Lessons from Amy Poehler

and how it's okay to have fun right now.

In high school, I was friends with a group of boys who I held to the highest esteem of comedy. They were a lovely combination of both funny and kind. I’m sure some of their jokes would not land in 2025 as they did in 2001 (as most things wouldn’t) but I loved every joke and bit they did. They’d quote lines from movies or SNL, write silly things on paper and pass it around class, and one time they organized a good-natured prank on our teacher by rearranging the entire classroom. I was worried we’d get into trouble— I am forever a rule-follower— but when our teacher saw the prank, he laughed and carried on with class.

Those friends taught me my earliest lesson of comedy— say yes and don’t be so worried all the time. As a person who tends to be anxious about things, this is a lifelong challenge for me. But the moment I say yes and let go, wonderful things tend to follow.

In 2014, I bought Amy Poehler’s book, Yes Please, the day it was published. Many parts read like a Cheryl Strayed Dear Sugar column— heartfelt and poetic— while others read more like a pitch for an SNL sketch. It’s a wonderful mix of serious and silly.

My well-loved copy of Yes Please.

I hadn’t thought of this book in a while until my podcast app told me I might like to listen to Amy’s podcast, Good Hang with Amy Poehler. Apple was right— I love it. It’s light-hearted, funny, and exactly what I want right now. For a long time, I’ve been into heavy, serious podcasts. Long form interviews with intellectuals, stories about terrible things that have happened, and true crime. I couldn’t get enough true crime. But over the last year I’ve noticed a shift. I don’t really enjoy all of that the way I once did. Instead, I find myself looking for things that make me laugh. Things that are fun and remind me that life is also supposed to be enjoyed.

I suppose this is a knee-jerk reaction to the world right now, but I no longer have the stomach for the “everything is terrible” mentality. That’s not to say I don’t care about the things that are terrible right now— I care deeply— but we only have one trip on earth, so why not be a little silly while also caring about each other and the state of the world?

“The only way we will survive is by being kind. The only way we can get by in this world is through the help we receive from others. No one can do it alone, no matter how great the machines are.”

-Amy Poehler

One way to believe in the goodness of the world is to spend time around kids. I get some of my best moments of silliness with my eight-year-old because eight year olds know how to have fun. They are always down for a joke, can time a well-placed burn like a grown-up, and yet they still laugh a big belly laugh reminiscent of their toddler years. Plus— if you put on a banger of a song, they’ll dance with you. Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan is often blasting on our speakers at home. The best.

So, inspired by Amy Poehler with her wisdom and humour, here are some things I’m enjoying lately. They’re things that make me laugh or smile, that give me a bit of a reprieve from the seriousness of life. Maybe you’ll like them too.

• The opening of the This Hour Has 22 Minutes Election Special. I’ve watched this so many times and it always makes me laugh.

• Watching David Blaine magic specials with my 8-year old. This one, a compilation of all the times he went on Jimmy Fallon, was one of our favourites.

• I then spent an hour learning this magic trick that I amazed my kid with (and also forced my friends and family to watch repeatedly).

• Listening to music from the early 2000s, which I’ve learned is called “Mom Music”. A few of my favourites right now are Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus and Mr. Brightside by The Killers. It reminds me of being a teenager, driving in a car in the summer with all the windows rolled down and nothing to do except find some friends to hang out with.

• Trying something new. I started going to a new pilates reformer class (if you don’t know what reformers are, google them because they look like torture devices) and there is nothing more humbling than being new to something. It’s impossible to take yourself too seriously when you’re fumbling around with leg straps or struggling through the basic steps of an exercise.

• Choosing to dress in more colours than I have for most of winter. My favourite shirt right now is a bright red and white striped button-down (you can see a glimpse of it in that photo) and it makes me look like I am cosplaying as a circus tent. Perfection.

• And if you want another Amy Poehler-inspired laugh, watch this skit of Debbie Downer from 2004 and try not to laugh. I bet you can’t.