. We should probably just Photoshop.
We should put me in that scene. That's why I brought it up.
Yeah.
I feel like it would, I deserve it.
Yeah.
Okay. You guys ready to watch it?
Yeah.
Okay. Here we go.
Yes.
Really exciting.
Amy, are you going to play it?
Oh, I'm supposed to play it. I'm supposed to play it.
Here we go.
You've been listening to Good Hang.
The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss-Berman, and me, Amy Poehler.
The show is produced by The Ringer and Paper Kite.
For The Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Kat Spillane, Kaia McMullin, and Alea Zanaris.
For Paper Kite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weiss-Berman.
Original music by Amy Miles.
All I ever wanted was a really good hang.
Every college football weekend, fired-up fans hit the road with their lucky shirts, pregame rituals with friends and family, and oddly specific traditions.
They'll find you a room with your favorite player's number and prepare your must-have pregame waffles.
This episode is brought to you by Whole Foods Market.
Now, this is a player in the food space that has championed winning food standards and quality since 1980.
That means no added growth hormones or antibiotics in their meat and no synthetic nitrates or nitrites in their deli meats, hot dogs, or sausages.
Plus, all their seafood is responsibly farmed or wild-caught.
They've even banned some ingredients store-wide to make sure there's nothing to mess with the flavors you want.
Shop Whole Foods Market in-store or online.
Podcast Summary
Key Points:
The new PayPal app unifies shopping, payments, rewards, and account management in one place, with exclusive deals and purchase protection for eligible items.
The Parks and Recreation podcast features key creators and cast members including Mike Schur, Rashida Jones, Aziz Alam, and Aubrey Plaza, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and creative processes.
The show’s origin began with a non-spinoff concept—satirizing government institutions through a fictional town—inspired by real-world economic events and the idea of a long-term, evolving project.
A major creative decision was made to give every character a unique, absurdly original name, ensuring no real-world match and highlighting the show’s playful, inventive spirit.
The cast shares deep, memorable on-set moments, including improvisational scenes, physical comedy, and emotional highs, emphasizing the joy and authenticity of working with beloved colleagues.
The friendship between characters like Leslie Knope and Ann Perkins was foundational, rooted in genuine connection and mutual support, which became central to the show’s heart.
The show’s legacy includes powerful, real-life impact, especially during the pandemic, serving as emotional comfort and a source of joy for many viewers.
Parks and Recreation’s success stemmed from a culture of creative freedom, where the best idea wins, and authenticity, trust, and collaboration were prioritized over traditional formats.
Summary:
This episode blends a promotional introduction to the new PayPal app with an in-depth, heartfelt conversation among key creators and cast members from *Parks and Recreation*. The PayPal segment highlights the app’s all-in-one functionality, including shopping, payments, rewards, and purchase protection, emphasizing convenience and security. The main content, however, is a rich, nostalgic reflection on the show’s origins, development, and enduring impact.
The creators discuss how the show began as a non-spinoff idea to satirize government bureaucracy, inspired by real-world events and the desire for a long-term, evolving narrative. A central theme is the show's inventive character naming, with absurd, non-existent names like "Ophelia Papipapepe" or "Tyrion Fonzarelli" used to avoid real-world conflicts and add humor. The cast shares vivid, emotional memories of on-set experiences—like improvised scenes, physical comedy, and the heartfelt wedding of April and Andy—highlighting the genuine camaraderie and chemistry among the team.
These moments are framed as not just entertainment but as a meaningful, enduring source of comfort, especially during challenging times like the pandemic. Ultimately, the episode celebrates *Parks and Recreation* as a testament to creative freedom, authenticity, and the power of friendship in storytelling.
FAQs
The new PayPal app allows users to shop, pay, earn rewards, and manage their accounts in one place. It also shows deals on favorite brands and offers purchase protection for eligible items.
Yes, PayPal offers purchase protection on eligible items, covering customers if something doesn't go as expected.
The show was inspired by the idea of satirizing the public sector, contrasting with the private sector satirized in The Office, and featuring a fictional town and a long-running narrative about bureaucratic systems.
Amy Poehler was cast after a chemistry read with Mike Schur and Greg Daniels, and she was given the role of April Ludgate, a character that became central to the show's dynamic and growth.
The creators use highly original, often nonexistent names to avoid legal issues and create humor, such as 'Ophelia Papipapepe' or 'Typhoon Montalban,' ensuring no real person shares the name.
She recalled a scene where she and Chris Pratt (as Andy) had a spontaneous, heartfelt moment during a camping episode, which eventually led to their romantic storyline.
Chat with AI
Loading...
Pro features
Go deeper with this episode
Unlock creator-grade tools that turn any transcript into show notes and subtitle files.