Amy Poehler looks back on problematic “SNL” sketches: 'We all played people we should not have'

Amy Poehler looks back on problematic "SNL" sketches: 'We all played people we should not have'

Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Images Amy Poehlerhas a few regrets about the characters she played onSaturday Night Live. TheParks and Recreationstar, who was part of the sketch comedy show's cast from 2001 to 2008, reflected onSNLduring a conversation with her former costarWill Forteon her podcastGood Hang. Poehler and Forte both acknowledged that some of their work on the show now seems offensive in retrospect. "There are so many things I look back now and I go — you think, 'Oh, it's all about getting a laugh,'" said Forte, who worked onSNLfrom 2002 to 2010. "Agree," Poehler said. "The part about getting older and being in comedy, is you have to figure out: Everything has an expiration date." TheBaby Mamaactress went on to explain how the"In Memoriam" segment duringSNL50: The Anniversary Specialreminded the world of the show's myriad mistakes over the year. "They had that segment, which was like, 'Here's all the ways we got things wrong,'" Poehler recalled. "And they showed way inappropriate casting for people. We all played people that we should not have played." Poehler then suggested that she should have known better. "I misappropriated. I appropriated. I didn't know. Ididknow," she said. "It's very real, and the best thing you can do is make repair, learn from your mistakes, do better — it's all you can do." Dana Edelson/NBCU/getty Poehler was only prominently featured once in the 50th anniversary "In Memoriam" segment. The montage of problematicSNLsketches included a segment in which Ben Affleck berates a man played byFred Armisenwho appears to be disabled. Poehler then walks into frame and says, "Oh my God,Ben Affleckjust yelled at that mentally challenged guy!" The montage also featured 20 rapid-fire clips of cast members in "questionable makeup" that blurred out performers' faces as they wore blackface and other racially insensitive makeup designs — some of which could have included Poehler, as the actors' faces are all obscured. Sign up forEntertainment Weekly'sfree daily newsletterto get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. Some of Poehler's more questionable impressions from her time onSNLinclude Michael Jackson, Yoko Ono, and Kim Jong-il. Tom Hanksintroduced the "In Memoriam" segment with a cheeky condemnation ofSNLviewers who embraced "SNLcharacters and sketches that have aged horribly" over the years. "Even though these characters, accents, and let's just call them ethnic wigs were unquestionably in poor taste, you all laughed at them. So if anyone should be canceled, shouldn't it be you, the audience?" Hanks asked. "Something to think about." Watch the full conversation between Poehler and Forte above. Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

 

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