Amy Poehler and Tina Fey

[Anonymous]

I loved 30 Rock and liked Kimmy Schmidt, both fully Fey's creations. I also think SNL was quite strong when she was head writer, and that Mean Girls was a well executed teen movie that centered girls and their friendships (and actually addresses the issue if relational aggression in teen girls in a useful way).

Pohler was the better SNL cast member (a more skilled improver than Fey), but I'm not a huge Parks & Rec fan. It's good, just less my thing (it's so much sweeter and gentler, and less bizarre, than 30 Rock). But the first Inside Out, which Pohler wrote, is a really amazing kids movie. I have a kid with huge emotions, and those movies have played a meaningful part in her learning to understand and manage them. There's a deep truth in them, plus they are funny. That's a real accomplishment.

And then I respect them as women with long careers in a tough business. By which I mean comedy, not merely Hollywood. They are trail blazers in many respects. My DD (the big emotions one) saw an interview with them recently and was really awesome by them, which is great. And because they are both very professional and private, I feel really comfortable with them as role models. I'm sure they are imperfect people, but whatever their flaws, they aren't spilling them all over the place.

[Anonymous]

Kimmy Schmidt, Girls 5eva and Great News are my jam.

The movie Sisters is also surprisingly good.

I never got into Parks and Rec beyond one season. Didn’t like 30 Rock.

Many anti-Asian accusations against Tina over the years though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved 30 Rock and liked Kimmy Schmidt, both fully Fey's creations. I also think SNL was quite strong when she was head writer, and that Mean Girls was a well executed teen movie that centered girls and their friendships (and actually addresses the issue if relational aggression in teen girls in a useful way).

Pohler was the better SNL cast member (a more skilled improver than Fey), but I'm not a huge Parks & Rec fan. It's good, just less my thing (it's so much sweeter and gentler, and less bizarre, than 30 Rock). But the first Inside Out, which Pohler wrote, is a really amazing kids movie. I have a kid with huge emotions, and those movies have played a meaningful part in her learning to understand and manage them. There's a deep truth in them, plus they are funny. That's a real accomplishment.

And then I respect them as women with long careers in a tough business. By which I mean comedy, not merely Hollywood. They are trail blazers in many respects. My DD (the big emotions one) saw an interview with them recently and was really awesome by them, which is great. And because they are both very professional and private, I feel really comfortable with them as role models. I'm sure they are imperfect people, but whatever their flaws, they aren't spilling them all over the place.

Amy Poehler wasn’t one of the writers of Inside Out or the sequel.

[Anonymous]

My DD attended summer camp with Tina's daughter one summer. They were cabinmates and DD said Tina's kid was great, down-to-earth, kind, and a good roomie. Hard to believe that came from a "mean girl," but I don't know Tina personally. I get the sense that to be a groundbreaking female comedian, you might have to be a little "mean."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I generally like them; although I'm surprised to read a post about them. Do they have a new project or something? Fwiw, I enjoyed them on SNL weekend update. My favorite moment with them was when they shaded Taylor Swift at an awards show.

They've been touring together. Red Rocks next week!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I liked their humor. Everyone my age loves them.
I do not see the appeal.

+1. Painfully cringe “mom humor.”

[Anonymous]

I don't always love them, but I do love what they both and Mindy Kaling have done in terms of showing people that women can be funny and smart and don't have to be fully vulgar...and creating vehicles for women's stories. (Not that it wasn't always true, but like PPs said, the women were side characters before.)

I don't mind vulgarity and will laugh as much as the next person, but I have to question how misogynistic the industry is when the biggest female comics are women like Amy Schumer, Nikki Glaser, Ali Wong. It seems like you have to go there for pretty much every joke to hit it big as a funny woman, and they have somehow broken through that. I'm sure it wasn't easy.

[Anonymous]

Until BossyPants, I didn't know that Amy and Tina knew each other before SNL - they were in Second City together. It must be really special to have someone who knows you like that in that industry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I liked their humor. Everyone my age loves them.
I do not see the appeal.

why don't you like them? Are you a man or a woman? I don't understand the need for this thread

I am a woman. I find Amy Poehler just kinda generic - no edge or zest.
Tina Fey gives mean girl vibes.

I love them, they both crack me up. But as others have said, there's no need to convince yourself to like them if you don't.
I feel like Tina Fey was bullied by the mean girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I generally like them; although I'm surprised to read a post about them. Do they have a new project or something? Fwiw, I enjoyed them on SNL weekend update. My favorite moment with them was when they shaded Taylor Swift at an awards show.

They've been touring together. Red Rocks next week!

Yes, their tour has been very popular and several shows have sold out.

Amy also has a new podcast that is gaining a lot of attraction called good hang. Not surprisingly Tina was her first guest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't always love them, but I do love what they both and Mindy Kaling have done in terms of showing people that women can be funny and smart and don't have to be fully vulgar...and creating vehicles for women's stories. (Not that it wasn't always true, but like PPs said, the women were side characters before.)

I don't mind vulgarity and will laugh as much as the next person, but I have to question how misogynistic the industry is when the biggest female comics are women like Amy Schumer, Nikki Glaser, Ali Wong. It seems like you have to go there for pretty much every joke to hit it big as a funny woman, and they have somehow broken through that. I'm sure it wasn't easy.

