Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Episode: Selena Gomez
Date: September 9, 2025
Podcast by The Ringer
Guest: Selena Gomez | Also featuring Martin Short

Episode Overview

This episode of "Good Hang" brings together Amy Poehler and her guest Selena Gomez for an hour of lively, candid, and often hilarious conversation. Amy focuses on the present and future of Selena's life—her career as a powerful businesswoman behind Rare Beauty, her experiences working on the hit show Only Murders in the Building with comedy legends, her musical upbringing, family influences, and her approach to self-care, boundaries, and giving back. The episode also features a delightful warm-up chat with Martin Short, Gomez's co-star and close friend.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Martin Short on Working With Selena (02:22-10:18)

• Martin Short and Amy trade stories and banter about working with Selena Gomez and the culture on set.
• Martin praises Selena’s professionalism and kindness, recounting their first meeting and noting her "old pro" work ethic:
  • Quote (Martin Short, 04:15):
    "The thing is about Selena is that she is just an old pro. I had never met her... as I'm driving there, I'm thinking, what is Selena Gomez going to be like?... right away, I met her in the makeup room, and she smiled at me and went, ah, ah, we're fine. And she's just been a doll."
• On the intensity of working under public scrutiny:
  • When the show films on location, Martin and Steve Martin attract light interest—until Selena joins:
    Quote (Martin, 06:41):
    "When Selena joins us, there's about 120 paparazzi and they're there all day... I'm sure they're just waiting for her to fall or stumble."
• Amy and Martin reflect on Gomez’s success as an entrepreneur and discuss the double standards faced by women in business.

2. Selena Gomez on the Present & Her Joyful Era (13:36-14:51)

• Amy tells Selena she wants to focus less on Selena’s past and more on her impressive present—and future.
• Selena expresses her genuine enjoyment of her current chapter:
  • Quote (Selena, 14:01):
    "I really love this era, if you will. The past five years have been wonderful."
• Amy offers playful book titles for Selena’s current life:
  • "The Best Part Yet", "33 and Feeling Free", "The Best is Here"

3. Rare Beauty: Origins, Accessibility & Impact (15:18-24:04)

• Selena discusses growing up in a family that valued self-care—her mother was a makeup artist at MAC.
• Amy and Selena talk about the importance of maintaining "goofiness" and authenticity at any age, especially for young girls.
• On Rare Beauty’s accessible packaging, directly informed by Selena’s own experiences with lupus and arthritis:
  • Quote (Selena, 22:43):
    "We started to make every product with the intention of anybody who have dexterity problems. And I know that might seem like a little thing, but it's really not, because it's actually so helpful for anyone at any age."
• Amy notes the power of Selena using her own health challenges to drive inclusivity and empathy in her brand.

4. Behind the Scenes: On Set with Steve & Marty (27:54-34:05)

• Selena credits her punctuality and professionalism to her grandfather:
  • Quote (Selena, 28:36):
    "My pawpaw used to say, if you are on time, you're already late. So that means I get to places 30 minutes before..."
• The set of Only Murders in the Building is described as joyful, disciplined, and filled with gentle mischief—driven by the work ethic of Steve Martin and Martin Short:
  • Quote (Selena, 29:46):
    "They are so professional. They make everyone feel good. They lighten up any room, even if it's a serious scene. And that’s a huge inspiration to me."
• They discuss the rarity of professionalism in the entertainment world; Amy expounds on the "artistic lateness" trope.

5. Musical Influences & Family Roots (42:05-44:22)

• Selena credits her dad for exposing her to 90s hip hop and Tejano music, and her mom for a love of classical.
• Both discuss the richness of Tejano music, especially singers like Linda Ronstadt and Selena Quintanilla.
• Singing in Spanish feels different for Selena ("my voice changes, it's so weird"), adding a new dimension to her artistry.

6. Life with Benny Blanco & Cooking Adventures (44:29-50:31)

• Selena is proud of her fiancé Benny Blanco and talks about living in a "house with two musicians (and orange peels everywhere)".
  • Quote (Selena, 44:35):
    "He’s musically talented, in a stratosphere that I couldn't even touch... I respect him as an artist, as a producer, as a songwriter."
• Cooking is a space for togetherness, learning, and managing anxiety.
• Her beloved recipe: her Nana’s chicken and dumplings, a southern comfort food.
  • Quote (Selena, 48:51):
    "Oh, my Nana's chicken and dumplings. It's a very Southern dish... Cozy weather."

7. Social Media & Boundaries (51:35-55:07)

• Selena speaks candidly about stepping back from TikTok and social media to protect her well-being.
  • Quote (Selena, 54:17):
    "I don’t read anything. I don’t have comments enabled on my page... I want it to be fun for me. I don't need anything else other than just me wanting to share that."
• She sees social media as a way to connect with her community—but does so selectively for self-care.

8. Giving Back: Charity and Responsibility (55:07-56:49)

• The conversation turns to purpose and philanthropy; Rare Beauty donates a portion of proceeds to support youth mental health.
  • Quote (Selena, 55:38):
    "That's also the community because 1% of our products... Again, it's people contributing to helping young people have access to mental health."

9. Protecting Energy & Setting Boundaries (56:49-58:18)

• Selena finds it hard to say "no" to fans, but is learning to balance public exposure and her private well-being.
• Amy offers a perspective on learning to protect your own energy in your 30s—an ongoing process for both women.

10. Comedy, Joy, and Recommendations (60:11-63:01)

• For laughter, Selena loves spontaneous moments, time on set, and shows/movies with her partner.
• Recommends "I Think You Should Leave" (Tim Robinson’s show) and horror movies like Barbarian and The Conjuring.
  • Quote (Selena, 60:52):
    "I love encountering silly moments and spontaneity... Those are the joyous [things], making someone laugh or... having your partner laugh with you."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Martin Short on working with Selena Gomez (04:15):
  "She is just an old pro...she smiled at me and went, ah, ah, we're fine. And she's just been a doll."
• Selena on Rare Beauty's accessible design (22:43):
  "We started to make every product with the intention of anybody who have dexterity problems...it's actually so helpful for anyone at any age."
• Amy on being early and airport habits (32:19):
  "I like to get there with plenty of time. Go look at the gate. You have to see the gate. Make sure, it's there."
• Selena on boundaries and social media (54:17):
  "I don’t read anything. I don’t have comments enabled on my page...I want it to be fun for me."
• Selena on comedic heroes & influences (35:27):
  "I grew up watching Will and Grace, Friends...And then Channel 33 would be Frasier after."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Martin Short guest intro & praise for Selena: 02:22–08:12
• Amy and Selena open up about the present: 13:36–14:51
• Rare Beauty origins & inclusivity: 15:18–24:04
• Behind the scenes with Steve & Marty: 27:54–34:05
• Musical influences: 42:05–44:22
• Cooking & Benny Blanco: 44:29–50:31
• Social media/mental health boundaries: 51:35–55:07
• Giving back & Rare Impact: 55:07–56:49
• Comedy, laughter, & recommendations: 60:11–63:01

Final Thoughts

This episode captures the joyful, thoughtful spirit of Selena Gomez and Amy Poehler's rapport. They trade wisdom and warmth on staying creative, navigating fame, running a business, giving back, and carving out joy in adulthood. Selena’s candidness about her struggles, triumphs, and continued evolution sets the tone for an inspiring, relatable, and often very funny conversation—all grounded in mutual respect and celebration of female achievement.

Future only, babe.