Editing Amy Poehler (section)

=== 1995–2000: Career beginnings in Improv comedy ===
Poehler's time studying improv in college inspired her to pursue comedy professionally.<ref name="Wulff, Jennifer, Poehler Express">{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/people/article/0,,20147399,00.html|title=Poehler Express|last=Wulff|first=Jennifer|date=April 18, 2005| website= [[People (magazine)|People]]| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130309074031/https://people.com/people/article/0,,20147399,00.html|archive-date= March 9, 2013|access-date=April 27, 2019}}</ref> After graduating from college, she moved to [[Chicago]], where she took her first improv class, taught by [[Charna Halpern]] at [[ImprovOlympic]].<ref name= "Zinoman, She's the Hidden Architect">{{Cite news| url= https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/theater/shes-the-hidden-architect-of-modern-comedy.html|title=She's the Hidden Architect of Modern Comedy| last=Zinoman|first=Jason|date=June 15, 2016|work=[[The New York Times]]| access-date=May 2, 2019| language= en-US| issn=0362-4331|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190502051256/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/theater/shes-the-hidden-architect-of-modern-comedy.html| archive-date=May 2, 2019|url-status= live}}</ref> Early on, Poehler worked as a waitress and at other jobs to earn money.<ref name="Wulff, Jennifer, Poehler Express" /> Through ImprovOlympic, Poehler learned from [[Del Close]], and she was introduced to friend and frequent collaborator [[Tina Fey]].<ref name="Zinoman, She's the Hidden Architect" /><ref name="Fox, Jesse David, History of Fey and Poehler's Best Friendship" /> Poehler and Fey joined a [[The Second City|Second City]] touring company at the same time, and Poehler went on to join one of Second City's main companies where Fey was her eventual replacement.<ref name="Fox, Jesse David, History of Fey and Poehler's Best Friendship" />
[[File:Matt Walsh, Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Ian Roberts 2015.jpg|alt=|left|thumb|[[Matt Walsh (comedian)|Matt Walsh]], Amy Poehler, [[Matt Besser]], and [[Ian Roberts (American actor)|Ian Roberts]] at the Del Close Marathon in New York City in 2015]]
[[Upright Citizens Brigade|The Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB)]] formed as a sketch and improv group in Chicago in 1991.<ref name="Raftery, Brian, And...Scene" /><ref name= "Metz, McKay moves beyond">{{Cite web| url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-adam-mckay-the-big-short-mov-1218-20151217-story.html| title=Adam McKay moves beyond funny business in 'The Big Short'| last=Metz|first=Nina| date= December 17, 2015| website= chicagotribune.com|language=en-US| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181221183621/https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-adam-mckay-the-big-short-mov-1218-20151217-story.html|archive-date= December 21, 2018| url-status= live| access-date=May 2, 2019}}</ref> Early members included [[Horatio Sanz]], [[Adam McKay]], [[Ian Roberts (American actor)|Ian Roberts]], [[Neil Flynn]], and [[Matt Besser]], although the membership was not static.<ref name="Raftery, Brian, And...Scene" /><ref name="Metz, McKay moves beyond" /><ref name="Wright, Megh, Saturday Nights Children">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2012/02/saturday-nights-children-amy-poehler-2001-2008.html|title=Saturday Night's Children: Amy Poehler (2001-2008)|last=Wright|first=Megh|date=February 8, 2012|website=[[Vulture.com]]| language= en|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190425022007/https://www.vulture.com/2012/02/saturday-nights-children-amy-poehler-2001-2008.html|archive-date= April 25, 2019|url-status= live|access-date=April 24, 2019}}</ref> McKay left the fledgling group in 1995 and Poehler became his replacement.<ref name= "Raftery, Brian, And...Scene" /><ref name="Metz, McKay moves beyond" /> In 1996, a core group of four UCB members, Poehler, Besser, Roberts, and [[Matt Walsh (comedian)|Matt Walsh]], moved to [[New York City]].<ref name= "Wright, Megh, Saturday Nights Children" /><ref name="Zinoman, Jason; Get the Laughs">{{cite news| last1=Zinoman|first1=Jason|title=Get the Laughs, but Follow the Rules: Upright Citizens Brigade Writes Its Book on Improv| url= https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/arts/upright-citizens-brigade-writes-its-book-on-improv.html|access-date=July 16, 2016|work=[[The New York Times]]| date=February 20, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170922001937/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/arts/upright-citizens-brigade-writes-its-book-on-improv.html| archive-date=September 22, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Hones, Ree; UCB gang look back">{{cite news| last1=Hines|first1=Ree|title=Amy Poehler, UCB gang look back on 'legit poor' days and 25 years of laughs| url=http://www.today.com/popculture/amy-poehler-upright-citizens-brigade-celebrate-25-years-t28901|access-date=July 16, 2016|issue=June 26, 2015| publisher=[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160804172732/http://www.today.com/popculture/amy-poehler-upright-citizens-brigade-celebrate-25-years-t28901| archive-date=August 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The "UCB Four" began performing shows at small venues around the city which evolved into four regular live shows after a few months.<ref name="Raftery, Brian, And...Scene" /> To earn money outside of the shows, UCB taught improv classes.<ref name="Raftery, Brian, And...Scene" /> Poehler also started making appearances on ''[[Late Night with Conan O'Brien]]'', often playing her recurring role as [[Andy Richter]]'s younger sister, Stacy.<ref name= "actors" /><ref>{{Cite news| url= https://vulture.com/2013/09/the-20-best-characters-from-conan-obriens-shows.html|title=The 20 Best Characters From Conan O'Brien's Late Night Shows| last= Cormier |first= Roger| date=September 13, 2013| work= Vulture.com |access-date= August 15, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816062016/http://www.vulture.com/2013/09/the-20-best-characters-from-conan-obriens-shows.html|archive-date=August 16, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1998, [[Comedy Central]] debuted UCB's [[Upright Citizens Brigade (TV series)|eponymous half-hour sketch-comedy series]].