Transcript

Nick Offerman | Good Hang with Amy Poehler

From Good Hang with Amy Poehler · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 1 h 4 min · 11,597 words · 274 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Nick Offerman | Good Hang with Amy Poehler", an episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler published April 21, 2026 (1 h 4 min, about 11,597 words). It mentions 9 people, works and ideas, including Parks and Recreation, Nick Offerman, Little Woodchucks, Making It, All State.

What this episode is about

In this episode of "Good Hang," Amy Poehler sits down with her friend and former co-star Nick Offerman, best known for his iconic role as Ron Swanson on "Parks and Recreation." The conversation delves into Offerman's experiences on the beloved show, his thoughts on Cleopatra, and the creative process behind his new book, "Little Woodchucks." With special guest Aubrey Plaza chiming in, the episode offers a blend of humor and heartfelt insights, making it a must-listen for fans of Offerman and anyone interested in the art of storytelling.

Key takeaways

  • Nick Offerman: the only guy who can turn a coffee run into a life lesson.
  • Birthday triplets unite! Who knew June 26 was the day of the Pied Piper?
  • When in doubt on set, just channel your inner Ron Swanson and get your own coffee.

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 10:00: All State, Little Woodchucks, Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation
  2. – 20:00: Little Woodchucks, Making It, Nick Offerman
  3. – 30:00: Parks and Recreation
  4. – 50:00: Making It, Little Woodchucks, The Last of Us
  5. – 1:04:12: Colin from Accounts, Nick Offerman, Parks and Recreation, Such Brave Girls

Notable quotes from "Nick Offerman | Good Hang with Amy Poehler"

  • We have today. my brother, Nick Offerman, who, as was instrumental in making Parks and Recreation the hit that it was and played the beloved Ron Swanson and is just a wonderful friend, person, actor.
    about Parks and Recreation · at
  • This episode is presented by All State.
    about All State · at
  • Yeah. okay. Speaking of beautiful roles, Nick, The Last of Us. Oh my god. Let's both get a tissue. That was so good, Nick.
    about The Last of Us · at
  • With I have seen that in real time when we worked on making it together, a really fun show together. you would tell me your year and I would think this too shall not this isn't going to hold too many things.
    about Making It · at
  • I would love to your listeners to know about. One's Australian and it's called Colin from Accounts.
    about Colin from Accounts · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Nick Offerman — Person · 3 mentions · first at
    Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of Good Hang. Boy, what a guest we have today. my brother, Nick Offerman, who, as was instrumental in making Parks and Recreation the hit that it was and played the beloved Ron Swanson and is.
  • Tammy — Person · 2 mentions

Books & papers

  • Little Woodchucks — Book · 3 mentions · first at
    Talk about Cleopatra, how he feels about her, and would he hit that. And we also talk about his book, Little Woodchucks, his amazing new book that is out now, and how he feels…

Companies & orgs

Media & podcasts

Full transcript with timestamps

Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of Good Hang. Boy, what a guest we have today. Um, my brother, um, Nick Offerman, uh, who, uh, as you know, was instrumental in making Parks and Recreation the hit that it was and played the beloved Ron Swanson and is just a wonderful friend, person, actor. We talk about so many good things today. We talk about um uh Parks and Wreck getting the job, how it felt to be on a show um that meant so much to us. We talk about Cleopatra, how he feels about her, and would he hit that. And um we also um talk about his book, Little Woodchucks, his amazing new book that is out now, and how he feels deeply about how important it is to make things. So, um please uh uh please start get ready for Nick Offererman. But before we get to Nick, we always do this thing, right?

We talk to somebody who knows Nick. We get a question to ask Nick. And we have the wonderful Aubrey Plaza joining us. Aubrey April Lgate. Um, you know her, you love her. She's zooming in from New York. Plazi.

This episode is presented by All State. Checking All State first could save you hundreds on car insurance. That's smart. Not checking that the fake roast chicken is in fact a fake roast chicken before chomping into a wing. Rookie mistake. Yeah, checking first is smart. So check All State first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with All State. Potential savings vary subject to terms, conditions, and availability. All State North American Insurance Company and affiliates, Northbrook Illinois.

I wanted Hello. Hi, Claus. Hi. Hi. Thank you for doing this. I know you're about to go. I think you're about to go on stage.

Oh my god. Have you been sitting there since the last time I did your podcast? Yeah.

I'm so sorry. I live here now. Oh my god. And I know you don't have a lot of time, but I there's I felt like there was nobody better to ask a question to Nick Offererman than you.

Oh, I know. Well, first of all, you know that we are birth brothers. Yeah, talk about that.

Nick and I have the same birthday, June 26, the day that the Pied Piper led the children of the rats into the water. Real story, folks. And you can feel the pi piper energy coming out, you know, of both of us. Jason Schwarzman also has a birthday on June 26. So does Paul Thomas Anderson actually, but he's not in our club yet. But um yeah, so we have this like birthday text message chain, which I almost want to read out loud because it's so funny because the it we only write on it on our birthday and it's always it's so it's always like in medieval talk.

It's you and Nick and Jason Schwarzman. Me, Nick, and Schwarzman. Yeah. Can you read just Yeah. Can you read just a little bit of it?

Okay, hold on. I got my phone. Okay, this is like sacred territory. Okay, here's one that Nick wrote. Mighty power. This was a couple years ago. Mighty powers and health to you, my fellow birthday triplets. Let us dance under the moon and delight Gaia for another 12 moons with our dark japes. An an emoji that I can't don't want to describe. Um, this is another one from Nick. Dear my birthday beauties, it's 9:00 a.m. on our birthday in New Zealand, and I'm sending you both a massive load of my wholesome. Oh, earth sign love. I thought it said urine when I read it on my birthday, but now I'm seeing it. Now I'm seeing it clearly.

I thought he said a massive load of my urine. That would sounds like it could be him, but earth sign love, which

Oh, earth sign love. And Ursan I believe is is bear like right bear like oh the bear right I wrote back and my load to you my brother

but it was a different load that I was talking about. Um that's just a little taste.

