As fans revisit her show while self-isolating to avoid catching coronavirus, the Leslie Knope depicter looks back at one particular episode where a government shutdown was explored.
- Mar 27, 2020
AceShowbiz - Amy Poehler is certain her "Parks and Recreation" character Leslie Knope wouldn't be able to cope if she were forced to stay in her home due to a coronavirus pandemic.
The comedian starred in the hit U.S. TV comedy following Leslie, the good-natured but officious deputy director of the parks department in the small town of Pawnee, Indiana from 2009 until 2015 - with many fans revisiting the show while self-isolating to avoid catching the virus.
Amy tells British newspaper The Guardian it's every American's duty to be a "good citizen" while countries around the world are tackling the disease, but that Leslie would really struggle with the lockdowns imposed in many states.
"Leslie would not do well with quarantine," she says. "She'd probably go a little bananas."
However, the 48-year-old reveals the show explored many issues people around the world are dealing with now they're having to spend time off work and stay in their homes.
"In one (episode), there's a government shutdown," she explains. "This woman stood up in a town hall meeting and said, 'My children are getting out of school in two weeks. What am I supposed to do with them, keep them in my house where I live?' There's an episode where everybody in town gets the flu and I was thinking, 'Oh boy, this is a little close to home.' "
The star muses that comedy is a "very wonderful connector and distractor" during the crisis, and adds, "Let me just put it this way, these characters don't know that a pandemic is going on."
As for what she's watching to get through the pandemic, Amy names classic British black comedy "Human Remains", starring Julia Davis and Rob Brydon.
