Amy Poehler, known for her comedic roles and as a former cast member of Saturday Night Live, recently shared her thoughts on some of the show’s past jokes during an episode of the “Good Hang” podcast. She acknowledged that many sketches, by current standards, can be seen as offensive.
In celebrating the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live, a segment titled “Memoam” addressed how the comedy landscape has shifted, with many old jokes and characters feeling outdated due to changing social norms.
This segment revisited characters often rooted in “ethnic stereotypes,” alongside themes of “sexual harassment,” “body shaming,” and “gay panic,” reflecting on the show’s sometimes controversial history over the past five decades.
Tom Hanks, who introduced the segment, remarked, “If you’re calling these characters, accents and ethnic wigs, let’s call them undoubtedly tasteless.”
Poehler mentioned in her interview that she likes to think about how everything, including comedy, has an “expiration date.” She recounted a lighthearted but embarrassing moment from her past when she accidentally passed a drawing of a phallus during a sexual harassment seminar, leading to a funny exchange with the seminar leader.
“He said, ‘What is this?’ and I replied, ‘Oh, that’s wrong – sensei, that’s the wrong paper,'” she recalled.
Reflecting on the segments showcased during “Memoam,” Poehler noted that even when they highlighted their past errors, they still often featured an inappropriate cast of characters. For instance, a skit included Ben Affleck, whose character was criticized by someone portrayed as having a mental illness.
Some performances featured actors in makeup portraying characters of different races, which led to a blurred mix of identities in the segments.
Poehler also participated in a sketch where she played Michael Jackson alongside Rachel Dratch as Elizabeth Taylor in a 2003 segment about “Michael Jackson in Tree.”
Entertainment Weekly pointed out that some of Poehler’s more criticized impersonations during her time on the show included Yoko Ono and Kim Jong-il, the latter being portrayed in a 2006 segment featuring Bill Hader and Fred Armisen as North Korean guards.
“It’s crucial to learn from our missteps and strive to improve,” Poehler said, emphasizing the importance of growth in comedy and beyond.