That's a little taste and it's it is how Nick talks. Do you remember meeting him for the first time?

I think it was probably literally on set. I don't remember. I think he scared me. You know at first he scared me a lot. Why?

In a good way. Um I No, just because I think No, he was so funny, but I was always like trying to replicate his like behavior on set. Like I'll never forget I mean you guys all taught me how to really be on set because I didn't, you know, I didn't really I'd only done one job so I didn't know. But like I remember Nick kind of put not put me in my place but like kind of reminded me of something. I probably told you the story, but like where I was like, you know how when you're on set you get treat like actors get treated like babies and it's so such a weird vibe like when I haven't worked for a while and then I go back I'm like this is so weird. No wonder why actors get so weird cuz everyone treats you like a baby like you can't do anything.

And I remember like I was just sitting in my little chair or something and I wasn't doing anything for a while and one of the PAs came up and was like do you need anything? And I was like, "Uh, sure. I'd take a coffee or something like that." And then Nick was sitting next to me like reading a book or something and he looked over and he went, "Don't forget that you can get up and get your own coffee. It's right over there." And I know that sounds kind of like an thing to say, but I didn't take it like that. I was like, "You're right." I was like, I don't need that little PA over there to get to walk over there in my eyesight and pour me a cup of coffee. I'm like, because you get in that zone on set where you just turn into like a couch potato where you're like,

and he it like jolted me. I was like, I'm never going to ask for coffee again. Ever.

It's so It's so true. And you never have. And anytime anyone brings you coffee, you just throw it in their face.

I slap it on the bottom so it goes not only the liquid, but the cup right on their forehead.

The He's He's so um he is very paternal and he was very paternal on set. Like when Nick was there, he would know his lines and he loved to goof around, but he wanted to get the job done. Like he was daddy energy for sure.

Yeah, he was daddy. And but he really did have you you both though you both had such a perfect balance of like professionalism but f and fun and I and I it was a very very good for me to witness cuz it was like I wanted to I wanted to be good for him and for you like I always wanted to be prepared and but then also be ready to around and yeah I love I love that about working with Nick.

Yeah. Um, and I have to say like the the April and Ron stuff started early. I think it was season one when you two started doing stuff together.

Mhm. And it was really helpful for both of your characters. It was so helpful. I think it I'm trying to remember. I have one memory of like that remember that episode when we were like in the grocery store

or something. I think that was one of those early on ones. I I'm thinking I think there was an episode in season one when he hurts his neck and

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. And he's stuck in the chair. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then I like go I like go into his I like stand in his office

and I'm like I'm like kind of his assistant that day or something and we we barely say like anything to each other. Yeah.

We just like stare at each other and then like it's almost like we're telepath we were telepathic.

Yeah. Both of you are very good at saying little and talking slowly. Exactly. And it's funny that he uses the word earth sign because he really is like one could classify him as a bear. He is a bear.

He is a bear and he's a he's a man in a very um you know you don't find a lot of like men who can build things. I mean,

Mhm. in this profession. I actually I wonder if if if he if that's a lie, I don't think he can. I don't think he's actually doing it.

It's so weird saying I've never actually seen him build anything. You ever seen him with a hammer? I haven't.

Nope. And I've seen where he does it, but there's other people in there. So true. And he comes in and says, "I made this canoe." And it's like,

when? Yeah. When? Yeah. When exactly? What question do you think I should ask him?

What does it feel like when you jerk off to every episode of Parks and Wreck when you're watching?

Let's get a real question that I can actually ask him. All right. Okay. I have two questions. Okay. One, have you ever seen a ghost?

I want to hear like if he has any like other realm stories. Oo, interesting. I I don't know where he would land on that in the on the woo woo scale of being open to that.

Me neither. Me neither. Like for real, I want to ask him. Yeah. Like do you believe like do you believe in ghosts? Like do you believe in that? Have you have do you have a good story?

And do you believe in hell? No. Don't ask him that. I won't. Um believe me, I won't.

Okay. Okay. Uh how about do you remember a good time we had working together? Sorry. Sorry. You're right. No, you're right. You're right. I just immediately want to know like if you had to haunt one person in the afterlife, who would it be? And also, how'd you get started in showbiz? I don't know. Or any am I are these is this anything?

Yeah, these are good. These are good. Okay, here's my real question. Okay. If Bill and Ted's excellent adventure happened to you in real life, what time period would you go to and who would you fight?

Perfect. You know, he's going to have some stupid to say. Perfect question. Okay, good.

That's perfect. Who would you fight? And would you take me with you? Yeah, cuz you know you want to. You know you want to. I mean, I have to say you guys were like a strong duo for a million reasons, but both you and Nick have a fortitude, like a way where you could face you. You you guys are very emotionally and physically strong. Like, you mean you and Nick were the only two cast members to play on the Parks and Wreck softball team.

That's right. Still got my uniform. Um, all right. Well, that we got our question. I don't want to keep you okay with time. All right. I'm going to Not okay with time. I'm actually But but why do you want to do something?

No, but you told me you were going in 15 minutes. Okay, then I'm good. I'm out, baby. I'm out. Watch me. In less than an hour, I'm going to be on that stage ripping apart.

What do you have to do between now and the show? I am interested. Before I let you go, what's your routine?

Um, I'm literally supposed to be there in like 20 minutes. I'm going to get a shower. I'm discussing right now.

Oh, you're at home. Okay. You're not at the theater. We're Okay. I didn't time my day out very well.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Thank you for doing this. But I can actually do anything. Yeah.

If I really put my mind to it. It's gonna be a nightmare getting a cab. I This is what I literally am going to do.

Yeah. Get a shower in like the mo in like 2 minutes. I believe in you. Then I'm going to run to 6th Avenue and I literally mean it. I'm going to run. It's rush hour and I'm going to hail a cab and that cab's going to fly me up there and it's going to be exhilarating. And then I'm just gonna I'm just hope I won't, you know, hope I can get myself in character in time. I'll start in the cab.

I'm gonna let you go right now. Codependently, I'm worried about you. And um Okay. Thank you for doing this. Thank you, Plazy. Love you. Miss you.

