Amy Poehler on Managing Her Double Life

As fearless bureaucrat Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler usually has her hands full with her day job. Behind-the-scenes, Poehler is much more of a multi-tasker.  Besides starring in the NBC comedy, the Emmy nominee returned to her old SNL Weekend Update stomping grounds this fall, and she is also raising her first child, 13-month-old Archie, with hubby Will Arnett. How does she do it? To find out, TVGuide.com turned to Poehler, who also discusses her blossoming series, her relationship with fellow NBC star Tina Fey and whether she'll appear on her best friend's show. 

Parks and Recreation: Leslie and co. have love woes

TVGuide.com: Parks and Recreation has really taken off this season. How does it feel having so many fans latch on to the show?
Amy Poehler: It's super exciting. I've always felt very proud of the stuff we've been doing, and then to have people notice it has been great. The journey of the show is: You hope the pilot gets picked up, you hope the back nine gets picked up, you hope people watch it, you hope people like it. The slow process of that has been exciting for everybody.

TVGuide.com: How are you finding the balance between motherhood, this show and popping up on Saturday Night Live every now and then?
Poehler: Any working mother will tell you that it's a day-to-day thing. You just do your best and try to make it work. Some days are harder than others. I mean, I'm lucky to have a great job and people that help me. I wouldn't be able to do it without them.

Will Arnett to guest-star on Parks and Recreation

TVGuide.com: Has Tina Fey asked you to come over to 30 Rock yet?
Poehler: Well, you know Will is over there all the time, which is so great. We talked a lot about how we're both working long hours with kids. Our emails and texts are mostly about formula and nannies [Laughs].

TVGuide.com: So there's no chance of you popping up over there?
Poehler: Right now it's too hard to do this here.

TVGuide.com: What's ahead for Leslie Knope?
Poehler: She's got a little bit of excitement happening because the pit has been filled in, but we're going to see if that's one step forward, two steps back. The fun thing about this show is that it moves in a fast and slow pace. It's not the kind of thing where everything is resolved in one episode. The writers do such a good job making sure the stories have a sense of real time. I have a feeling that it's going to take many, many years — like in government — for anything to change.

Watch full episodes of Parks and Recreation in our Online Video Guide

TVGuide.com: Has anything surprised you this season?
Poehler: So many things. What surprises me most is how many times people think we're improvising when we're not. We're just doing the script, which is an indication of how great the writers are. People think, "Oh that seems really loose and you're improvising." No, that's an actual really loose and well-written joke in character. That's been really fun.