The 15 Greatest Moments From Amy Poehler and Tina Fey's Friendship

As Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host their fourth Golden Globes on Feb. 28, a look back at the 15 best moments their friendship has gifted us thus far.

By Billy Nilles Mar 01, 2021 1:04 AMTags
Watch: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Talk 20-Year Friendship

The friendship between Amy Poehler and Tina Fey is the gift that just keeps on giving.

We first met the pair as they both began to rise to fame on Saturday Night Live, where Tina served as the show's first female head writer, and the two became the show's first and, to date, only all-female anchor team during the popular Weekend Update segment on Oct. 2, 2004. The two were already longtime friends, having met while taking classes at ImprovOlympics in Chicago in the early '90s, but when Amy joined SNL in 2001, four years after Tina had started as a writer, it was the beginning of something great—not just for us, but the two talented comedians, as well. 

As Tina wrote in her 2011 memoir Bossypants, "I was so happy. Weirdly, I remember thinking, 'My friend is here! My friend is here!' Even though things had been going great for me at the show, with Amy there, I felt less alone."

photos
14 Stars Who Got Their Start on Saturday Night Live

Over the years, we've been treated to not just some incredible moments on the stage at Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center, but a handful of movies co-starring the two, a trilogy of co-hosting appearances at the Golden Globes (2013-15) and more displays of fierce female friendship than we can truly count.

But we're going to try. In honor of their triumphant return (albeit from opposite coasts) as co-hosts of the 78th Annual Golden Globes on Feb. 28, we're taking a look at our 15 favorite moments from this fruitful and very funny friendship!

Wine Country Women

For her directorial debut on the 2019 Netflix film, Amy tapped her best pal—not to mention five more SNL friends, including Maya Rudolph and Rachel Dratch—for the bit part of Tammy, the owner of a Napa rental home and kind of let her steal the show with the oddball role. How's that for friendship?

Academy Awards Scene Stealers

With Maya in the mix, the dynamic trio kicked off the 91st Annual Academy Awards in 2019, welcoming everyone in attendance. In the process, they totally stole the show, making us wish they were the hosts all night long since there wasn't a host at all.

SAG Awards Sweethearts

At the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2016, the radiant friends presented Carol Burnett with the Life Achievement Award. During their speech, the famous comedians praised the comic legend for The Carol Burnett Show, saying, "Besides seeing the comedy every week, and how funny she was, and how beautiful she looked, it was important for us to see that Carol was also the boss. It was her show. And that implanted in our brains, and it made us dream of a life where we could get paid to make comedy with our friends, but also be their boss."

"Dope Squad" Gang

The duo poked some fun at Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" music video and girl squad with their SNL parody, "Dope Squad," in 2015. Rather than featuring Swift's crew of young, A-list celebs, Tina and Amy's hilarious performance honored everyday women, from gynecologists to nannies.

Sister, Sister

The Hollywood besties played estranged siblings in the hilarious 2015 comedy Sisters and, trust us, you can't help but laugh when you watch them together.

Golden Globes Champagne Stars

The entertaining co-hosts raised a glass during the opening ceremony of the 71st Golden Globe Awards in 2014 and they had us laughing all night long. Amy started off the show with a quick jab at Matt Damon, joking, "In any other night in any other room you would be a big deal. But tonight, and don't take this the wrong way, you're basically a garbage person." And who can forget their dig at George Clooney when talking his 2013 film Gravity? "George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend another minute with a woman his own age," they joked. Zing!

Golden (Globes) Toast

Bringing drinks to the stage, the co-hosts joked at the 2013 award show, "Well, the show has really taken a turn. Time to start drinking."

SAG Award Tribute

When Tina took home the award for Female Actor in a Comedy Series in 2013 for her work in 30 Rock, she made sure to pay tribute to her pal Amy, whom she'd beaten. "I share this with my sweet friend Amy Poehler, who I've known for so long," she said. "I've stolen so many of your moves. Amy, I've known you since you were pregnant with Lena Dunham."

Heckling at the Emmys

Not merely content to just be the best parts of awards shows where they were the official hosts, Tina and Amy popped up in the audience at the 2013 Emmy Awards to roast host Neil Patrick Harris. Armed with buckets of popcorn and wearing 3-D glasses, they told the host, "Yo NPH! Take those pants off! America wants to see what you're working with."

Girl Power

As orchestrated by Amy, the entire group of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series nominees at the 2011 Emmys took to the stage as their category was being announced, holding hands like contestants in a beauty pageant. Melissa McCarthy beat them both, but it kickstarted the idea that every award show is made better when Tina and Amy are together.

Baby Mama Babes

Obsessed with the hilarious pregnancy flick Baby Mama? You're not alone. We couldn't stop laughing when Amy peed in the sink after type-A Tina baby-proofed the house.

Political Powers

Is that you, Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin? Oh no, it's just our favorite funny gals in one of the best Saturday Night Live sketches ever. In fact, Tina won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her Palin impersonation. 

B---hes Get Stuff Done

While there were plenty of stand-out moments from behind the Weekend Update desk the second Tina and Amy became Saturday Night Live's first (and, to date, only) all-female anchor team on Oct. 2, 2004, our favorite remains when Tina returned in 2008 for a segment on Hillary Clinton's first bid at the presidency. "Maybe what bothers people the most is that they think Hillary is a b---h," she said. "Let me say something about that. Yes, she is. And so am I, and so is this one [points to Amy]. You know what? B---hes get stuff done!"

Mean Girls Mama

Though they didn't share any screen time during the 2004 classic Mean Girls, we love the fact that Tina wrote the part of "cool mom" June George specifically for her best pal. 

Mom Jeans

In this 2003 SNL sketch written by Tina, we got what might be the best commercial parody the show has ever done. Co-starring Amy, Maya Rudolph and Rachel Dratch, the four had us cracking up, especially when the tagline rolled around: "For this Mother's Day, don't give Mom that bottle of perfume. Give her something that says, 'I'm not a woman anymore...I'm a mom!'"

Thanks for the laughs, ladies! We can't wait to see what you have in store for us next.

(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

(Originally published Oct. 2, 2019, at 4 p.m. PST.)

Check out E! Online's 2024 Golden Globe Awards page for a full recap of this year's ceremony and the best moments from the show and red carpet..