Love you. Love you and love, Nick. Yeah. And Okay. Okay. Thank you. All right. I hope you get out of there sometime. Okay. Okay. Drink water. Okay.

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Hold on. Sit down on the mic. Get on the mic so I can Oh my god, Nick. Okay, listeners, Nick has brought me a bag of treats.

Well, God, I love What do we got? What do we got? We talk about making things. Yes. Which we will.

Um, this this is uh the first project in my book is a slapstick little woodchucks

because and I thought you would appreciate this. Um, when Lee and I Do you remember Lee, by the way?

Of course. Yeah. Um, we've had so much fun. We go on tour and Lee does wood. She makes one of these on stage with a bench

while I sing and I'm a jackass. And when we were pick when we were figuring out the projects for the book, I said, "Look,

I'm any kid that you go in the woods with and you're like, let's find a good stick. Let's let's make something."

A good percentage of kids are going to be like, "This is a sword or a gun or like this is

an implement of violence. Let's make war or whatever." Yeah. It's it we do, you know, I hate that about us, but we have it. So, I said we have to have a weapon in the book, but I have a comedy weapon,

the slapstick. May I see? Yeah. So, for those that don't know, the word slapstick came from this. And this says butt joint on it,

which is a type of of wood joint. It's not something pur, you know. I've never used a slapstick.

Many haven't. I mean, I had never heard of one. It's from like Comedia Delarte or Punch and Judy shows use them

and it's and the great the great thing is you can pretend to hit people and it and it makes a noise and you know and so you make a reaction.

Yes. And you have comedy. You can do spanking. You can do fake spankings. Um I want to talk about your uh book and all the stuff you make in it. And what before Well, hold on. You also brought a water bottle. Oh yeah. Sorry.

Is that your Offerman wood shop water bottle? It is. Yeah. But that I you know I have that too. I have one of those.

I just got rid of the one you gave me. That huge one from making it. Yeah. I finally wore it out like a month ago and I replaced it.

Are you a big um We're going to get into a lot of stuff today, but how much water do you drink a day?

Generally, I've been doing a lot of working out because I did a a job where I had to work out.

Brag. Uh not a not a huge deal. Um, I got Well, I got super jacked for How much can you lift? Like, what do you lift in these days?

Um, two I I lift uh uh uh Cyber Trucks. I do two Cyber Trucks. You go up to them and lift them up.

And then I put people in them. Uh but I I I got crazy. I And then I did actual wrestling.

Oh my god. I trained with a wrestler. There's so many places to go from what you just told me because number one, I've wrestled with you in a small way on set and you're very strong.

Thank you. Um, you have the body like you have the carriage of someone who I feel like would be good at wrestling. Did you wrestle when you're in high school?

I tried. I I my uncle was a wrestler and I I tried wrestling and it and quite honestly my dad was a was great at basketball and baseball. Yeah. So, I went out for wrestling uh one year and was like, "No thanks." It was really hard.

Yeah, it's so hard. It and and I wasn't I wasn't great. Um I was uh I didn't I didn't have the fire to to like to overcome to

the vision quest, if you will. Yeah. Exactly. And in your 50s though, when you have to get buff, that's hard.

I was unable to approach the lunatic fringe. Um but I' I've always loved being an athlete. Yeah. Uh, and so, um, I've always maintained an athleticism, but, uh, it it was actually pretty fun. I worked with a this great trainer named Grant Roberts who does this. Yeah.

And he's super good at it. And it actually was only four times a week, 1 hour each,

and there was nothing crazy. A bunch of protein. But remember when Pratt was doing um, Guardians, like he had to eat crazy amounts of food all the time.

The good thing is I'm a former pro wrestler. your character was. There's there's no like shower scene where I'm like langangerously, you know, showing my Chris Pratt abs,

right? Uh, in fact, it's in my contract with that language. Um, I'm glad we're talking about sports cuz I kind of want to start with young Nick Offerman today in high school in Manuka, Illinois. Like athletic kid in the drama club.

Well, and I'm not saying that those two things don't go together. It's just in the 80s like what was it like being a drama kid and a sports kid? The thing is, I there wasn't a lot of culture. And when I say this, I love my town and like and my family, but like there wasn't um there wasn't a lot of counterculture or

uh so so like we had the Beatles, but only their first three records, you know? Like when I got to college and they were like, "Check out the White Album." I was like, "What? I already loved Please Me." Um, and so there like the the drama kids weren't fully drama kids and the jocks weren't fully jocks

cuz I think the school in town were small enough and there just wasn't a lot to do. I I was definitely a polymath and I think it was just because I

I didn't I hadn't figured out what I was going to do and so I was just kind of trying everything.

Do you remember what made you try out for your first play? like like you know I definitely there there's a famous in my family there's a famous uh like uh Super Eight movie from our fishing cabin when I was like 11 and and it was when you go to the Cubs game and you get a free jersey 3/4length like white body blue sleeves cubs and on the back was a Keebler elf uh tree and the Keebler elves sponsored the jersey and uh I'm in that jersey and and the camera's going around every family member and they're all like ducking away from the camera and it gets to me kind of literally going like just pointing at myself and making faces like you have if you have a camera you you found the right

Isn't that funny that like you can see that sometimes in people where they're like even just your reflection in a in in like the store window or a mirror like I used to do commercials on my bathroom sink in the mirror to myself just like one day

I'm going Someone's gonna be looking at my face. I mean, Megan had the my my champion wife Megan Mali had the wherewithal.

She knew like when she was a kid, she would sit in a room and and do Barbara Stryand records into a hairbrush

to the point where she could now perfectly she's like a Broadway star because she did that.

Yeah. I didn't have any like I knew I wanted to entertain and I knew that I loved Jim Ignatowski, Christopher Lloyd's character on Taxi.

Oh yeah. Where I was like that guy is so weird and like scary but he's super funny.

