Summary of Amy Poehler's Yes Please

Summary of Amy Poehler's Yes Please is a humorous memoir that combines anecdotal essays, memories of the past, poetry, photos, and bits of poignant advice from her life. It begins with her childhood growing up in the Boston area and explores her career in improvisational comedy, writing, and acting in Chicago, New York, and Hollywood.

When, as a child, Amy Poehler portrayed Dorothy in the fourth grade production of The Wizard of Oz, she learned that, when on stage, an actor can say anything and control how the audience reacts. After saying a line searching for Toto while the dog was in her arms, the audience laughed. Poehler realized that she wanted to make them laugh again, except she wanted to do it intentionally.

After high school, she attended Boston College where she first encountered improvisational group ensemble comedy. Her early experience in The Wizard of Oz was the root of...