Good Hang with Amy Poehler
Episode: Aziz Ansari
Date: October 14, 2025
Host: Amy Poehler
Guest: Aziz Ansari (with a guest segment from Rashida Jones)
Episode Overview
In this lively episode of Good Hang, Amy Poehler is joined by comedian, writer, and filmmaker Aziz Ansari. The conversation weaves through Aziz’s childhood in South Carolina, his rapid academic ascent, early comedic influences, the golden memories of Parks and Recreation, the craft of directing and cooking, and the philosophical twists of modern life—from tech dependency to the nature of comedy in today’s world. Rashida Jones opens with a loving, nostalgic segment, reflecting on their shared history and feeding Amy questions to ask Aziz, adding warmth and humor to the reunion.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Reunion and Nostalgia With Rashida Jones
00:25–11:52
- Rashida and Amy reminisce about their time as cast “aunties” on Parks and Rec, feeling protective of the younger cast members like Aziz and Aubrey Plaza.
- Amy and Rashida share their seasonal fashion moodboard game, identifying “frugal chic” and (jokingly) “functional flat front fall” as current favorites.
- Rashida details Aziz’s cultivated, curious aesthetic—his love for art, food, and global adventures.
- Rashida teases Aziz’s culinary talents: "He cooks me dinner all the time. My recent favorite is...Chicken 65. It’s an Indian dish that’s bright red and delicious." (09:57)
- The segment closes with friendship, longing, and jokes about TikTok dances.
2. Aziz’s Early Life: From South Carolina to NYC
12:44–21:57
- Amy and Aziz settle into a New York City autumn, sparking nostalgia for their younger selves and comedy beginnings.
- Aziz recounts skipping grades as a child: "In the middle of first grade, they just called my parents. ‘We gotta get him out of here. He needs to go to second now.’" (16:29)
- He describes being the only Indian kid in his small South Carolina town, and the complex expectations tied to being labeled “the smart kid.”
- A pivotal anecdote: as a child, Aziz had a Southern accent and was once the star of a school play alongside the only other Asian student. (18:17)
- Amy and Aziz reflect on the courage of Aziz's father in immigrating to the US and how that adventurous spirit passed down to Aziz: “There was something in my dad... And I think I had a similar thing where I always wanted to go somewhere bigger.” (19:41)
3. Comedy Roots & New York Hustle
21:57–25:32
- Aziz shares the serendipity of starting standup at NYU, inspired by friends’ encouragement and his ease with public speaking.
- He recalls late-night shows at UCB and booking his own standup showcases, where he first met Amy in person.
- Amy marvels at how "We could all just, you know, sleep all day and then go to do a show at 11 o’clock on Monday night." (22:42)
4. Breakout Success: Human Giant, Parks & Rec, and Showmaking
25:32–29:12
- Aziz discusses sketch comedy’s unique production challenges, and how a viral sketch (“Viral Videos”) led to his casting on Parks and Recreation.
- Amy highlights the “Avengers Assemble” casting style of Parks, reminiscing on the magic of the cast chemistry.
- Aziz reflects on the ensemble’s culture: "Not only funny, but just the best people I've ever met in my life." (26:13)
- He credits Amy and Mike Schur as role models for showrunning: “It was the best role model I could ever have.” (26:54)
5. Best Parks Memories & Bloopers
29:13–32:48
- Favorite set memories include the iconic "treat yourself" catchphrase (now “everywhere—on cocktail napkins and in Kmart”), on-set dance breaks, and blooper reels.
- Hardest scene to film? “Is she going to go powder her vagina?”—a lunch scene with Adam Scott and Mo Collins that broke the cast. (30:32)
6. Phone Detox & Avoiding Digital Overload
33:28–36:22
- Amy explores Aziz's minimal relationship with tech. He’s been without email for 10 years and primarily uses a flip phone.
- “I think it just gives me more space to think... I heard that Tarantino doesn’t even have a phone. Chris Nolan doesn’t have a phone. Maybe there’s something to it.” (34:28)
- Azis and Amy worry about the coming AI/chatbot era: “It’s outsourcing, critical thinking... I was reading some article...it’s making everyone a little more basic.” (37:08)
7. Marriage, Love, and Standup Today
37:33–38:54
- Aziz talks about life changes since getting married: “All the other stuff doesn’t really matter to me anymore. This person is everything to me.” (38:14)
- He’s planning future standup with new material about marriage and possibly parenting in the works.
8. Transition to Directing: Master of None & Good Fortune
40:59–44:52
- Amy and Aziz marvel at the “different time” of early Netflix, where a brown lead was radical and creators had creative freedom.
- The difference between acting and directing: “Just acting is a much different, simpler gig. When you’re directing, you’re just deciding everything.” (43:01)
- Aziz lights up describing the joy when actors elevate material: “When Keanu and Seth...were doing something that was cracking me up...those moments are super fun.” (43:05)
9. On Set With Keanu, Seth, and Keke: Making Good Fortune
44:52–49:45
- Keanu is just as cool and kind as fans imagine. “He looks like he drove from an anime movie straight into reality.” (45:01)
- On letting actors improvise: "If you cast the right people, it’s all gonna come together in a gel in a nice way...” (46:51)
- Aziz loves rehearsing to maximize creative freedom on set; even Keanu was game for improvisation.
