The safe space for “Good Hang with Amy Poehler”

Amy Poehler may be the most popular woman in Hollywood. Her latest project, the wildly popular podcast “Good Hang with Amy Poehler,” certainly encourages that impression. This is perhaps her biggest show since the hit series “Parks and Recreation,” in which she played idealistic bureaucrat Leslie Knope, aired a decade ago. And while many of its previous stars had branched out into new territory — Aziz Ansari by reinventing himself as a sad romantic in “Master of None,” and Adam Scott by proving his dramatic chops as a man at war with himself in “Pieces” — Poehler leaned into Leslie’s sensibilities: cheerfulness, seriousness, and an emphasis on female friendship and uncomplicated feminist values. These qualities are clearly evident in “Good Hang,” which was released last March and reached the top of the charts even in a completely saturated market. At one point, it unseated “The Joe Rogan Experience” as the No. 1 show on Spotify.

“Good Hang,” like “Rogan,” is a video podcast; Every week, Poehler sits in front of a blond wood table where a celebrity sits. The casual intimacy of her interactions with famous friends is an undeniable part of the show’s appeal. She uses nicknames for her old friends: Tina Fey is “Betty,” Kathryn Hahn is “Hansie,” Rashida Jones is “Bones.” Sometimes, she holds the guest’s hand. There’s no doubt that “Good Hang” is curated, but the shared history between Buehler and many of its subjects helps make the conversations feel real—and can lead to truly poignant exchanges. After Aubrey Plaza’s husband died by suicide, she spoke publicly about her loss for the first time on a podcast. Plaza, who has known Poehler for almost her entire career, shed her usual charming persona and spoke frankly about the “giant ocean of awfulness” of widowhood. Andy Samberg also wasn’t subtle about his grief following the death of his “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” co-star Andre Braugher. In fact, Poehler is so disarming, that several of her interviewees — Seth Meyers, “Broad City” creators Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson — have cried while expressing what her support means to them.

These emotional moments aside, Poehler keeps the mood light by design, and the look of the show reflects her desire to reassure her guests. The studio is decorated with cozy touches emblematic of the millennium: faux plants, neon signs, and pastel accents. It’s like a startup space where employees are invited to bring their dogs — even if Buehler, who believes that “rules are what make things fun,” is adamantly against pets in the workplace. (Dakota Johnson and Plaza brought their versions, anyway.)

Poehler seems to have been inspired by audiences’ rediscovery of “Parks and Rec” as comfort viewing during the pandemic — a development she’s mentioned more than once — and it’s easy to see the connective tissue between the series and the podcast. “Parks” was an office comedy characterized by its optimism about people’s ability to grow up, and in “Good Hang,” the stars tend to reminisce about their early, and therefore more relatable, experiences. There are constant, if generic, paeans to female solidarity, in the spirit of Galentine’s Day, the holiday Leslie invented to celebrate the women in her life, and each episode begins with Poehler inviting a guest’s loved ones to “talk nicely” behind their backs. Ostensibly, the exercise is about helping her ask questions; Mostly, it’s an opportunity to talk passionately about the woman or man of the hour. (Jeremy O. Harris on Natasha Lyonne: “This, like unbridled intelligence and unbridled generosity combined in this Atomic bomb The perfect friend.”) All this flattery seems sincere – a copy of Very specific surrealist praise That Leslie piled on her best friend, Anne. But the relentless positive energy, like the bloated culture of politeness in Hollywood as a whole, begins to get irritating.

“Good Hang” realizes its insignificance. In the opening episode, Poehler makes a feminist case for her light-heartedness: she says that women are expected to be selfless and wise and to speak out on issues like menopause, while men – supposedly hosting other podcast interviews with celebrities, such as Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Dex Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” Will Arnett, Sean Hayes, and Jason. Batman’s “Smartless” is praised – for just shooting the shit. Poehler is not a journalist, and that fact is both the show’s strength and its weakness. Her industry connections and insight can work to her advantage; The most compelling episodes feature kindred spirits like Quinta Bronson, with whom Poehler discusses, for example, the unfair pressure on women writers and actors to represent their communities in ways that are grounded and somewhat aspirational. She also has long conversations with generally shy stars, including Fey and Kristen Wiig. But, unlike a reporter, you will avoid sensitive topics with someone who would rather not go there. (Leon came on the show a few weeks later A story about her generative AI studio It sparked a huge backlash. Poehler, who routinely talks with guests about new projects, doesn’t mention the project.)

Much has been made of how traditional late-night television may soon be replaced by podcasts and gimmick-based series like “Hot Ones” and “Chicken Shop Date,” which have won praise for eliciting “authentic” responses from media-trained celebrities. However, on Poehler’s show, there’s a clear divide between the stars you already know and those you don’t. Her “yes and…” tact, honed over her decades as a comedian, has made her a flexible communicator, but it’s not always enough to attract actors just going through the motions of promotional duty. The forced lightness means that some of these discussions never progress beyond pleasant small talk. I could go the rest of my life without hearing Poehler ask another guest about their sleeping habits, let alone ask Michelle Obama such questions.

However, the hour-long format of “Good Hang” — a stark contrast to the seven or eight minutes allotted to celebrities on the couch late at night between commercial breaks — offers a reminder that even first-time listeners need time to open up. There is something comforting about the sight of their rest. And if a safe, risk-free space dedicated only to the stars is the only way to catch a glimpse of them in a more natural way, it seems that’s a trade-off millions are willing to make. ♦