Keke Palmer

Good Hang with Amy Poehler

In this episode of Good Hang, host Amy Poehler sits down with multifaceted entertainer Keke Palmer, known for her work in film, television, music, and podcasting.

Key takeaways

• Keke Palmer embodies a rare balance of high productivity and emotional presence, remaining grounded and connected even amid a packed schedule.

Main topics

• Keke Palmer's multifaceted career
• Virgo personality traits

Notable quotes

"She was born fully cooked. She was just, she was born Kiki Palmer." – Paula Pell on Keke Palmer's natural talent.

Conclusion

The episode celebrates Keke Palmer as a dynamic, grounded, and deeply connected individual whose energy

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:04) The Speaker 1 (0:05) city moves fast, but your vibe, that's different. Sharper, smoother, more alive. Speaker 2 (0:15) The new Speaker 1 (0:20) Honda City isn't just made to drive, it's made to feel. The new Honda City, all new vibe. Speaker 3 (0:33) Hello, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Good Hang. Very, very excited about our guest today. It is the great Kiki Palmer. Kiki can do anything and is in everything. She's currently in the movie I Love Boosters and in the TV show The Burbs. She has her podcast, Baby, This is Kiki Palmer. And she is, she's going to be in Spaceballs. She hosts Password. She's incredible. We talk about so many fun things today. We talk about being Virgos. and the noblesse oblige that comes along with that. We talk about Mary J. Blige and what it's like to get into your anger. We talk about her season of restraint and what that looks like. We have such a good time. And she has to go to the bathroom in the middle of it, which has never happened before, and just goes to show how comfortable she was. That makes me so happy. But before we get into it, we always talk to somebody who knows our guest, who loves our guest, wants to speak well behind their back and ask. a question and we have a friend of the pod writer actress queen paula pell who is zooming in who loves kiki and wants to tell us all about it and i'm hoping right now is is um is zooming in from her you know her new only fans account one can only hope so paula are you Speaker 2 (1:50) paula paula can you hear me darling Speaker 3 (1:56) You know those tiny back-to-school emergencies that somehow become your problem? That's where Uber Eats comes in. You can order school supplies, snacks, and lunchbox essentials for $5 or less. So when your kid casually drops, I don't like peanut butter anymore, or I need five green highlighters for a project due tomorrow, Uber Eats has you covered. Get everything you need for back-to-school today from your favorite brands like Aldi and Staples on Uber Eats. Order now. End September 7th. $5 or less before taxes and fees. Select items only. Availability varies. See app for details. Speaker 2 (2:31) What Speaker 3 (2:45) if we just do that for 10 minutes? Oh, did I? Shit. No, you're on. I Speaker 4 (2:53) am? Oh, boy. Speaker 3 (2:57) Why is, why am I off now? I can see you. You can't see me. Speaker 4 (3:02) All they ask, all they do. Oh, here it is. All they do is ask me for another AI thing. Do you want? I know. Speaker 3 (3:10) I had such a, I know we've talked about this. I had, I have such PTSD about trying to sign my kids in during COVID to like various portals that I had a portal meltdown the other day. I know we all talk about it, that it. Oh my God. There's gotta be a word that's going to be made for like technological misery. Speaker 4 (3:30) It's every single time I agree to do a zoom and then I'll get an email like 10 seconds before. And it says, this is going to be on colander. And I'm like, I'm sorry, colander. I mean, one of the real ones is blue jeans, nothing against blue jeans, but like. I was like, I'm sorry, blue jeans. Like Speaker 3 (3:51) all you need Speaker 4 (3:52) to do is download this app and Speaker 3 (3:55) go to a portal. Now Speaker 4 (3:56) we're going to be on Werther's Originals. So if you want, but you are going to have to do a breathalyzer into your computer. You do have OS 7, 8, right? Yeah. It's like, it's like, Speaker 3 (4:09) yeah, old Navy. I'm cool with you remembering my password. I'm like, bitch, I got a, I got an Apple clamshell. Speaker 3 (4:18) I got a teal apple clamshell. Would you like a new password? This one feels like you use it a lot. It's like, yeah, because it's the only way I can remember. Do you think I could remember it if I don't use it for every device? I want a plug and an outlet. Speaker 3 (4:34) I want to plug it in. I tried to buy an old fashioned alarm clock. I couldn't find one. Couldn't find a Speaker 4 (4:40) frigging alarm