Jim O’Heir, best known as Jerry (or Garry, or Larry…) Gergich from Parks and Recreation, recently stopped by The Movie Dweeb Podcast to promote his new book, Welcome to Pawnee: Stories of Friendship, Waffles, and Parks and Recreation. While reminiscing about his time on the hit NBC sitcom, O’Heir delivered some hilarious behind-the-scenes stories, heartfelt reflections, and even a few (good-natured) jabs at Amy Poehler.

During the interview, O’Heir reflected on the unique camaraderie among the cast, describing it as “lightning in a bottle.” He explained that, aside from Amy Poehler and Rashida Jones, most of the cast were strangers when the show started—yet they quickly became a tight-knit family.

“We had dance parties in the hair and makeup trailers after lunch,” O’Heir recalled. “It just was different. It became the show that other actors wanted to guest on because the word was out about what a great time everybody was having.”

And while the fun behind the scenes was legendary, O’Heir also praised the show’s writing. “Week after week, I was just blown away by how incredible the scripts were,” he said, emphasising the consistently high quality of Parks and Rec over its seven seasons.

O’Heir couldn’t resist taking a few playful shots at Amy Poehler, joking about her post-Parks and Rec career struggles—”I don’t know if you know this, but I have Amy cut my lawn every Wednesday. I give her 20 bucks. I’m just that kind of guy.”

Of course, he quickly followed that up with genuine admiration for Poehler, calling her the “mother” of the Parks and Rec set. “She was our leader. She checked in with us, she cared about how things were going,” he said. “She’s incredibly kind, and in my world, kindness is near the top of the list.”

He also credited Poehler with giving him one of the best pieces of career advice: the power of saying no. “She told me, ‘Jim, the word no is super powerful,’ and she was right,” he shared, explaining how her advice helped him make better career decisions.

In his book, Welcome to Pawnee: Stories of Friendship, Waffles, and Parks and Recreation, O’Heir gives readers an inside look at the making of the show, sharing personal anecdotes, hilarious moments, and heartfelt memories from his time playing everyone’s favorite lovable punching bag, Jerry Gergich. It’s a love letter to the series and its fans, packed with behind-the-scenes insights, cast stories, and—of course—plenty of waffle-related content.

Want to hear more from Jim O’Heir? You can listen to the full interview on The Movie Dweeb podcast, available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.