It's almost time for another big award show, and you know what that means: I feel alive again. The Emmys are this Sunday, which gives us a nice opportunity to elevate one deserving nominee to the high, feathered echelons of gay iconography. I'm going with Amy Poehler, the fab star of Parks and Recreation who's both goofy and deadpan, and always, always, always smart. Here are five reasons her mural should hang in every WeHo Starbucks.
1. She was absolutely hilarious as a Trevor Live emcee.
Just last year, Poehler hosted Trevor Live, the Trevor Project's annual fundraiser, and riveted the crowd with her running commentary. She told presenters Zachary Quinto and Amber Heard, "God would have sex with both of you." Following JC Chasez's rendition of "True Colors," she remarked, "God just cried. God isn't made of wood, people." Like all great comedians, Poehler recognizes the seriousness of tough issues like bullying and LGBT discrimination, but she can use wit and observation to address that sensitivity with grace. As singer-songwriter Aimee Mann once noted, "The best serious work is truly lighthearted." To approach tough issues with humor and irony isn't an evasive tactic -- it's a sympathetic, fun, and liberating way of being truthful.
2. She single-handedly makes award shows worthwhile.
You do understand that Amy Poehler is the single best reason to watch the Emmys, right? In 2009, when she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, she organized her fellow nominees in a zany sight gag that has kept me howling in all the years since. Poehler, Jane Krakowski, Elizabeth Perkins, Kristen Wiig, Vanessa Williams, and eventual winner Kristin Chenoweth donned goofy glasses, monocles, and eye patches when presenter Jon Hamm read off their names. It managed to poke fun at the Network-like mania and self-seriousness of award shows while exhibiting solidarity among the nominated actresses. Here's the thing: Award shows are always going to happen. They have the potential to be entertaining. Why not make them great? Poehler gets this.
In 2011, when she scored a Best Actress in a Comedy Series nom for Parks and Recreation, she again conspired with her fellow nominees to make a one-of-a-kind moment. As Rob Lowe and Sofia Vergara read off the names, Poehler and her colleagues arranged themselves onstage like pageant contestants waiting to hear if they'd be declared Miss Universe. The crown and sash went to Melissa McCarthy, but it was Poehler's defiance, chutzpah, and welcoming sense of camaraderie that made that moment fabulous. God, we needed this kind of awesomeness in the Oscars years ago. Imagine if Mary Tyler Moore (up for Ordinary People) donned Groucho glasses just seconds before losing Best Actress to Sissy Spacek, who happened to be wearing a handlebar moustache and bifocals. Sigh. Perfection.
3. Her role in Mean Girls is the Juicy Couture-sponsored update to Faye Dunaway's work in Mommie Dearest
And we thought hilariously over-the-top, dreadful mothers peaked with Mommie Dearest in '81. In the unforgettable Mean Girls, Poehler steals the show as Regina George's (Rachel McAdams) youth-obsessed, tracksuit-clad mother. She is funny and terrifying. From the moment she barges in on Regina and her pals with the opener, "Hey, hey! How are my best girlfriends?!" you realize you're in Pepto-pink suburban hell. Mrs. George is a modern classic, and if you don't routinely mutter, "You girls keep me young" at your friends, then we have nothing in common.
4. She has mad female ensemble cred.
We gotta support our female ensemble comedies, gents, especially when Amy's a part of their magical chemistry. Poehler has starred in Mean Girls, Spring Breakdown, Baby Mama, and that pseudo-gay classic Wet Hot American Summer, which featured a phalanx of fine female roles. Unsurprisingly, in an episode of Moviefone's "Unscripted" series, Poehler expressed that if she could work with any comedienne from past or present, she'd choose Ruth Buzzi and Gilda Radner. Those are women who thrive working with other women (and men, too). Female solidarity is really part of Poehler's core, and it's refreshing to see that reflected so vividly in her filmography.
5. Her immortal quote: "I don't f*cking care if you like it."
As much as Poehler is an improv-trained rascal, she also packs what can only be described as a "f*ck you" ferocity. She's righteous, cool, smart, and not willing to pander for laughs. There's a stellar section in Tina Fey's book Bossypants where Fey recalls a moment during an SNL meeting when Jimmy Fallon squirmed at one of Poehler's vulgar jokes and remarked, "Stop that! It's not cute! I don't like it!" What happened next is grade-A magnificence.
"Amy dropped what she was doing, went black in the eyes for a second, and wheeled around on [Fallon]. 'I don't f*cking care if you like it.' Jimmy was visibly startled. Amy went right back to enjoying her ridiculous bit."
Hell yes. Jimmy Fallon may not have meant to be dismissive or sexist, but Poehler's ferocious rejoinder put him on notice. The fact is: Sexism in comedy is pervasive and extreme, and a wit like Poehler is probably forced to contend with it a lot. Direct takedowns are the fastest way to reverse the trend, I say.
Any other fabulous reasons to toast Amy Poehler? I've searched the internet for hours, and I can't find a single picture of her hilarious Madonna impersonation from the American Life era. It looked something like this:
Please help/advise.