I feel like that's somehow that's what I'm drawn to. But I had no, it wasn't until late in when I was trying to figure out where to go to college that I was like, "Oh, you can I can try and do acting as a job." And you know, very early on in your career and my career, we meet in Chicago and we're both kind of in Chicago in the early 90s trying stuff just like, you know, trying to get hired and but how do you get to Chicago from like how do you move there? I had this crazy moment uh where I was I took my girlfriend who was a year older than me to audition at the University of Illinois for their dance department. And to this day, it's so miraculous. I must have been loitering in the hallway because these two theater students who I then came to know, I don't remember how it started. I wish I had a a film of this. They they were somehow it was like, "Hey kid, why are you loitering in the hallway of the theater facility and

somehow we we struck up a conversation and they said they were theater students and I said, "What does that mean?" And they said, "You can study acting." And I was like, "You got to be kidding me." Like, because I told my guidance counselor at school that I want to be an actor and he was like, "That's not available. You can't do that."

And then I said I want to be a musician. And he was like, "Come on. What are you going to do with that?

That'd be really interesting to dig into this guy's forgotten dreams for sure. Sounds like there was a lot going on with him.

But they had told me you can't be an actor. So then I met these students that were like, "We're going to the UN like this great state school. They have a conservatory program." And and I said, "Okay, so you you become an actor, then what?" And they said, "You can get paid to do plays in Chicago." And I was like, you I took them by the lapels of their coat and was like, are you kidding me? They told me you can't that this you can't do.

I heard no one makes any money. I did. I had no idea that this was I I I just want to say I relate cuz I didn't know anyone who was an actor growing up. And although I wasn't discouraged in that way, it just didn't seem like a job. It was like, what do you mean like be an actor? Yeah.

Like it just seemed like that's stupid. And so we meet in n in the early 90s in the attic of a house.

That's right. All I remember is that you always love to punch me in the arm. Yeah. I have a thing about

I took as a compliment big time. Uh it is it's a love tap really. But, you know, I I think you know, and again, I might this might be revisionist history, but I remember when we met, I you felt very familiar to me, even though, you know, we hadn't we didn't know each other, even though at the time you were in kind of in deep character for a play.

Oh, right. It was That's right. Cuz it was during Clockwork Orange at Stephen Wolf and I

uh was riding a big motorcycle and I had a shaved head. I was experimenting with what Nick was going to turn out to be like. Um, I had a shaved head, but I kept the front inch of my hair, right,

down into a full beard and I dyed it different manic panic like punk colors. So, it looked really scary.

Really scary. And it is the thing about you that's so great to your to the Jimnatelli of it all, which is like you are able to look scary, but you're not not a scary person at all.

Which uh which I've learned to appreciate. There was a time when I'd be like, "Shut up." I'd pull my knife out on you if you said that.

Yeah. But and then I'd apologize. Yeah. I mean, I remember talking to you, I guess, punching you in the arm. I remember talking about the play that you were in. I remember that company and you know, at the time in Chicago, there were like different ways into the same creative experience. I feel like they are kind of a big soup now, but at the time it was very important that like serious theater and then improv and sketch and they were like never the twain shall meet.

I tell you something, I so this is like uh early to mid '9s. I was so ignorant even then that if I had I had no idea that

like I was a big fan of SNL as a kid. If I had any idea that there was a pipeline to that you you know what I mean that you guys had even could get an audition or anything. I had no idea. In fact, I remember just thinking like you guys so you guys make stuff up in a bar. Like what? We we're performing works of literature.

Yeah. Believe me, we felt that vibe and we were like, "Yeah, we know. It's uh we have some notes. It's 3 hours long."

Yeah. I have to say, if I may just digress, you have some of the best posture. Wow. Thank you.

of any friend of mine. And it feels like that. Thanks a lot. And that feels like it comes from a core training, like a you have great posture.

I do. I mean, I um Thank you. I I It's something that I do have to think about, especially after our show. Everything I got offered was like somehow overweight uh barbecue master

and it's all these guys in their tidy whies in the mirror crying some one way or another. And the first couple I was like, "This is interesting." And then I realized, oh, I need to I need to stay in shape

so that I can get a variety. That's Well, you you love to transform your bod. You are you come from a physical body place with a lot of your characters

and and and I do feel like it's, you know, so Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation had a physicality to him that felt like you understood really early on um and played with

and you talked about it a lot. It's really interesting to me. But before we get to that, because I do want to talk about that, let's just talk about you getting that part. I know you've spoken about it a lot, but I think the physicality was part of the part was like what you understood really fast about him cuz you're right. If you in the wrong hands, he's a joke. He's a total clown.

Sure. Um, sorry, I'm I'm being a little moved by uh we we've never talked about our show. I And I also haven't seen our show.

Wait, are you crying? No, I'm not crying. I thought you were gonna cry. I was thinking about this pork dish.

We haven't talked about our show. No, we haven't. And that and it's I mean, we've talked about it with each other all the time. But

for sure, but but not in this. No, not publicly. I mean, where do we even start?

People totally like it. I just listen. I just came here from a a book tour in the UK.

Yeah. And guess how I close every show? I play 5,000 Candles. And I had the these incredible these two sisters named Flo and Joan opening for me. You would They're these super funny sisters who do funny songs. And I mean, when you say I'm in a crowd, a theater of 2,000 people and you just say Parks and Recreation or Ron Swanson, the the roof flies off the place.

I know. And you're just like, you guys, that was a long time. It was a long, you know, my son just turned 17, which is when we started the show, 17 years ago.

Holy cow. And I know, think about that. And the fact that there's still people are still dressing up for Ron Swanson at Halloween and people said that you got us through the pandemic and people are saying my kid's just starting it. And like it's it's unbel I don't I mean I know we knew I got to say and I I think I can speak for us both. We were old enough and I don't know maybe a little like we knew what we had at the time you and me. We really did

for sure and we tried to enjoy every minute of it but like Ron Swanson is would be in the hall is in the hall of fame of characters. I mean he is he is this person that people feel con what is it like almost 20 years later interacting with that kind of work like how do people interact with you

it's interesting I mean mostly first of all I'm so stupidly grateful like from start soup to nuts and also people are so nice to me and respectful I think of Ron like people approach me with the difference and also a little fear.

Yeah. Um but they're they are really polite to me where I they I usually have to say please call me Nick or you know cuz they're shaking and they're scared.

