For decades, NBC has been a network responsible for some of the most popular shows on TV. They don't always hit home runs, but when they do, they unleash classics. The '90s had Seinfeld and Friends, while the 2000s featured shows like The Office and Parks and Recreation.
Parks and Rec was an exceptional show that had so many great things working for it. One successful element the show had was its use of guest stars. In fact, at one point, the show was able to land then Vice President Joe Biden.
Let's learn some cool details about President Biden's time on the show.
'Parks And Recreation' Was A Huge Show
Parks and Recreation was one of the most popular shows of its era, and while it initially drew a lot of comparison to The Office, it was able to establish its own identity on TV. Thanks to this, the series was a runaway success, and people still spend their free time streaming the hit series.
Starring Amy Poehler and a gang of talented stars, Parks and Recreation was a political satire mockumentary that hit all the right notes. Admittedly, season one is a tough watch, but the eventual departure of lackluster characters and the entrance of a few standouts changed everything for the show.
The show was able to last for 7 seasons and nearly 130 episodes while it was on the air, which is no easy feat. Fans go back and rewatch the show regularly, and its popularity is also fueled by new fans discovering the show.
Even the reunion special was a thrill for people to watch. Though it was bare bones, fans still loved what the cast was able to pull off.
The series had some great things going for it, including some notable cameos.
President Biden Guest Starred
President Biden, who had just been elected Vice President at the time, made his presence felt in a brief appearance on the show. It was hilarious for fans to see, as Leslie had always expressed her love of the political figure.
Series co-creator, Michael Schur, dished on this in an interview.
"[Leslie] has a lot of female heroes that cross party lines. She has a lot of social figures that she considers heroes, but the funniest hero is Joe Biden. There’s an episode last season where she says, ‘Joe Biden is on my celebrity sex list — well, he is my celebrity sex list’… It was amazing to have her meet Olympia Snowe and Barbara Boxer because that meant something to her politically. But this transcends that. She’s meeting the man that she’s in love with on some deep level," Schur revealed.
During the scene, Leslie can hardly contain her excitement, and she has difficulty keeping her emotions in check. It leads to a hilarious exchange with President Biden.
Though the scene was short, it has long been considered one of the most memorable from the show.
It's amazing to see how it all came together, especially with the way things were moving at the time.
What Joe Biden Thought About Amy Poehler
Apparently, getting the future President on the show wasn't too difficult.
"His staff really loves the show, and he apparently had watched the show with his family and his family liked it… The hardest part was keeping it secret for so long because there’s all these FEC rules and equal-time rules. We couldn’t air it before the election because it was the equivalent of a campaign contribution to advertise for one candidate," Michael Schur said.
Schur even dished on how the President was on set, even noting that he did some ad-libbing during the scene.
"He was very nice and charming. He was clearly a big fan of Amy. It was the day the Emmy nominations came out and when he walked through the door he congratulated her on her Emmy nomination… He said some very nice things about the show and talked about how the pro-public service message was meaningful," Schur said.
The fact that President Biden even appeared on the show is amazing enough, but the fact that he enjoyed his time on set and even took the time to congratulate Amy Poehler on her Emmy nomination speaks volumes about how he conducts himself.
While President Biden has his hands full these days, once he is out of office in the future, it would be fascinating to watch him step back into the world of acting once again. Who knows, maybe he can be on the next Parks and Recreation reunion.
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