<ref name="Raftery, Brian, And...Scene">Raftery, Brian (September 25, 2011). [https://nymag.com/arts/comics/features/upright-citizens-brigade-2011-10/ "And... Scene"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180218223625/http://nymag.com/arts/comics/features/upright-citizens-brigade-2011-10/ |date=February 18, 2018 }}. ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]''. Retrieved January 26, 2016.</ref> During the show's second season, the group founded an [[Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre|improv theater/training center]] in New York City on West 22nd Street, occupying the space of a former strip club.<ref name="Raftery, Brian, And...Scene" /> The UCB Theatre held shows seven nights a week, in addition to offering classes in sketch-comedy writing and improv.<ref name= "actors"/> In the summer of 2000, Comedy Central canceled the Upright Citizens Brigade program after its third season,<ref name="Wright, Megh, Saturday Nights Children" /> although the UCB Theatre continued to operate.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/20/theater/upright-citizens-brigade-grows-by-not-paying-performers.html |title= Laughs Can Be Cheap at a Comedy Theater|last=Ziboman|first=Jason|date=February 19, 2013|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=August 31, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170131111304/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/20/theater/upright-citizens-brigade-grows-by-not-paying-performers.html| archive-date=January 31, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Poehler, Besser, Roberts, and Walsh are considered the founders of UCB and have been credited with popularizing long-form improv in New York.<ref name= "Raftery, Brian, And...Scene" /><ref>{{Cite magazine| url= https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/09/05/upright-citizens-brigades-comedy-empire|title=How the Upright Citizens Brigade Improvised a Comedy Empire|last=Allen|first=Emma|date=August 29, 2016|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|access-date=June 29, 2019| language=en|issn=0028-792X|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122051454/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/09/05/upright-citizens-brigades-comedy-empire|archive-date=November 22, 2019|url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine| url= https://ew.com/tv/2017/06/23/ucb-founding-members-reunion-show-carnegie-hall/|title=UCB's Founding Members Announce Reunion Performance|last=Rahman|first=Ray| date=June 23, 2017| magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|access-date= June 29, 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190629180842/https://ew.com/tv/2017/06/23/ucb-founding-members-reunion-show-carnegie-hall/|archive-date=June 29, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> By 2011, UCB had two theaters in New York and a theater in Los Angeles with 8,000 students taking classes per year.<ref name="Raftery, Brian, And...Scene" /> 

In 1999, Poehler and [[Tina Fey]] provided voices for the video game ''[[Deer Avenger 2: Deer in the City]]''.<ref name="deerhunter">{{Cite web|url = https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tina-fey-amy-poehler-deer-avenger_n_7223520|title = That Time Tina Fey And Amy Poehler Voiced A PC Video Game Called 'Deer Avenger 2'|date = May 6, 2015|access-date = May 4, 2020|archive-date = July 22, 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200722083133/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tina-fey-amy-poehler-deer-avenger_n_7223520|url-status = live}}</ref> In 2000, still unknown at the time, she appeared on the cover of the single "[[You Can Have It All (George McCrae song)|You Can Have It All]]" by American indie rock band [[Yo La Tengo]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2024 |title=Amy Poehler Explains Why She Was On The Cover Of Yo La Tengo's "You Can Have It All" CD Single |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2264759/amy-poehler-explains-why-she-was-on-the-cover-of-yo-la-tengos-you-can-have-it-all-cd-single/news/ |access-date=24 May 2024 |website=stereogum.com |language=en}}<!-- auto-translated from French by Module:CS1 translator -->.</ref> In 1999, Poehler had a small role in the film ''[[Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://screenertv.com/news-features/parks-and-recreations-amy-poehler-before-the-emmys-deuce-bigalo-male-gigolo/|title='Parks and Recreation's' Amy Poehler: Before the Emmys, 'Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo' and 'Undeclared'|last=Bucksbaum|first=Sydney|date=September 4, 2013|work=[[Zap2it|Screener]]|access-date=August 20, 2018|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821093740/http://screenertv.com/news-features/parks-and-recreations-amy-poehler-before-the-emmys-deuce-bigalo-male-gigolo/|archive-date=August 21, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The following year, she was cast in the film ''[[Wet Hot American Summer]]''.<ref name="Collis, Clark, We Hot American Summer">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.ew.com/article/2011/06/24/wet-hot-american-summer-crazy-story-behind-cult-classic/|title='Wet Hot American Summer': The crazy story behind the cult classic|last=Collis|first=Clark|date=June 24, 2011|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|access-date=August 20, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821093832/https://www.ew.com/article/2011/06/24/wet-hot-american-summer-crazy-story-behind-cult-classic/|archive-date=August 21, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Wet Hot American Summer'' was the first film from [[David Wain]], who cast Poehler based on her work with Upright Citizen's Brigade.<ref name="Collis, Clark, We Hot American Summer" /> The film, which cost only $1.8 million to make, was not a success initially when it was released in 2001. It gained a following after its release on DVD.<ref name="Collis, Clark, We Hot American Summer" />