clock. I tried to take my blood pressure and a new blood pressure cuff I bought. And I was feeling a little off because I had a couple of drinks, got real dizzy. And I was like, something's wrong. I drank two drinks in the hot, in the hot sun really quick. I feel weird. But I got it out. And it was so complicated and so many apps and profiles to fill out. We have to know this information about you before we do this and before you do. And I'm just like, I'll be dead by then. I Speaker 3 (5:15) know. By the way, you're making me want to get a blood pressure cuff. I'm definitely getting that. Speaker 4 (5:20) It's supposed to do all these things. And of course, when I'm on the internet, I fall for every... The funniest one lately is that during the snow this winter, I saw one... that had this little fan that blows the snow off your windshield, like violently. And every single video was like immediate, like snow is immediately like, like an eraser off your windshield. And I got them and they were like this big and they blew like this. Speaker 4 (5:51) And I got like four of them and was going to gift them to people. And we were laughing so hard because it was like, this is the biggest fucking ripoff. Oh my God. The weakest fan. The weakest fan is a good reality. The weakest fan now on Fox. They're just really weak. Speaker 3 (6:14) Paula Pell is here. Paula, it's so good to see you. It's so good to see you. We're talking about Kiki today. We have got Kiki Palmer and I was saying this and I know you would agree. Love her. She's so good at so many Speaker 4 (6:30) things. Speaker 3 (6:30) Her Speaker 4 (6:31) hyphenates have hyphenates. I Speaker 3 (6:33) know. Like we're looking at her body of work. It's like Broadway and, you know, and singing and writing and podcasting and acting and also just, um, her being herself, like all the hosting that she does, all the way that she is someone else and herself. She's... I was trying to figure, you know, and I, I was like, she's like an old school entertainer. She Speaker 4 (6:57) really is. I Speaker 3 (6:59) wanted to talk to you today because you guys work together on the burbs and I know, you know, I know you are this way and I imagine maybe we'll find out Kiki is this way too, but you know, there's no better gift than getting to do what we want with people who are professional and nice. It's like all you're hoping for. And I remember you saying right away that like, working with her was so pleasant. What was it like to work together on the burps? Oh, Speaker 4 (7:25) it, it, it, it was, and is, I mean the whole, we're getting ready in October to, to shoot the second season of it, but, um, it, it, it remains like such an incredible joy that there is no, there's no dark side to it. Like, because she is, um, she's so nonstop in terms of what she's creating and what she's doing in the world that like you watch her and you're just like, you know, and she's raising a little darling boy. And it's like. She is so nonstop, but yet so present in each thing, even when she's multitasking and getting her, her hair and makeup done in the trailer. And she's also on a podcast and she's also talking about her music video from her album that's coming out. And it's like, sometimes when people are like that, you watch them. And I think it's my age too, where I'm just like, how do, how do they do all that? And just, if you sit and talk to her about anything genuine, she's right there. She wants to talk about it. She wants to hear what you have to say about it. She'll hold your hand. She'll, you know, we've gotten tearful together in the makeup trailer talking about our lives and find, you know, and, and, and what we won't tolerate anymore and love and, and, you know, just, there's so many good things that I've derived from just being in her presence. Truly. I was getting my hair blown out at, at, uh, dry bar and I sat down. By the way, congrats on your Speaker 3 (8:58) hair. I just want to point out again, most beautiful hair in the biz next to Tina. I'd love to see you guys fight it out. Okay. Sorry. Half Speaker 4 (9:04) of it is blonde right now. And half of it, this is, this is God's colorist right here. But who is this gorgeous woman? God's colorist. She's kind of almost transparent and she's just very weird. I'm in dry bar while we're doing, while we're doing the verbs and I sit down and Akilah and the bee is on and I look up and I see baby Kiki with like braces and glasses and just like having this incredible touching scene with an adult Oscar winning actor, just like the two of them having this quiet scene together. And I'm just like, she, she was born fully cooked. She was just, she was born Kiki Palmer that I Speaker 3 (9:49) know. So