Amy Poehler: Comedy is a 'high stakes job'
The comedian, actor and author opens up about her career and her new memoir
At 43, Amy Poehler is already something of a comedic legend.
From her late night sketches on Saturday Night Live, to her acerbic workplace sitcom Parks and Recreation, the Massachusetts-born actor, producer and writer has developed a reputation for her biting wit and snappy delivery—a harder, edgier consort to frequent collaborator and self-described "comedy wife" Tina Fey.
Like Fey, Poehler is likely venturing into bestselling territory, releasing her first book Yes Please.
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The new book, out this week, is part tell-all memoir and part advice guide. It traces Poehler's career from her start in college improv groups to her stardom in television and film.
It also contains revealing behind-the-scenes stories from SNL.
In an upcoming feature interview with The National's Wendy Mesley, Poehler describes how nerves can bring many huge celebrities down to size.
"When people are nervous they're very nice to you," Poehler explains. "Usually the hosts were kind of looking to you to say, 'how do I do this? Is this going well?'"
The high stakes comedy game
Despite the big laughs, and massive SNL stardom, Poehler also reveals that she broke down in tears in her office sometimes.
"[SNL] is a job and a high stakes job," she admits. "Some weeks you'd feel like you scored and then you'd have to start over again, and just like any job in the arts there was rejection and frustration and complication and that kind of stuff."
Catch Wendy Mesley's full interview with Amy Poehler Friday night on The National.
Watch a preview in the video above.