Mr. Swanson if I may. Yeah. May I approach Mr. May I approach the bench? They do. And um and so I'm for all of that. Um I'm I'm super grateful. It's certainly weird too. there there are thorns on the rose or or or pits in the peach of like um Ron's politics or or Ron's what Ron represented sort of as a paradigm

uh some people with poor uh reading comprehension were like oh he's he's a shotgun guy like finally

so they so they mistook Ron for sort of things they wanted to represent in themselves

yeah And usually it was something old-fashioned or right-wingish like misogynistic or Yeah.

or violent or anything like that. And so that's been weird too where people love the character and I've even had people argue with me online where they'll say something about like they'll say Ron definitely would have voted for this jerk. And I'll and I'll be like hang on hang on one second. And I'll call Mike, sure, the main creator and writer, and say this, somebody said this, do you? And he would give me a par he, you know, he would whip out a perfect paragraph of that's hilarious, right? But also, why Ron, for example, anybody that went from the world of business to the world of politics, Ron would think was a fool because Ron's like, "What are you doing?

You were a capitalist." And so then I would, you know, this is back when I used to participate when social media wasn't just a cesspool.

Yeah. But I I would go back and say, "Mike, here's what Mike sure says." And they'd say, "Nope."

They would say, "No, he you guys don't know. You guys don't know about Rod Swanson." And I was like, "Well, I'm just going to leave it at there." Like,

"Yeah, I I thought I did, but I guess you got me on that one." Do people come up to you and say, "People call me Ron Swanson?"

Yeah, I get that a lot with Leslie Nope. People say, "I'm like Leslie Nope." And usually that means like, to your point, it can mean a bunch of different things. It can mean I work hard and I'm fighting the good fight. It can mean I kind of drive everybody crazy and I talk too much and I'm, you know, like it can mean a million things.

Sure. I I mean I I feel like when I think of Leslie Nope, I I think of her bulliance the most like that that sometimes and sometimes when people are like that it's a very heroic characteristic but it can be too much.

Yeah. Because you're like okay like I I'm doing what you asked me to do. Uh but and when people say that to me about Ron Swanson, it it's like it usually means their tacern

like and and they're like, you know, like I imagine a husband in the grocery store

carrying like 112 pounds of stuff and his wife's like, "Let's just get a cart." He's like, "No, I got this. I got it. Just keep going." And so being too stubborn or like relying too much on

I could just remember us doing scenes together and I would have a hundred words to your one and I would just circle around you in that office just like and you would just sit and watch me and the it it was like old archetypes of like the you know different two different animals in the same room basically and that was What's was so fun is playing those energies and then as we got more comfortable like flipping those energies and having fun with those energies. But like those early days of just being able to just kind of come in and buzz around while you stood your ground was so fun. That was really fun game and and just picturing that you describing it and me picturing it made me think

there's that giggle of Shauna Mway tweep on Bcam on a on a scooty scooter and she she we would always make her laugh and she would slam into the wall behind her.

Yeah. The camera operators were in the room with us a lot and they we they were part of the family for sure and we would make them laugh. And um you talk pretty you don't talk as slow. You you talk differently than Ron, but you talk pretty slow.

I I'm the slowest talking. Like, how do you do that? I don't know. Anything that I see myself in. Even now, I'm like, pick it up, man. Like, what is your deal?

Oh my god. I'm the exact opposite. I'm like, babe, take a breath, dude. I mean, now that I have a podcast, I hear myself and I'm like, and I'm like, whoa. It's weird to what especially when people enjoy when people like praise some acting work and I and you know I I have to watch everything like like like watching your baseball swing to make you know see what's working and every time I'm I speak my dialogue at

I feel like could you I feel like I can do an impression of you. Can you do an impression of me?

I I would never want to. Really? I'm going to do you right now to your face. I don't have it in me.

Well, I have it in me. When you were playing Ron uh on the show, what did you do? Like what were some like ways to get into that character? Like was was it wardrobe? Was it the mustache? Was it

I mean the it's it's funny. Uh Megan, we've been together for 25 years and only about 5 years ago. God bless her. I mean, you've seen the crazy ways I I I I never get cast as like goodlooking people. So, I get I get cast as I'm like, "Okay, great. I'm going to shave the top of my head off and have like Larry from the Three Stooges hair." And Megan's like there there was one time I was doing a play and she wouldn't let me get in bed cuz I looked so upsetting and I slept on the couch for two nights before I figured out I could put on a stocking cap and then I got in. But she 5 years ago she finally said, "You know what? I really don't like your facial hair."

BLESS her heart. I know. after 20 years of it. She's I mean I think she has liked it at times but it's a it's a practical thing where she said it's a mouthful of thistles like

yeah some we're getting into it she it's and I was like well when you put it that way it is like a bristle brush it's like the kind of brush that people farmers have to get the mud off your work boots. It's a really stiff brush

and if you have sensitive skin at all and you have a makeout sesh you can just be totally redfaced.

Right. Yeah. And so and and and so now we negotiate. Uh so I've got some work and so I'm maintaining a mustache for the moment, but in a couple weeks I'll be shaving it.

Yeah. And something I've noticed is my talking changes. Oh. When I have the mustache, I call it a my constipative rectus. It's like a a sort of invisible clamp comes over me

and and things become more stenuran and more like Sam the Eagle from the Muppets like where my I can feel my brow more and when I shave

I look 15 years younger and I and I just become boyish where I'm just like okay guys.

Yeah, what's up? Um but do you give free mustache rides until you shave your mustache? I don't

You've always charged for mustache, right? Always charge. Yeah. And I've always thought that was rude. So, we do this thing where we talk to someone who knows our guest to get a question from them. So, we talk to Aubrey.

Oh, Jesus. I know. And there's nothing we can use. It's barely usable. Born on the same day. She speaks of that and she might read us a little bit of some texts that you guys had back and forth. Nothing bad. Nothing bad. Um, you guys share a birthday and um, I feel like there was, you know, there's so many people that talk about on the show obviously that we worked with and that we love, but Ron and April's relationship to me, especially in the rewatch, is very special. Most most of the podcasts so far I'm willfully not crying by the way.