excited to talk to her because she is exactly what you just said. She, it feels like she's just very good at talking and being in the moment and connecting. She's like, she's a real connector. Yeah. Speaker 4 (10:02) And she's positive in a way that's not bullshitty. Like she, she's positive in the way that you say, oh, cheerfulness is a choice and it's a constructive choice. It's, it's a choice that actually changes your trajectory of your day. If you look at it and say, grateful, cheerful, joyful, um, and, and that gratitude thing, she just lives through that all the time of like, I can't believe we were going to get. We get to do that, you know, and then, and you want that because there's nothing worse than working with people in showbiz with dead eyes that don't realize how incredibly lucky they are to be doing the thing they're doing at the moment. And you just want to slap my heart across the face. Or you hope that in the script you get to, so you can privately have the satisfaction. Do you have Speaker 3 (10:49) a Speaker 4 (10:50) question for Kiki? You're very good at questions. What does it look like for Kiki Palmer to rest? Like. Not exhaustion, not I can't even see, I'm so exhausted, I have to lay down. But like her restorative rest, like for her to describe her favorite restorative rest. That Speaker 3 (11:09) is a great question. I cannot wait to ask her. I know she'll be thrilled that we talked. And because I know she loves you right back. Thanks, P, love you. Give Kiki a big kiss for me. I will. Speaker 3 (11:22) This episode is brought to you by Allstate. Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance. Not checking whether your camera is off before the meeting? Yep, that's how your coworkers find out that your working-from-home setup is more of a working-from-bed situation. Checking first is a good idea. So check Allstate first for an auto quote. It could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary subject to terms, conditions, and availability. Allstate North American Insurance Company and affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. Speaker 3 (11:52) First of all, you look incredible, Kiki. Thanks, Speaker 5 (11:54) boo. Speaker 3 (11:54) Right back at you. Speaker 5 (11:55) It's Speaker 3 (11:55) so good to see you. Virgo to Virgo. I know! We were talking about it earlier. Kiki and I are both Virgos. And, I mean, you've named an album. Virgo Tendencies, you know, because we have them. Speaker 5 (12:06) We have the Virgo Tendencies. What are Speaker 3 (12:08) Virgo Tendencies? Let's go through them. I'm working on mine. We Speaker 5 (12:11) can Speaker 3 (12:11) kind of Speaker 5 (12:12) be know-it Speaker 4 (12:12) -alls. It's Speaker 5 (12:13) fine, it's fine, it's fine. We just see things. It's just so right away. And we want you to know, but we gotta... Hold it in. Yeah. We are great organizers in our own way. It doesn't always look. Speaker 3 (12:24) Talk to me about how you like to organize. I know you love to organize. I saw your beautiful house. Oh, my gosh. Tell me what your new favorite way to organize is. Oh, my Speaker 5 (12:35) gosh. Speaker 3 (12:35) Like, is there a system? Labeling everything. Okay, talk to me about it. I'm big on that Speaker 5 (12:38) labeling. Like, everything has a particular place and spot. Yes. Contact, skin masks, ones for hydration, ones for exfoliation. Whoa, whoa, we're talking. Okay, we're in the bathroom. Yeah, we're in the bathroom. Everything is organized. Even by my bedside, supplements at the top, all my, like, eye masks, like, getting ready to wind down. Then underneath is the journal. I even have written out my cycle things, you know, what I need for them, what type of foods I should be eating at that time. I always Speaker 3 (13:03) get shh. shocked when people tell me that they don't write out or like think about what they have to do the next day or what like I can't I can't I don't understand how people organize their days without a list. I don't Speaker 5 (13:17) either. And it's so weird to imagine that that's so specific to a personality type. Yeah, that's right. It Speaker 3 (13:22) to Speaker 5 (13:22) me seems like the only human way to function. But yeah. Speaker 3 (13:25) I guess we're one of one or a group of one. Well, there are some very important Virgos in the world. You are one of them. Beyonce is one of them. Zendaya. Can Speaker 5 (13:33) we Speaker 3 (13:33) talk about Kobe Bryant? Kobe Speaker 5 (13:36) Bryant? Kobe Bryant. Mother Teresa. We even have him in the spiritual realm. I always need people to know that because it's more than entertainment. We even have a strong, prayed-up Virgo. You know? And look, I'm not going to go there, but