I’m not as familiar with the comedy of Ali Wong but I like Nikki and Amy and I like Amy and Tina too. Totally understand that not everybody’s into Amy and Nikki’s humor, but I don’t think they’re doing vulgarity just to be vulgar. I think male comics have used vulgarity for years and we’re just not nearly used to seeing that with female comics. I have honestly really appreciated Nikki and Amy talking in a funny way about sex and the female body and what women go through. I’ll add silver Sara Silverman too, and in addition, I’m not sure about Nikki, but Amy and Sarah have been upfront about traumatic sexual experiences they’ve had in a serious way, so along with the humor they have been an important part of the dialogue at least for me. I think having that balance can help women cut through some of the internalized shame some of us with these topics. Again, just sharing my experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't always love them, but I do love what they both and Mindy Kaling have done in terms of showing people that women can be funny and smart and don't have to be fully vulgar...and creating vehicles for women's stories. (Not that it wasn't always true, but like PPs said, the women were side characters before.)

I don't mind vulgarity and will laugh as much as the next person, but I have to question how misogynistic the industry is when the biggest female comics are women like Amy Schumer, Nikki Glaser, Ali Wong. It seems like you have to go there for pretty much every joke to hit it big as a funny woman, and they have somehow broken through that. I'm sure it wasn't easy.

I’m not as familiar with the comedy of Ali Wong but I like Nikki and Amy and I like Amy and Tina too. Totally understand that not everybody’s into Amy and Nikki’s humor, but I don’t think they’re doing vulgarity just to be vulgar. I think male comics have used vulgarity for years and we’re just not nearly used to seeing that with female comics. I have honestly really appreciated Nikki and Amy talking in a funny way about sex and the female body and what women go through. I’ll add silver Sara Silverman too, and in addition, I’m not sure about Nikki, but Amy and Sarah have been upfront about traumatic sexual experiences they’ve had in a serious way, so along with the humor they have been an important part of the dialogue at least for me. I think having that balance can help women cut through some of the internalized shame some of us with these topics. Again, just sharing my experience.

I find them all really funny! I’m not offended by them. But who are the non-vulgar female comics, whose act isn’t primarily about sex? Maybe Wanda Sykes and Leann Morgan? (I put Amy and Tina in that category too.)

I’m not judging their acts, just saying, it seems harder to succeed as a female comic without fully going there, so I give Amy and Tina credit for that. It’s a well known thing that many men don’t think women are funny, and so this seems the way for female comics to get the green light. Tina and Amy do a mix of things, not always sex focused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want to understand what makes them funny!

I think they are funnier if you share their exact politics AND you give yourself and others grace for being an older GenX-er who finds mean/insulting humor hilarious.

I think the people who don’t enjoy them either don’t share their liberal worldview or, if they do, they don’t like the way they still use biting sarcasm and put-down type humor in a manner that was completely normal in the 90s early 2000s but is not at all “acceptable” as humor now.

Curious to know whether OP feels that my theory nailed that explanation of why their humor doesn’t resonate with her….

[Anonymous]

Not going to over-analyze because no one has to appeal to everyone but personally like them because (1) they are generally self-deprecating, (2) their humor directed towards others tends to be situational (they aren't vicious and they don't "punch down"), and (3) they are hot except when they try really hard not to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't always love them, but I do love what they both and Mindy Kaling have done in terms of showing people that women can be funny and smart and don't have to be fully vulgar...and creating vehicles for women's stories. (Not that it wasn't always true, but like PPs said, the women were side characters before.)

I don't mind vulgarity and will laugh as much as the next person, but I have to question how misogynistic the industry is when the biggest female comics are women like Amy Schumer, Nikki Glaser, Ali Wong. It seems like you have to go there for pretty much every joke to hit it big as a funny woman, and they have somehow broken through that. I'm sure it wasn't easy.

I’m not as familiar with the comedy of Ali Wong but I like Nikki and Amy and I like Amy and Tina too. Totally understand that not everybody’s into Amy and Nikki’s humor, but I don’t think they’re doing vulgarity just to be vulgar. I think male comics have used vulgarity for years and we’re just not nearly used to seeing that with female comics. I have honestly really appreciated Nikki and Amy talking in a funny way about sex and the female body and what women go through. I’ll add silver Sara Silverman too, and in addition, I’m not sure about Nikki, but Amy and Sarah have been upfront about traumatic sexual experiences they’ve had in a serious way, so along with the humor they have been an important part of the dialogue at least for me. I think having that balance can help women cut through some of the internalized shame some of us with these topics. Again, just sharing my experience.

NP and I honestly cannot stand Ali Wong’s standup for this reason. I dint find it funny at all for this reason. Just second-hand embarrassment cringe.
I did enjoy Ali Wong in the hilarious dark comedy series BEEF. It was really well written and her comedic timing is killer!
But her own stand-up stuff is just crass for the sake of shock and generally just off putting.
She’s gorgeous and a great actress with the ability to deliver in comedic and dramatic roles. But I feel like her standup is just forced and profane for no reason.