Comedy actress Amy Poehler, known for her time on Saturday Night Live, opened up about some controversial segments in a recent episode of the “Good Hang” podcast. She discussed the show’s legacy during its 50th anniversary, particularly the “Memoam” segment that highlighted characters who didn’t age alongside changing social norms and jokes. This segment featured characters often portrayed as ethnic stereotypes, which engaged in contentious topics like sexual harassment and body shaming.
Tom Hanks, an outspoken liberal actor who introduced the segment, commented on its tastelessness, saying, “Even if you call these characters, accents, and ethnic wigs, I definitely call them tasteless, but you laughed at everyone.”
Poehler reminisced about her past experiences related to the show, recalling a humorous incident where she accidentally passed a drawing of a penis during a sexual harassment seminar to the seminar host. “He said, ‘What is this?’ and I replied, ‘Oh, that’s wrong – sensei, that’s the wrong paper,’” she recalled, evoking laughter.
She continued, reflecting on the idea of aging in comedy, mentioning a fellow SNL alumni who stated, “Oh, everything seems to have an expiration date.” Poehler recognized that many sketches from their time wouldn’t go over well today. “Even in those 50 days when they showed inappropriate casting for roles we knew were wrong, I misappropriated—I didn’t know,” she admitted.
Particularly, she mentioned her portrayal of Kim Jong-il in a 2006 sketch, alongside Bill Hader and Fred Armisen. Poehler concluded by emphasizing the importance of acknowledging past missteps and striving to improve: “The best thing you can do is learn from your mistakes and do better.”