I heard that we celebrate it on Christmas, but... I heard that Jesus was born in September. Speaker 4 (13:55) That's what I heard. Speaker 5 (13:57) That's what I heard. That's what I heard. Speaker 5 (14:03) Capricorns like to claim them. Speaker 3 (14:04) But we really have them. We know the real deal. We know the truth. We know that Jesus kept his eye masks very separate from his supplements. I Speaker 5 (14:11) mean, you Speaker 3 (14:11) can't have disciples Speaker 5 (14:12) and not organize them. You Speaker 3 (14:14) can't have Speaker 5 (14:14) a crew like that. You can't be, you know what I mean? You Speaker 3 (14:17) can't have that set up. 100%. He was running a lot of things. He was running a lot. I'm just saying. He was like, you go over here. You go over here. I'll turn this to this. Speaker 5 (14:24) Orchestrate it. I'll turn this to this. Watch. Okay, I'll take Speaker 3 (14:27) care of it. I'll take care of it. It's, you know what? The other thing I just, I'm constantly always looking for systems. I know you like this too. I love a good girl. I love a good system. I'm like, tell me how you do it. I just found something on TikTok that I'm obsessed with, which is it's the steel container that you keep next to your stove when you're cooking. You know, that you put like your utensils in. There's a whole thing about like, what are the six? utensils that you need next to your stove that like you use every day. And when I tell you that I have spent hours Speaker 5 (15:03) shopping Speaker 3 (15:04) for what is the best and only spatula, like what are the six cooking tools I want? That's support. That's self-support. That is. That to me is a day well spent. I Speaker 5 (15:17) love that kind of thing because honestly, it's really about optimization. I think we're actually fighting for ease, even though it seems like we're making our life more difficult by doing these things. These things are actually on the path of ease because when it's already set up, Speaker 3 (15:29) you don't have to think about it. You don't. Well, that's actually the theme of what I want to talk to you about today is this idea of exactly that, like maximizing. optimizing. Speaker 4 (15:40) This is amazing. This is the most Virgo Speaker 3 (15:42) -ing, Virgo-ing session. And rest and ease. Yeah. Those two things. Because they are a double-sided. You need them both. They're a black and white cookie. You've got to have both. And I've got to tell you, Kiki, I texted you on the way over here. Whatever. I have your phone number. No big deal. Speaker 3 (16:01) You look crazy. Because I had such a peaceful feeling. I had such a peaceful feeling coming to talk to you. I was like, I know that whatever we talk about is going to be funny and real. And you're so easy to be around. And I talked to you. Thank you for that. I know it's not easy to be an easy person to be around sometimes, if that makes any sense. But what I know about you always is that you bring. A very open and curious version of yourself all the time. And you're so talented and funny. Kiki, you are so fucking funny. You are like an old fashioned. One of a kind entertainer who can do it all. You're like Martin Short. You're like Eddie Murphy. You're like, uh. Come on, Vaudeville. I live for the old fashioned because that's how I grew up. I know. Like Lucille Ball. Yes. There it is. That's it. Obsessed. You are like Lucille Ball. I love that vibe. You can do it all. You are a Swiss army knife. There's nothing you can't do, Kiki. My girl. But I think you do too many things. I'm right. I Speaker 4 (17:02) do. Speaker 3 (17:02) This is also true. Black and white cookie. Speaker 5 (17:05) Black and white cookie. You are a mogul. You're Speaker 3 (17:08) a Speaker 5 (17:08) visionary. You're a mogul. By the way, I was with Rashida the other night, and she told me that she's at your house. She's staying with you. Yes, Rashida. She told me that, and she was like, Amy told me you guys are going to be talking soon. I said, I know. I can't wait to see my girl. It was so good Speaker 3 (17:20) to see her. She's so cool. Speaker 5 (17:21) I know. My Speaker 3 (17:21) wife is staying with me for a while. It's so nice. Okay. We're Speaker 5 (17:24) going Speaker 3 (17:24) to talk about the future. We're going to talk about the past. We're going to talk about—I want to know right now, like today, what was your morning like? What do you do in the morning? What's your system in the morning? This was a great— day and morning for Speaker 5 (17:35) me. Speaker 3 (17:35) Okay, let's hear about it. Speaker 5 (17:36) So last night, I got to bed at a pretty good time. Let's talk about sleep. So I was happy about that. How much sleep do Speaker 3