The world is full of atrocities, from human rights violations to air strikes on civilians to separating migrant children from parents at the border. So, whenever you stumble across a fluff story - say, about Khloé Kardashian posting an adorable baby photo - you kind of want to scream, "NOBODY CARES!"
Of course, many people do care, and there's nothing wrong with that. With all the darkness in the world, you can't blame others for seeking out pleasant distractions. But sometimes you get frustrated by the fluff, and can't help but lash out with some savage truth.
The Hollywood Reporter recently released a list of The 40(ish) Most Powerful People in Comedy. To those in the biz, it's a captivating look at who's crushing it in comedy, creatively and commercially. (And with that last sentence, I'm crushing it in alliteration.) The list includes stars like Judd Apatow, Dave Chappelle, Seth Rogen, Donald Glover, 90,000 late night talk show hosts, and Amy Poehler.
Amy Poeher's had an awesome career, rising from the glamorous world of sorta-paid improv comedy to Saturday Light Live to the beloved sitcom Parks & Recreation. If you've followed Amy's career, or read her book Yes, Please, you know she doesn't take crap from anybody, and can be very blunt.
As part of The Hollywood Reporter's feature, they asked all the comedians light questions. What was your memorable heckler? What's your guilty pleasure? What's the funniest thing about the Trump administration? However, Amy's replies were hilariously real. She responded with savage answers, drawing attention to the epidemic of school shootings, the devastating effect of pollution on the environment and the heartbreaking news about the death toll from Hurricane Maria: According to the latest estimates, thousands of people died in Puerto Rico from the disaster, not 64.
"My most memorable heckler... 'Who cares? The whole world is on fire.'
Dream product endorsement 'A giant whale just died in Thailand after eating 80 plastic bags.'
Guilty pleasure 'Let's not forget over 4,600 people have died in Puerto Rico."
I'm funny because... 'I don't even know anymore.'
If I didn't work in comedy... 'I would never leave my house.'
College comedy audiences are… 'Kids that are afraid they will be shot in their own schools. What has happened to us?'
Sitcom you'd reboot? 'Mr. Rogers. I miss him. We need him.'
The funniest thing about the Trump administration is… 'Are you kidding me?'"
Some of those answers might sound like they're from Debbie Downer, (womp, womp wommmp), but sometimes you've just got to tell it like this. On Parks and Recreation, Amy played Leslie Knope, an ambitious, idealistic politician. This interview is reminiscent of that character's personality. It's just missing a reference to how much she likes waffles.
It's hard to make comedy in a world full of tragedy. Sometimes you're in the mood for fluff, and sometimes you're just not. We all feel like Amy once in a while.