Yeah. Like I I know that you would like some crying. I don't I don't care either way.

Like like if you just say Ron and April I know I'm in trouble. Ron and April. I mean there I have a lot of love for uh all of this subject matter. My

Wait, I have tissues. Oh, slap. Don't hit me with the slapstick. Look, I have good hang tissues. Those are um I'll just keep them here just in case.

All right. Um you were saying so. But Ron and April because because if we're going to extend the mommy daddy metaphor definitely Aubrey/Arpil was our daughter on that show and we both of our characters kind of helped raise her

and loved doing it and by doing it like any good parent you learn something about yourself by doing it. Like, you know, Leslie learned that like her kind of pushy ambition it needs to be replaced with like a gentle listening as to what people want and need from her. And Ron learned what?

Ron didn't learn anything. Ron learned what rap music was. Yeah. Yeah. What? But I mean, what was it like doing scenes with Aubrey? I mean, it was uh it was so fun because she um you know, she could uh she she could uh meet me in my own game.

She took my cuz one of the things one of the formative things when we started the show was I said to the guys, I mean, I I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that they created a part for me. Like I I I was so aware that uh if if someone had said to me, "Write your dream part."

I would have written something so much stupider because I'm not Mike Sher, you know? Like I would have been like, "Okay, he's got a he's got a motorcycle and he always wears t-shirts with no sleeves." Like it would have been like some 12year-old's version of like it's he he's like David Lee Roth

and it would and it would have been very superficial. And in my final audition with you, uh, which I, you know, I had to audition for five months to get the job.

Wow. I didn't know it was that long. Yeah. It was Well, it started with It started with Adam and I were brought in to read for a role named Josh,

right? And it was it was chemistry reads with Rashida, right? And you know, if you're going in to read a chemistry for a TV show, guess who you don't want to walk in the door? Adam Scott.

Adam Scott. chemistry machine. charisma. Believe me, I had to do scenes with him. I was like, "This guy,

I'm his I'm like his plumber if I'm lucky." And u gorgeous. Both of you have gorgeous hair though.

We Yeah, they were. And And people should know this is your hair. It is. But they also photographed the fleshy parts. Um but so so that was crazy and that didn't work and somehow Mike and Greg also were stuck on me. Thank God. I mean they called my agent and said it's not going to happen. If you can imagine we're not going to cast you as someone who Rashidita has to kiss if you can wrap your head around that. But we really want you on the show. And there's this part of of Amy's boss that should have really been like 20 years old. Yeah. Yeah. I think they were thinking a lot older in the beginning.

Yeah. But and I was and I was like I don't Great. Whatever. And and so then they had me come in and they read every guy in the world. So then finally it it it the net got as wide as possible. Then it narrowed narrowed narrowed and they brought me in one more time for like and and Mike said, "Okay, we're looking at like eight guys." And then you came to town and and Mike said, "All right, we're gonna have you come in and uh and read with Amy and this is it. This is going to be it." And it was one of those things. This happened to me a lot where I got the job and uh it it blew my mind.

Um also, you cried. We called you and you cried. Oh, I sobbed my eyes out. I mean, I said to Mike, I'm going to I was like, I'm going to I said I'm going to openly sobb, but I want to stay on the phone.

I was 38 years old. Like, I had been through a lot of experiences where I almost got a life-changing job, and this one was so much better than any of them had been.

Before we get off of parks, because I do want to talk about the other stuff that you have done um and are doing. Favorite episode? I know it's hard to pick, but just like, you know, pick one.

Don't overthink it. I have two answers in there, and it's funny. Um, but one is called Ron and Tammy,

and one is called Leslie and Ron, I I believe. But I mean, you know, Megan is just the most wickedly funny person I've ever met. Uh, and getting to again the alchemy of of what Mike and the writers came up with for her to do, you know, the two of us ba banding together against this evil librarian, slapping her face with like a big of beef jerky. Like we're just like Mike knew that, you know, he was like, "Do you think Megan would uh

I'd still have people come up and go, you really got the library right? those people over there. I'm like, what? The people that run the library are like, Tammy, that's insane.

That's so funny. But they they Yeah, but the but then the, you know, the entire series paying off in this episode that was such a gift that was like this crazy oneact play. Yeah. Um

Oh god. Oh, here it comes. I love that episode so much. And it was so like senior our senior year. That was the other thing. Totally. It was like senior year. We got to be in that. We got a whole week together in that room.

That whole thing that they did with uh where where you know Ron that the that whole story uh going into that last season was so gorgeous because they had laid so much pipe.

I know. For Ron to like swallow his pride and come to ask you for a job and and then the way it all went down. Um, that was possibly the greatest thing about the show for me was the history of of me and Tammy bred so much hilarity. But then what developed between Ron and Leslie um was was the first time in my life that, you know, that I was counted on by a show to, you know, to carry uh some emotional weight.

Yeah. And it was and also I think just like a great example of like the different kinds of love. I mean we really lionize romantic love and we'd make a lot of art about it but there's so many different ways to love.

Yeah. and love, platonic love and friendship and the idea of like being there for each other and being going through things with each other and like mentor mentee and then equals and then and just and also just the idea if we're to really widen out that people don't have to agree to treat each other with respect.

Totally remember that. Yeah. Um, okay. Speaking of beautiful roles, Nick, The Last of Us. Oh my god. Let's both get a tissue. That was so good, Nick.

Well, thank you. That was so beautiful. I mean, I remember texting you right after and congrats on winning the Emmy.

Yeah. Crazy. I mean, it was so How did you get that part? Well, I wrote a joke about this uh they needed a guy who could use a shovel and there were only three of us in Hollywood. Harrison Ford passed and Jane Lynch was not available. Um I uh Craig Mason who wrote that I mean that everyone knew when you read that script you were like this is going to if we don't this up this is going to

Yeah. win awards or whatever. For for many years, my godson uh had a a little league team and I sponsored it. It was the Offerman Wood Shop little league team and Craig uh was one of my little league dads. So, I I was just friends with him from a pretty wholesome place. Um, and we had expressed some mutual affection for each other's work over the years, but I he got a hold of me and was like, I'm sending you something and you have to do it. And I read it and it was funny cuz Megan and I had just had a talk about that. I still to this day my vice is that I overload my calendar with fun with

I have seen that in real time when we worked on making it together, a really fun show together. you would tell me your year and I would think this too shall not this isn't going to hold too many things.

