{"id":216457,"date":"2025-10-16T04:20:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T04:20:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/216457\/"},"modified":"2025-10-16T04:20:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T04:20:08","slug":"amy-poehler-is-getting-backlash-for-inviting-1-controversial-guest-on-her-podcast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/216457\/","title":{"rendered":"Amy Poehler Is Getting Backlash For Inviting 1 Controversial Guest On Her Podcast"},"content":{"rendered":"

Leslie Knope would never, but it seems like Amy Poehler<\/a> would. <\/p>\n

The beloved \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d alum is getting a lot of pushback from her fans for inviting her former \u201cParks and Recreation\u201d co-star and comedian Aziz Ansari<\/a> on to her podcast.<\/p>\n

\"AmyAmy Poehler as Leslie Knope and Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford in a 2013 episode of \u201cParks and Recreation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone loves the podcast so when the comments look as they do right now you know something\u2019s up,\u201d observed one YouTube commenter beneath Tuesday\u2019s episode<\/a> of Poehler\u2019s \u201cGood Hang\u201d podcast.<\/p>\n

Not only was Ansari accused of sexual misconduct in 2018<\/a>, but he \u2014 and other big name comedians such as Pete Davidson, Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Bill Burr and Louis C.K. \u2014 are receiving an onslaught of backlash for performing at Saudi Arabia<\/a>\u2019s Riyadh Comedy Festival earlier this month. <\/p>\n

Human Rights Watch<\/a> warned late last month that the state-sponsored event was an attempt to \u201cdeflect attention\u201d from the country\u2019s \u201cbrutal repression of free speech and other pervasive human rights violations.\u201d It also noted that the festival coincided with the seventh anniversary of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi<\/a> at a Saudi consulate.<\/p>\n

\"PeoplePeople hold posters picturing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and light candles during a gathering outside the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul, on Oct. 25, 2018. <\/p>\n

YASIN AKGUL via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Although it\u2019s unclear if the podcast episode was recorded before or after Ansari performed in Saudi Arabia, it also begs one to wonder why \u201cGood Hang\u201d decided to release this particular episode now.<\/p>\n

HuffPost has reached out to Poehler and the Ringer, which helps produce \u201cGood Hang,\u201d for comment, but did not get an immediate response.<\/p>\n

Poehler didn\u2019t mention any of Ansari\u2019s controversies during his appearance on her podcast. Instead the two had a light and playful conversation about their time on \u201cParks & Rec,\u201d Keanu Reeves and the comedian\u2019s favorite foods.<\/p>\n

\"AnsariAnsari and Poehler attend the TIME 100 Gala in 2012.<\/p>\n

Kevin Mazur via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Fans on YouTube expressed their outrage in the comments section.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a huge part and rec fan, but I refuse to support any celebrity that involved in the Riyadh thing,\u201d a commenter said.<\/p>\n

\u201cStraight to jail on this one, guys. Catch you next episode,\u201d another said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo but thank you. I am not supporting any of the Riyadh squat,\u201d another commenter chimed in. \u201cAnd I feel disappointed with this co-signing of him. I hope there is some sort of questioning his morals of this, but I guess then it is not a good hang. Why ruin the good vibe with questions of support to dictators and killers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProud of the comments holding people accountable,\u201d said another.<\/p>\n

Over on Instagram<\/a>, fans were also critical.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow was Saudi Arabia?\u201d one user asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Amy, this was a bad choice,\u201d another user said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd just like that, the good hang perfect guest streak has officially come to an end,\u201d a fan bemoaned.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now he supports dictators who kill journalists,\u201d echoed another user.<\/p>\n

Although Poehler kept it breezy with Ansari, Jimmy Kimmel did not<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

When Ansari appeared on his show last week to promote his feature directorial debut, \u201cGood Fortune,\u201d Kimmel grilled him about why he decided to do the Riyadh comedy festival.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you asked, because it\u2019s something I\u2019ve put a lot of thought into,\u201d Ansari explained, noting that he reached out to his aunt, who lived there for some time. \u201cShe said, \u2018There\u2019s people over there that don\u2019t agree with the stuff that the government\u2019s doing, and to ascribe the worst behavior of the government onto those people, that\u2019s not fair.\u2019 Just like there\u2019s people in America that don\u2019t agree with the things the government is doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kimmel agreed that things aren\u2019t rainbows and sunshine in the United States at the moment, but pointed out that in Saudi Arabia, they \u201cmurdered a journalist.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are not good people over there,\u201d Kimmel said. \u201cDid you deal with those people specifically?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just there to do a show for the people,\u201d Ansari replied. \u201cI talked to my wife about this before I went, and she said, \u2018Whenever there\u2019s repressive societies like this, they try to keep things out \u2014 whether it\u2019s rock and roll music or blue jeans \u2014 because it makes people curious about outside ideas, outside values. And this is a very young country, like half the country is under the age of 25, and things can really change.\u2019 And to me, a comedy festival felt like something that\u2019s pushing things to be more open and to push a dialogue.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cYou kind of have to make a choice of whether you\u2019re going to isolate or engage. For me, especially being me and looking the way I do and being from a Muslim background, it felt like something I should be a part of. And I hope it pushes things in a positive direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

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We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.<\/p>\n

Thank you again for your support along the way. We\u2019re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Ansari said he told his team before he decided to do the gig that \u201cpart of the fee should go to support causes that support free press and human rights,\u201d and then mentioned giving some of the funds to Human Rights Watch.<\/p>\n

\u201cAziz Ansari and other comedians have generously offered to donate part of their performance fees to rights groups like Human Rights Watch,\u201d the organization said in a statement last week<\/a>. \u201cBut while we cannot accept, it is not too late for them to call for the release of detained Saudi activists.\u201d <\/p>\n