- Both Amy and Aziz joke about secretly wanting action movie roles, but worrying they’d be "too silly" as villains.
10. Food, Family & Cooking as Heritage
52:16–57:49
- Aziz shares his culinary evolution: raised on both Indian and Southern food, he cooks at home almost every day now.
- Azis spent the COVID lockdown learning his mother’s recipes, creating homemade cookbooks he gifts to friends, and emphasizing the importance of passing down family dishes.
- “Learning like, home food that comes from your family. I think that’s something important to pass down...a piece of your family history.” (57:50)
- He even worked in Italian kitchens for Master of None research, boosting his kitchen confidence.
- Chicken 65, a favorite for both Rashida and Rashida’s son, earns a shout-out as the ultimate crowd-pleaser for kids—with a warning about food coloring-fueled energy spikes!
11. The Role of Comedy and Collective Laughter
59:58–62:53
- Amy and Aziz talk about what makes them laugh today—mostly memes his wife finds and classic films like The Apartment.
- Aziz laments the decline of theatrical comedies and the unique energy of communal laughter: “It’s so much better to be in a group and laugh...streaming a movie and being on your phone at the same time is not the same thing.” (62:44)
- They both wish for a resurgence of big-screen comedies and celebrate the “unplugged” magic of live performance and movie theaters, where “you’re not allowed to be on your phone.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On growing up gifted and out-of-place:
"We got to get him the fuck out of this first grade thing. He needs to go to second now." —Aziz Ansari (16:30)
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On Parks and Recreation magic:
"All of us...just the best people I’ve ever met in my life." —Aziz Ansari (26:13)
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On on-set pranks and inside jokes:
"If I could try to get someone to break... You're pretty high up on that. Agree. He never cracked up." —Aziz Ansari (28:09)
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On parental courage and the immigrant spirit:
"There was something in my dad... I think I had a similar thing where I always wanted to go somewhere bigger." —Aziz Ansari (19:41)
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On digital minimalism:
"I don't have email. I haven't had email for, like, 10 years." —Aziz Ansari (33:45)
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On AI and ChatGPT culture:
"It’s outsourcing critical thinking. It’s making everyone a little more basic." —Aziz Ansari (37:08)
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On love and marriage:
"I just feel like all the other stuff doesn’t really matter to me anymore. This person is everything to me." —Aziz Ansari (38:14)
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On passing down food heritage:
"Just learning home food that comes from your family... It’s a piece of your family history that I think is cool to try to preserve." —Aziz Ansari (57:50)
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On the golden joy of collective laughter:
"It's so much better to be in a group and laugh... Streaming a movie and being on your phone... is not the same thing." —Aziz Ansari (62:44)
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Amy on TikTok and technology:
"My relationship with my phone has just gotten deeper and more intense." —Amy Poehler (34:51)
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Closing Ad-Lib:
"Turkey sandwich. I'm so happy that you came." —Amy Poehler (63:12)
Timestamps for Important Segments
| Timestamp | Topic | Summary | |-----------|------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------| | 00:25 | Rashida’s intro | Welcoming nostalgia, fashion chat, Aziz's traits| | 09:57 | Rashida on Aziz’s cooking | Chicken 65, anecdotes about Aziz the chef | | 12:44 | Amy & Aziz in NY | New York autumn, early adulthood nostalgia | | 16:29 | Aziz skipping grades | Childhood, being the “smart kid” | | 19:41 | Aziz on family legacy | Immigrant courage and sense of adventure | | 22:02 | Comedy beginnings | First shows, UCB, and meeting Amy | | 25:32 | TV breakthrough | Sketch comedy, Human Giant, landing Parks job | | 26:13 | Parks & Rec ensemble | Cast chemistry, learning from Amy & Mike Schur | | 28:09 | Parks bloopers & memories | Funniest behind-the-scenes moments | | 33:28 | Phone detox | Aziz's minimalism, flip phone life | | 37:08 | The dangers of AI | Chatbots, loss of critical thinking | | 38:14 | Marriage reflections | Change in priorities, marital bliss | | 40:59 | Directing vs Acting | Challenge and joy of leading Good Fortune | | 45:01 | Keanu the legend | On-set stories from Good Fortune | | 47:01 | Process of rehearsal | How prepping actors boosts creativity | | 52:16 | Food & heritage | Southern and Indian upbringing, home cookbooks | | 57:50 | Importance of family recipes | Passing down culinary history | | 62:44 | Group laughter | The magic of theater and live comedy | | 63:14 | Running phone bit | Amy’s kid bit, Aziz’s playful callback |
Final Thoughts
The episode is a tapestry of camaraderie, memory, and curiosity. Aziz Ansari opens up in Amy’s presence, weaving humor into reflections on identity, craftsmanship (in both food and film), and the evolving landscape of pop culture and technology. Good Hang lives up to its name—a sincere, funny, and heartwarming catch-up you don’t want to end.
Listen for: Rich stories from the set of Parks and Rec, hilarious kitchen tales, thoughtful takes on digital life, and the creative heart of modern comedy—a must for fans of Amy, Aziz, and anyone who adores that Parks magic.