The problem is it it's I I love it. It's all it's all but that's that's my advice. That's my problem.

Yeah. And Megan and I had just had a talk about where I was like, "Okay, I'm going to

take a break. I'm going to I'm going to do less." And this thing came in and it and they needed me in Calgary for a month and the I didn't have the month.

Yeah. And so, but I read the so I so I had Megan uh read the script and she was like, "Guess what, buddy? You're going to Calgary."

Um, okay. We I mentioned it. We made a really fun show called Making It about Makers and like the process of making it. You have little woodchucks, the book that's all about like your guide to tools and tom foolery, but it is the idea of making things has always been very important to you. You've spoken about it a lot, the spirituality of it, like how important it is for your life, your peace of mind. You work primarily with wood, but all different types of material. Why are you writing you and you've written many, many books. This book is for little people. Why is how do you get little people, young people to get interested in making things and why is it important for them to do that?

I I just took my mom and dad on this book tour with me in the UK and we were just talking about how they brought me and my siblings up in a house where it wasn't talked about. They just taught us all to sustain the family. Like part of the family was we make things together whether it's a meal

or you know if we are mending our clothing or building making firewood, building out buildings, we'd gardened. Um, and woodworking is a is a great way to think about what's this made of. Yeah.

And that it's true of everything. Who's making this? Who made this car? Who made these shoes? Who made this pie? Are they having a good time?

Yeah. Are they being cool with our resources the way they're making this car or, you know,

Yeah. Beautiful. I I I you can feel it in here. It's awesome, Nick. It's so I love it.

Thank you. people are are responding really well to it because all of us I'm I'm

a kid who looks at a screen too much like we all understand that and making things with each other whether it's your family or your neighbors or your co-stars

is a great way to not look at a screen and and still have a delightful life. Can I show you a prop?

Yes, of course. the the thing sitting in my shop is uh so I wanted to make a guitar because because I tour and I do songs and I thought if I if I do that with a guitar I made

amazing I'm done I can just do that for the rest of my life. Uh guitars are daunting. So I started with a ukulele. So, this is a a mahogany ukulele, and I've got um

Wow. 12 of them sitting in my shop that are just the bodies and the necks waiting to be put together. Uh

this is beautiful. It's instrument. So, I think probably instruments and boats.

Can you play the ukulele? Can you play some? Let's see if it's in tune. Um, would you like to hear my ukulele song?

Yes, please. Whiskey, you were sent from heaven above. And Ben Franklin said that beer is proof of God's love. But too much of either will earn me a shove from my wife whom I'd like to stay the husband of. I love beer and whiskey. Perhaps a bit too much given the chance I'd fall off a bar stool daily to keep me out of the pub and also out of Dutch. I make things like this soprano ukulele. I'll give you one more verse. Everywhere I go, people staring at a phone. Sitting in a crowded room completely alone. It gives me more willies in the twilight zone. Our brains are hooked on that like a dog on a bone. Put down your gadget and look me in the eye so our interaction can proceed more gay.

Silence your tablet and ejaculate aside to the sweetly strumming sounds of ukulele.

AH, NICK, THAT WAS SO GOOD. THERE'S There's more, but that felt like enough. Now you're going to get me going. Now you're going to get my waterworks going. Okay, we're going to end our um our interview today with a speed round. And um you don't you

got you got the wrong guy for a speed round. I would need you. I should just do one snap or two snaps. That should be all I'm allowed. Um, but you mentioned hot takes and people having hot takes and how we don't really need hot takes. I want your hot takes on history and philosophy.

Okay. Because I know you love history. You love philosophy. I'm going to try lightning round today, but I'm going to only ask you questions about history and philosophy.

Okay, I'll try to go fast, but that's that's pretty pretty daunting. Okay, I know. Well, don't worry. It won't be hard. Aristotle. Smart or weird?

Smart. Kier Kagard used different pseudonyms to debate. What What would be a pseudonym you would use to debate?

Oh. Um, Pyotus Freud. Yes or no? Uh, no. I say no, too. Okay. Um, true or false? The unexamined life is not worth living.

Uh, true. I think therefore I am. True or false? False. You cannot step twice into the same river.

Oh, true. That's a that's a huge one. That's that's on my that's on my up on my board.

Is it? Oh, yeah. It's it's something that that occurs to me a lot. Um, you know, uh there's nothing you can never recapture, especially in our business. Mhm.

Um, you know, if like if if we ever uh had cause to do some sort of reboot or something of Parks and Wreck.

Yeah. Uh, it's not the same river. Different river. Yeah. Can't step twice into the same river.

No. Uh, I'm a joker. I'm a smoker. I'm a midnight toker. True. Now we're moving on to history.

Okay. What was the coolest thing Egyptians invented? man. Uh, in your opinion, this is a guess cuz I don't know. I'm not sure if that was Egyptians. I was going to say irrigation.

Yeah, I think so. But yeah, they did. If if people disagree with that, they're wrong.

Cleopatra, smash or pass? Uh, pass. The Vikings got to America before that is tired.

Yeah. The Vikings got to America before Columbus. Why doesn't anyone talk about that?

Um because uh because the Vikings did not have good PR. Mhm. Columbus had a great

press rep. Columbus didn't even set foot on the mainland. He like hit an island.

Um Okay. And now we get to Aubrey's question for you. So Aubrey had she had a few questions. Her first one was, "Do you believe in ghosts?"

Okay. Uh no. But but I don't disagree. I when people do I believe them. Ah, well said. Do you uh do you believe in hell?

No. Um and if you could go back in a Bill and Ted kind of way where you could basically you could get zapped back to any point in history and um

sounds like a good movie. And so you've never seen Bill and Ted? No, I missed a lot of stuff.

