Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular among American audiences. However, they’re known for their male-dominated presence, particularly among their hosts, guests, audiences, and listeners.
According to the National Public Radio, a study found that “women are particularly underrepresented in the business, tech, sports, fitness, and comedy genres.” Despite this trend, the podcast Good Hang with Amy Poehler stands above it all.
Good Hang with Amy Poehler is a Spotify Original podcast, hosted and created by comedian Amy Poehler. Although she’s most known for her work on Saturday Night Live and playing Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation, she’s launched her own podcast. Celebrity podcasts are an extremely popular genre, but Good Hang with Amy Poehler stands out with its roaring positivity and fun atmosphere.
Each episode features a celebrity guest and follows an interview format, with Poehler as the mediator. Some notable guests include Michelle Obama, Selena Gomez, Quinta Brunson, and, most recently, Ariana Grande.
She also has numerous episodes with her friends and former coworkers, including Seth Meyers, Adam Scott, Rashida Jones, Rachael Dratch, Andy Samberg, Kristin Wiig, and her “comedy wife” Tina Fey, among many others.
The episodes always start with Poehler bringing on a friend of the guest and “talking good about them behind their back.” She also asks the friend to come up with a question to ask them later in the episode. An example of this is when she had a guest, Kathryn Haan, on the show, whom she worked with on Parks and Recreation.
Patti LuPone joined the show, and they talked about their love of Haan, discussing how funny and great it was to work with her. This follows every episode and is a great way of highlighting how much good friends truly love and appreciate each other.
Poehler’s interviews with her guests, especially those she’s friends with, are always amazing to listen to. She radiates joy and whimsy on her show, and it’s extremely infectious to both the guest and the audience. She creates a comfortable environment where guests can be authentic and discuss anything they want with no pressure at all.
When Aubrey Plaza was a guest on the show in August, she talked about her late husband, Jeff Baena, who passed away at the beginning of this year. Plaza talked about her grieving process and what it’s like to lose a loved one. Poehler gave her the space to discuss this major moment in her life, not for views or headlines like other podcasts would, but as a way to help Plaza and the audience speak through their grief.
She emphasizes that you aren’t alone and the grieving process isn’t linear. Poehler garners an atmosphere that generates entertaining yet insightful discussion, which is essential for any successful podcast.
Good Hang with Amy Poehler is a rare bright spot in a dark and polarizing internet. The podcast is a space to encourage positivity, joy, and discussions about happiness.
Poehler also asks all of her guests to talk about one thing that makes them laugh, especially when they need a pick-me-up. She also shares hers, which differs every week, in a segment at the end of her show called “Poehler Plunge.”
Her interviews are light-hearted, fun, and make you feel like you’re there in the room with them, which, in my opinion, is the mark of any successful podcast.
I recommend that everyone give Good Hang with Amy Poehler a listen. Its laughter, positivity, and energy make it an enjoyable podcast for everyone, and its insightful interviews make every episode a good hang.
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