I don’t mean to freak anyone out but my wife Aubrey Plaza and my Mum Amy Poehler just reprised their Parks and Recreation roles on SNL and I’m sobbing in Ann Perkins leaving Pawnee.
Nature is healing. My skin has cleared. World peace has been restored.
Plaza hosted SNL on Saturday and it was iconic to say the least. There was The White Lotus queen starring in a skit as M3GAN and giving out poppers at a gay club, and a monologue which consisted of Plaza giving us a deliciously deadpan tour of the NBC studio.
But nothing was as stunning as seeing Plaza and Poehler reunite as April Ludgate and Leslie Knope during Weekend Update.
AUBREY PLAZA AS APRIL LUDGATE IN 2023????? pic.twitter.com/LrNWVU14Zh
— persian roman roy (@theronfilm) January 22, 2023
“According to a recent study, local governments are having trouble hiring new employees,” Weekend Update co-anchor Colin Jost said.
“Here to encourage young people to get involved in local government is a long-time employee of Pawnee, Indiana, April Ludgate.”
Cue Plaza sliding along the desk in a grey hoodie à la April, with her bangs peeping out beneath the hood. Screaming, crying, weeping, sobbing et cetera.
Jost picked April’s brains about being young and working in local government, asking the sarcastic sweetie about the types of jobs folks could cop.
“Drive a bus, you don’t have to be on time and nobody cares,” she said.
“Work for the water department, you can drain the reservoir and find all the bodies and murder clues. Or just be a dog catcher and say you couldn’t find any.
“Because when you work for the local government, doing the bare minimum is doing your part.”
The apathy. The love of the macabre and animals. This is the April Ludgate content we have all been missing in our lives.
when aubrey plaza and amy poehler brought back april ludgate and leslie knope during weekend update #SNL pic.twitter.com/EmoDcBBKz9
— kathleen (@kathleen_hanley) January 22, 2023
But then Jost asked April about advice for people who wanted to work hard and, obviously, she didn’t give a fuck and told him to ask her old boss Leslie freakin’ Knope. When I tell you I gasped when I saw that bouncy, blonde blow dry, beaming grin and Cue power jacket.
I truly believe in my heart of hearts that Amy Poehler was born to play Leslie Knope. It just comes too naturally and she is perfect.
Case in point, the way Leslie turned every single single question Jost asked back on him ‘cos she was so bloody excited to be on SNL.
“So you work for the government?” he asked.
“Yeah, yeah. Park service. So, how much fun is it working here?” she replied.
“Do you just sit around cracking each other up all day?”
PARKS AND RECREATION FANS WON TONIGHT WDYM AUBREY PLAZA AND AMY POEHLER ON SNL TOGETHER????????????????????
— Nadia!! (@loverofsitcoms) January 22, 2023
Meanwhile April was just sitting there with her arms crossed ready to end it all from second-hand embarrassment. It was divine I tell you, simply divine.
Leslie was even able to talk about Joe Biden — he made a brief pre-recorded appearance during Plaza’s monologue — who real Parks and Recreation fans know is her ultimate hero (except for Lil Sebastian, who is also everyone’s hero.)
Arguably the cutest part of the entire SNL skit, however, was when she asked to tell a joke in Jost’s seat. In extremely accurate Leslie fashion, she said Knope to making jokes about Jacinda Ardern stepping down as Prime Minister of New Zealand or Angela Lansbury (RIP) because they were “too mean”.
Instead, she opted for a gag about a bus service for puppies. As she should.
You can watch the full Parks and Recreation x SNL skit below.
April Ludgate and Leslie Knope from Pawnee, Indiana! pic.twitter.com/3fXz8Cwpb1
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) January 22, 2023
Aubrey Plaza and Amy Poehler, we thank you for your service on SNL. This early Galentine’s Day reunion has genuinely been such a stunning way to start the week.