Oh my god. Fun. It's a great one. Well, anyway, they zap back in like a time machine. Um right. And Bill Yeah. And they go back and they're just Bill and Ted in different in They're just two dummies. It's like dumb and dumber in a time machine.

Totally. Um and um they So what if you could zap back in the time machine to any era? Who where would you go? Who would you fight? And would you take Aubrey with you?

Oh man. Um yeah, if taking Aubrey is an option, of course. Like and weapons are involved, by all means. Um, I uh I suppose I would go uh to the Roman Empire and

I knew it and I would have Aubrey fight them with her wilds and uh I would discover Cumberland Sausage and take over the British Isles and become king.

Cumberland sausage got made people king in my hands in this narrative. You'd be the sausage king.

God damn right. Yeah. Guys, we guys we could do this or follow me. You could try this sausage. Have you heard of carowway seed? Come with me.

Um, why do you love history so much? Um, I don't Do you? I do. I'm I'm I mean I think because I'm fascinated with what we are, you know?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. but also what incredible creatures we are. Like it's when you look at my own anybody's the foibless of your own life. Uh

and you look at like I don't know a lot of what's going on in our in our world right now. It's astonishing that the lights are on. Like it's pretty crazy that that a civilization has even lasted this long.

Do you believe in aliens? I I I'm I'm agnostic about all that. I I It seems like there is probably life in the universe.

Yeah. But until I get to shake hands with them or uh I don't mean to be racist, whatever their lamb appendages.

Yeah. Yeah. Um you know, all of all of those things. I I think I think there's a lot we will never know as humans and I like dwelling in that. M

so if there are ghosts or spirits uh I don't I don't I don't think hell exists cuz that's a fiction written in a book by people

um but uh that that sensibility whatever the afterlife is um I I don't think anyone will ever know what it is and so

if some people are like I speak to spirits or whatever I have I have no cause to disagree with that

they just have never talked to mayhem that's a very Ron Swanson answer actually it's a very libertarian Ian answer basically which is like

to each his own. Yeah. Yeah. Everyone should be allowed you know their their own trip and to to like what they like.

Um and last question Nick what are you watching listening where do you go right now to laugh? Where do you where right

there there are two shows uh cuz I feel like it comes up a lot that there's not a lot of great it's not a great time for comedy on television. Um the the big hits like Hacks and Studio, those are the make us laugh quite a bit. But there are two that we've really loved that I that are more obscure that I would love to

your listeners to know about. One's Australian and it's called Colin from Accounts.

Yes. Excellent show. So funny and also so heartwarming. Like really moves me. Then there's one in England called I think it's called Such Brave Girls. Do you know that show?

I do very well. Cat Cat Sadler. And And I think the credits, the opening credits, the are the words spelled out in pubic hair on a tile floor on a bathroom floor. And that's it's a great example of the the tone of the show.

Yes. It's so delightfully filthy um and so funny. Um that is a great show. That's a hilarious show. And those ladies are great. There's a lot of good stuff out there. You just got to find it.

You just got to find it. Um, Nick, did we cover everything? I think we did. I think so. Yeah. You know,

did we did weigh in on Aristotle? Yeah, we did. You and you said pass on Cleopatra. You're not going to smash.

Yeah. Come on. I love you. I'm not I'm not gonna step in that river twice. I mean, you came all the way from England. You just landed. Thanks, buddy, for doing this.

I know. Imagine how fast I would talk if I hadn't just gotten off a plane. What should we just try to do this like every month?

Totally. Um, I love you. Thank you for doing this. I love you. Thank you. And, um, I can't wait to make something else with you soon, someday.

Amen. Yeah, that would be awesome. But thanks for make for doing this and making this and thank you for my slapstick.

Oh, is it is it mine? If you would like it. Oh. Oh, no. This is the one you travel with.

By all means. It says it says butt on it. It does say butt jointed on it. It scares me a little bit.

Thank you so much, Nick Offerman, for being here today. I love you and um it's always good to spend time with you. And for this polar plunge, I I do want to just highlight something I didn't get a chance to talk to Nick about, which is, you know, we spoke a little bit about the physicality of Ron Swanson and how important it was uh for him to figure out that character, but do yourself a favor when you're watching Parks and Recreation. Take a look at how Ron runs. It's one of my favorite things about Nick is Ron Swanson runs in a very specific way. And sometimes he wipes out. And when he wipes out, it's beautiful. It's like stunt level wipeout. But I can't explain it other than to say it just gives me total delight uh the choice Nick made to run the way Ron runs. And um I'm I'm justiculating for those listening so you can't see, but it's just so funny. Um the tucked in shirt, the way Nick sits

when he plays Ron Swanson, the way he stares, all of that stuff is just like a masterclass I think in comedic acting. And um probably you know what a trained actor learns um and I wouldn't know but um but anyway look he's that he's a it's a genius at work watching Nick work and um so happy he could join us. Thank you for listening uh to Good Hang and we'll see you soon. Bye. You've been listening to Good Hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss Berman, and me, Amy Polar. The show is produced by The Ringer and Paperkite. For The Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Cat Spalain, Kaia McMullen, and Aia Xenerys.

For Paperkite, production by Sam Green, Joel Levelvel, and Jenna Weiss Berman. Original music by Amy Miles.

Questions about this episode

What is "Nick Offerman | Good Hang with Amy Poehler" about?

In this episode of "Good Hang," Amy Poehler sits down with her friend and former co-star Nick Offerman, best known for his iconic role as Ron Swanson on "Parks and Recreation." The conversation delves into Offerman's experiences on the beloved show, his thoughts on Cleopatra, and the creative process behind his new book, "Little Woodchucks." With special guest Aubrey Plaza chiming in, the…

What is mentioned in this Good Hang with Amy Poehler episode?

9 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Parks and Recreation, Nick Offerman, Little Woodchucks, Making It, All State, Tammy. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Nick Offerman | Good Hang with Amy Poehler"?

The episode runs 1 h 4 min; the transcript is about 11,597 words in 274 timestamped sections.

More from Good Hang with Amy Poehler

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated April 28, 2026.