Amy Poehler

[on her mother] she’s a very smart, independent woman who was kind of coming into her own in the feminist movement of the 70s and 80s

I remember Tina Fey wrote a play about Catherine the Great f**king a horse and I thought, ‘That lady is hot stuff, I wanna know her.’

I really do believe that anything in life – any obstacle or challenge – can be made better with humor.

Be yourself. No one else can be you.

[at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards] Meryl Streep is not here tonight. She has the flu and I hear she’s amazing in it.

No one looks stupid when they’re having fun!

People are basically the same the world over. Everybody wants the same things – to be happy, to be healthy, to be at least reasonably prosperous, and to be secure. They want friends, peace of mind, good family relationships, and hope that tomorrow is going to be even better than today.

That’s how we do it… we give back to the people who made us who we are. We never forget that.

Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.

Since belief determines behavior, doesn’t it make sense that we should be teaching ethical, moral values in every home and in every school in America?

Be so good they can’t ignore you.

Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains or even courage, but simply because they have never organised their energies around a goal.

A deadline is negative inspiration. Still, it’s better than no inspiration at all.

I gave up the guitar in 1965. Didn’t want to see a guitar. I’d go out and get drunk. When I came out of the heart surgery, the doc said, “Promise me you’ll work hard.” I said, “I thought working hard is what got me here.” He said, “No, working is what will keep you alive.”

With integrity, you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity, you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt.

Anyone who thinks my story is anywhere near over is sadly mistaken.

We cannot start over, but we can begin now and make a new ending.

Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.

You have nothing to lose. Everything you have acquired of value is locked inside you.

How you see the future is much more important than what happened in your past.

I maintained my edge by always being a student; you will always have something new to learn.