Photo: Stewart Cook/RexUSA.
In both of your hosting gigs, you and Tina were playful but didn't hold back in your jokes. Did anybody come up to you last year or tonight and say, “I love you, but if you ever say anything like that, I am going to get you?"
"No, the room is filled with nominees. So, I think most of the people feel like they have already won for the good job that they have done. It is a happy crowd, so everyone is pretty game."
What was the highlight of the night for you?
"Kissing Bono and winning and getting to sit at the table with my Parks and Recreation cast, which meant a lot to us in season six."
How do you and Tina get ready for the big day? Do you get ready together? Do you practice? What’s your strategy?
"We write jokes for a long time and sit in very boring clothes and work on computers. It’s not very sexy. And, then about four hours before the show, we dip ourselves in paraffin and go about our evening. We have always worked together. We work hard and last minute."
Is there any issue with the fact that you were nominated and Tina wasn’t?
"Oh, gosh, no. The category of women that I have been included in many times is so great. We all really like each other a lot and we always kind of joke around about who wins and loses. So, we have a really good time. It is kind of weird being a winner. It is a little bit fun being a loser, too. So, they are both fun."
During live television you have to think on your feet — was there anything that almost tripped you up?
"Yeah, my speech. I really didn’t expect to win. Every actress says that, but I didn’t because I have never won. I have been here many times at award shows. So, I don’t really remember my speech, and being that I knew it was live television and we were four minutes over, I tried to keep it short."
There are some pretty big upsets this year. What award most surprised you?
"Oh, that’s a good one. Upsets. Well, I don’t really follow — I don’t follow the predictions very much, so I don’t know who was predicted. What were the upsets?"
"Sure, yeah. Parks and Rec was sitting next to the Brooklyn table because we share a lot of lovers. So, we were all — it felt like a shared victory."
This is a very full time in your life professionally — what drives you now?
"That’s a good question. Only in New York. I think what drives me is the opportunities I have now, the people I get to work with, the good work, and just, you know, Parks and Recreation is a job that I love. I don’t know if I expressed it eloquently enough up there, but it is truly a dream job to go and work there every day. It is like a dream. So, to do work that I feel proud of that I would actually watch and to get to work with people that I like and admire. And, tonight was an example of my old friends being there and winning, and that’s really cool to watch your friends and peers and to turn to your right and see your oldest friend, your 20-year-old friend. It feels very personal and professional at the same time."
Where are you going to keep your award?
"Oh, this. I told my son I might win an award tonight. He said, 'How big is it?' He might be impressed by the size. I’ll give it to Archie, my oldest, and he’ll give it to Abel when he can hold it."