“Women Talkin’ ’Bout Murder,” a comedic twist on the true-crime podcast genre, is the latest project from Amy Poehler and her improv friends. On a December morning, Poehler was directing two actors over Zoom as they discussed a fictional murder case in the style of a true-crime podcast. The actors, Emily Spivey and Liz Cackowski, took on the roles of podcast hosts for “Women Talkin’ ’Bout Murder.” They were riffing on the details of a yoga retreat where a woman named Mary Benson met her untimely end in a ravine. The actors had an outline of the story, and they were improvising the rest while Poehler gave suggestions and laughed at their antics.
The three women—Poehler, Spivey, and Cackowski—have a long history together, dating back to their time on “Saturday Night Live” in the early 2000s. Their friendship led to other collaborations, such as the 2019 film “Wine Country,” where they played friends on a wine-filled birthday trip to Napa Valley.
In character as Donna and Jobeth, Cackowski and Spivey made fun of yoga, with Poehler encouraging them to explore the corpse pose in their conversation. Poehler’s production company, Paper Kite, teamed up with Audacy Podcasts to create “Women Talkin’ ’Bout Murder,” the third satirical podcast from their partnership. The first one, “Say More With Dr? Sheila,” featured Poehler as a hopelessly inept therapist, reaching No. 1 on the Apple Podcast comedy chart. The second podcast, “The Chris Chatman Do-Over,” starring Ike Barinholtz as a shock jock, wrapped up recently.
“Women Talkin’ ’Bout Murder” came to life during the Hollywood writers’ strike when podcast rules were relaxed. Poehler and Cackowski, avid podcast listeners, saw the genre’s potential for parody. Poehler said that while podcasts can help people feel connected, they can also be ripe for comedic takes. In a Zoom interview, Poehler explained that there’s a funny side to people enjoying grim true-crime stories during their morning commute.
Poehler’s podcasts stand out in a crowded market, according to Jenna Weiss-Berman, executive vice president of Audacy Podcasts. Unlike other celebrity podcasts where famous people chat with other celebrities, Poehler’s shows are about improv and having fun. The podcast satire often includes references to fictional sponsors and commercials, adding to the comedy.
“Say More With Dr? Sheila” pokes fun at the idea of public therapy sessions. Poehler plays a therapist who isn’t actually qualified, and her sessions are often filled with ridiculous scenarios. In one episode, Poehler’s character becomes so frustrated with her patients that she calls her own therapist, leading to a chain of therapists needing their own therapy.
“Women Talkin’ ’Bout Murder” explores why people are fascinated with stories about crime and violence, especially during everyday activities like driving to work. Poehler remarked on the oddity of people listening to gruesome crime stories during their morning routines.
The interconnectedness of Poehler’s podcast characters adds to the fun. Dr? Sheila, the true-crime podcast hosts, and the shock jock Chris Chatman occasionally cross over into each other’s stories, creating a playful continuity across the podcasts. This approach keeps listeners engaged and adds to the overall comedic effect.
Overall, Poehler’s podcasts offer a fresh take on familiar genres, mixing humor with sharp improvisation and a sense of playfulness.
