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Amy Poehler Defends Gay Penguins On This Month's SOAPBOX |
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Thursday, 08 October 2009
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She’s made us laugh out loud with her sidesplitting impersonations on SNL and scene-stealing roles in big-screen comedies like Baby Mama, but it’s Amy Poehler’s advocacy of gay rights and her hilarious new show Parks And Recreation that has the gay community raising its admiration of her to new heights.
I support gay marriage! I am a fan of those T-shirts that say, “Marriage is so gay.” I say, Yes, please. Of course. Now and forever, when I am asked my thoughts on the subject. I don’t know how we can fix the situation of gay marriage in the U.S. But I know when my son grows up, he is going to ask me, “You’re trying to tell me there was a time when Uncle Dustin and Uncle Pedro couldn’t get married? Why?” My son is a year old!
And, yes, all the clichés [about motherhood] are true. It’s exhilarating and hilarious and exhausting and unbelievable and the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Pretty soon you’ll see I’ve been lending my voice to some animated characters. It’s really fun to help an animated character take shape. I like the idea of getting to do work that my kid can one day see.
I’ve played gay characters before. Sometimes I look at their sexuality for inspiration. I have been lucky enough to do a lot of reverse drag and play some fun boys. It can be funny for a little blondie like me to butch it up. And sometimes the male character and I are conveniently the same size. I mean, who knew that Christian Siriano and I were long-lost twins? If I were to play gay again, I wish I could be in a musical based on the life of Shane from The L Word.
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Right now we are filming the second season of Parks And Recreation, and in Episode 1 we go to the local Pawnee gay bar, the Bulge, and my character, Leslie, dances her ass off. She has one of the best nights of her life. I like to think I have a little bit more “game” than Leslie. But on a good day I like to think I share some of her optimism. Also in our first episode, Leslie marries two penguins as part of a zoo promotion, not knowing they are both males. The gay community labels her a hero. Right-wing special interest groups label her an out-of-control activist. She has to go on a local cable show to defend herself, as well as Tux and Flipper’s right to marry. It’s great. Perhaps there will be some humor centered around the stigma of park hookups! Park bathrooms do seem to be a favorite place for sketchy encounters...gay and straight. Leslie might need to keep her eye out!
I think gays love people who take big swings. They like risk-takers. They also like to laugh, especially at themselves. I like to think that I don’t mind looking like a fool sometimes...and maybe they appreciate that? They also probably look at me and think “makeover!” So it’s a win-win. Once, I did have a big, black lesbian tell me she wanted to “put me in her pocket.” Also, an older gay man told me he thought [my character] Leslie Knope “needed to get laid.” I also had the privilege of meeting Liza Minnelli once, backstage at her concert. I think that counts as a great gay-fan experience.
Catch Amy Poehler in Parks And Recreation Thursday nights on NBC.
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