Both conservatives and liberals watch ’Parks and Recreation ’ and they each think the show is for them, which is really cool. ’SNL’ was totally different. It was exciting because everyone was paying attention. Political humor works when people know what you’re talking about.

Poehler contrasts two modes of political comedy: the broad, character-driven satire of *Parks and Recreation* and the sharper, news-tethered immediacy of *Saturday Night Live*. She suggests that *Parks* succeeds partly because viewers across the political spectrum can project their own values onto its optimistic depiction of public service, reading the show as “for them.” By contrast, *SNL*’s political humor depends on a shared national attention to current events; its jokes land when the audience recognizes the reference and feels part of a common conversation. The quote highlights how polarization and fragmented media can weaken topical satire, while more universal storytelling can still create cross-partisan appeal.