--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An interesting thing about the beginning…" description: "\"An interesting thing about the beginning of our friendship and professional collaboration [with Tina Fey] was that the improve scenes we would do toget..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/amy-poehler-1084_collaboration_an-interesting-thing-about-the-beginning_306437.jpg" --- # An interesting thing about the beginning of our friendship… ![“An interesting thing about the beginning of our friendship and professional collaboration [with Tina Fey] was that the improve scenes we would do together were basically dramatic and not funny at all.” quote by Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/amy-poehler-1084_collaboration_an-interesting-thing-about-the-beginning_306437.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/amy-poehler-1084_collaboration_an-interesting-thing-about-the-beginning_306437.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/amy-poehler-1084_collaboration_an-interesting-thing-about-the-beginning_306437.jpg) > “An interesting thing about the beginning of our friendship and professional collaboration \[with Tina Fey\] was that the improve scenes we would do together were basically dramatic and not funny at all.” [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early collaboration was serious, showing that humor can emerge from disciplined work. **In simple terms:** Serious work can birth comedy. Key Takeaway Embrace discipline before jokes. Themes creativity collaboration process Mood playful thoughtful Type advice instructional When to use this quote - writing workshops - improv rehearsals - creative brainstorming Key Concepts comedy dramatic arts team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does structure aid humor? - When should you abandon form? A Different Perspective Too much seriousness may stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basically Dramatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basically-dramatic-2917881/) [Collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration/) [Collaboration Tina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration-tina-2917882/) [Dramatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dramatic/) [Dramatic Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dramatic-funny-2098933/) [Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fey/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Interesting things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting-things/) [Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scene/) [Scenes Basically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scenes-basically-2557420/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tina-fey/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) ## Related quotes > [Tina Fey and I have 15 things in development: 'Laverne and Shirley', 'Starsky and Hutch 3', 'Cagney and Lacey', 'Wonder Twins Activate From Two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/tina-fey-and-i-have-15-things-in-development-laverne-and-shirley/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [This is the way I look at sex scenes: I have basically been doing them for a living for years. Trying to seduce an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/this-is-the-way-i-look-at-sex-scenes-i-have-basically-been-doing-them/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [I would do almost anything Tina Fey asks me to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/i-would-do-almost-anything-tina-fey-asks-me-to-do/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [I absolutely loved Tina Fey's 'Bossypants' and didn't want it to end. It's hilarious as well as important. Not only did I laugh on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/i-absolutely-loved-tina-fey-s-bossypants-and-didn-t-want-it-to-end-it/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I had not met Tina Fey before I auditioned for 30 Rock. Some people think were old friends from Second City days. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-friedlander/i-had-not-met-tina-fey-before-i-auditioned-for-30-rock-some-people/) [Judah Friedlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-friedlander/) > [I think 'Saturday Night Live', starting in the 1970s, really gave women an outlet to be funny. A lot of those women went on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/i-think-saturday-night-live-starting-in-the-1970s-really-gave-women/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) > [So many people: Lucille Ball is the earliest incarnation of a woman I thought was funny, Joan Rivers, Roseanne, Carol Burnett, Gilda Radnor, down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-peretti/so-many-people-lucille-ball-is-the-earliest-incarnation-of-a-woman-i/) [Chelsea Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-peretti/) > [Anyone watching '30 Rock' always knew Tina Fey was playing a fictionalized version of herself, a workaholic comedy writer who also plays one on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/anyone-watching-30-rock-always-knew-tina-fey-was-playing-a/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [At the time, I was in L.A., just auditioning and hoping to land a part, dramatic or comedic. I started to feel really stagnant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasim-pedrad/at-the-time-i-was-in-l-a-just-auditioning-and-hoping-to-land-a-part/) [Nasim Pedrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasim-pedrad/) > [I'm a huge, huge, huge fan of Steve Carrell and Tina Fey for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-kunis/i-m-a-huge-huge-huge-fan-of-steve-carrell-and-tina-fey-for-years/) [Mila Kunis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-kunis/) > [I am constantly amazed by Tina Fey. And I am Tina Fey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-am-constantly-amazed-by-tina-fey-and-i-am-tina-fey/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [You folks like TV, you watch a lot of TV? There's a show right here on CBS, it's a huge hit. It's called the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/you-folks-like-tv-you-watch-a-lot-of-tv-there-s-a-show-right-here-on/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [I really looked up to Tina Fey as a writer, and because I did have a background in writing, she is someone whose career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasim-pedrad/i-really-looked-up-to-tina-fey-as-a-writer-and-because-i-did-have-a/) [Nasim Pedrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasim-pedrad/) > [I really want to be the black Tina Fey, where I just am able to produce my own content and produce other content for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issa-rae/i-really-want-to-be-the-black-tina-fey-where-i-just-am-able-to/) [Issa Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issa-rae/) > [Steve Carell and Tina Fey are a match made in comedy heaven. They're perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lyons/steve-carell-and-tina-fey-are-a-match-made-in-comedy-heaven-they-re/) [Ben Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lyons/) ## More by Amy Poehler > [When youre a stay-at-home mother you have to pretend its really boring, but its not. Its enriching and fulfilling, and an amazing experience. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/when-youre-a-stay-at-home-mother-you-have-to-pretend-its-really/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I hope and assume that every good comedy writer, no matter the age, has a moment where they discover how great Cheers is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-hope-and-assume-that-every-good-comedy-writer-no-matter-the-age-has/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I also think if you're an actor and you can improvise, when you go on an audition and you can improvise you're just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-also-think-if-you-re-an-actor-and-you-can-improvise-when-you-go-on/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [It seems a strange thing, but once I was able to get past that kind of self-image problem, I was able to open up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/it-seems-a-strange-thing-but-once-i-was-able-to-get-past-that-kind-of/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Sleep can completely change your entire outlook on life. One good night's sleep can help you realize that you shouldn't break up with someone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/sleep-can-completely-change-your-entire-outlook-on-life-one-good/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Career is the stringing together of opportunities and jobs. Mix in public opinion and past regrets. Add a dash of future panic and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/career-is-the-stringing-together-of-opportunities-and-jobs-mix-in/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people's ideas are often better than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/as-you-navigate-through-the-rest-of-your-life-be-open-to/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I like hard work and I don’t like pretending things are perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-like-hard-work-and-i-don-t-like-pretending-things-are-perfect/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [The pressure of 'what are you going to do?' makes everyone feel like they haven't done anything yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/the-pressure-of-what-are-you-going-to-do-makes-everyone-feel-like/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I ate two waffles, a banana and cereal with blueberries. And that whas between my two breakfasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-ate-two-waffles-a-banana-and-cereal-with-blueberries-and-that-whas/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [ “\[On getting older\]: You can witness young people embarrassing themselves and get a thrill--that it's not you. You can watch them throw around their… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/on-getting-older-you-can-witness-young-people-embarrassing-themselves/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Too often we women try to tackle chaos that is not ours to fix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/too-often-we-women-try-to-tackle-chaos-that-is-not-ours-to-fix/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Try to keep your mind open to possibilities and your mouth closed on matters that you don't know about. Limit your 'always' and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/try-to-keep-your-mind-open-to-possibilities-and-your-mouth-closed-on/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [All we do is watch The Wire and go out to dinner with our friends. I wish I could tell you that we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/all-we-do-is-watch-the-wire-and-go-out-to-dinner-with-our-friends-i/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I have these meetings with really powerful men and they ask me all the time, 'Where are your kids? Are your kids here?' It's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-have-these-meetings-with-really-powerful-men-and-they-ask-me-all/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) [Explore all 296 Amy Poehler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) ## More Collaboration quotes > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [MAC allowed me to have complete freedom on the collaborations—from the shades, the look-and-feel, to the campaign visuals. I have to admit that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/mac-allowed-me-to-have-complete-freedom-on-the-collaborations-from/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [Today's world requires a different leadership style - more collaboration and teamwork, including using Web 2.0 technologies. If you had told me I'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-chambers/today-s-world-requires-a-different-leadership-style-more/) [John T. Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-chambers/) > [“Damn, amigo. Just how much Oprah have you been watching since I’ve been gone?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-adrian/damn-amigo-just-how-much-oprah-have-you-been-watching-since-i-ve-been/) [Lara Adrian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-adrian/) > [As an entrepreneur and investor, I prioritize construction and collaboration. Whether it's a five-person start-up or a global giant, the companies that are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/as-an-entrepreneur-and-investor-i-prioritize-construction-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [On any collaboration, you want to respect your music and the other's music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nam/on-any-collaboration-you-want-to-respect-your-music-and-the-other-s/) [Eric Nam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nam/) > [“CWC (Church Women Concerned) enabled us as women in that part of South Africa, to see ourselves as ordinary citizens who found themselves in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sindiwe-magona/cwc-church-women-concerned-enabled-us-as-women-in-that-part-of-south/) [Sindiwe Magona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sindiwe-magona/) > [Steadman! Any guy that's got Oprah as a girlfriend, I mean that's a good dude. I want to talk to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bush/steadman-any-guy-that-s-got-oprah-as-a-girlfriend-i-mean-that-s-a/) [Billy Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bush/) > [There are a lot of people whove been able to ditch their Windows machines and switch over to Linux because they can now use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-friedman/there-are-a-lot-of-people-whove-been-able-to-ditch-their-windows/) [Nat Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-friedman/) > [I realized that what I was looking for was doing collaborations with other people - people who can play a ballad, rock, jazz. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-realized-that-what-i-was-looking-for-was-doing-collaborations-with/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I've done loads of collaborations and I'm never totally happy with the outcome because it feels like you're compromising something of yourself in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-mohawke/i-ve-done-loads-of-collaborations-and-i-m-never-totally-happy-with/) [Hudson Mohawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hudson-mohawke/) > [“With commitment and vision, it is possible to build a bridge between potential partners and communities whose work is of relevance to peace-building initiatives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/widad-akrawi/with-commitment-and-vision-it-is-possible-to-build-a-bridge-between/) [Widad Akrawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/widad-akrawi/) > [I love mixing amateurs and professionals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lasse-hallstrom/i-love-mixing-amateurs-and-professionals/) [Lasse Hallstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lasse-hallstrom/) > [Working together precedes winning together...collaboration is multiplication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/working-together-precedes-winning-together-collaboration-is/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) [Browse all 1,240 Collaboration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An interesting thing about the beginning of our friendship and professional collaboration [with Tina Fey] was that the improve scenes we would do together were basically dramatic and not funny at all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amy Poehler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/an-interesting-thing-about-the-beginning-of-our-friendship-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Collaboration" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/an-interesting-thing-about-the-beginning-of-our-friendship-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/amy-poehler-1084_collaboration_an-interesting-thing-about-the-beginning_306437.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/amy-poehler-1084_collaboration_an-interesting-thing-about-the-beginning_306437.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/amy-poehler-1084_collaboration_an-interesting-thing-about-the-beginning_306437.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An interesting thing about the beginning of our friendship and professional collaboration [with Tina Fey]…” — Amy Poehler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Amy Poehler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "An interesting thing about the beginning...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/an-interesting-thing-about-the-beginning-of-our-friendship-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/an-interesting-thing-about-the-beginning-of-our-friendship-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```