Welcome to Pawnee, Indiana, the town where soda cups are the size of toddlers, the animal control team does anything but control animals, and waffles reign supreme. And whipped cream. Lots of whipped cream.
For 7 glorious seasons of Parks and Recreation, audiences watched the small town shenanigans of Pawnee’s eclectic residents. The series follows the wide-eyed, determined, and tireless Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) who does everything she can to make her favorite town the best town it can be. Along the way, we meet the loveable bunch that makes up Leslie’s tight-knit circle of friends, including Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones), April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza), Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari), Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt), Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott), Donna Meagle (Retta), Jerry Gergich (Jim O'Heir), and Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe). In addition to a fantastic main cast, the Emmy nominated series features some of the most unique and laugh-out-loud supporting characters on television.
So many wonderful weirdos enter Leslie’s life, making it impossible to list them all. Here’s a list of just some of the supporting characters we’ve grown to love over in Pawnee, and how they measure up against one another!
13. Tammy II
A running joke throughout the series is Ron’s relationship with his ex-wives, who are both named Tammy. Tammy I is played by Patricia Clarkson and Tammy II is played by Megan Mullally. Tammy II is Ron’s kryptonite, and he can smell her from a mile away. Yes, the two may be divorced, but she knows that their flame isn’t fully extinguished. We first meet the sexual and manipulative Tammy II in Season 2 Episode 8 titled, “Ron and Tammy.” An empty lot of land is up for grabs, and Leslie is hoping to turn it into a beautiful park. Tammy II, however, wants to expand her literary empire and turn it into a bigger library (after all, she’s the library director). Ron vows to settle the issue and put Tammy II in her place. But, in typical Tammy fashion, she seduces and weakens Ron, only to use him as a pawn in her library scheme. Under Tammy’s spell, Ron has sported corn-rows, made out with her in a diner, and got married...again. Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally are married in real life, making their screen time even more enjoyable. Once you hear Tammy’s maniacal laugh, you know trouble is afoot in Pawnee.
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12. Jessica Wicks
Susan Yeagley plays Jessica Wicks, the smiley and perky Miss Pawnee of 1994 and eventual head of the Sweetums fortune. She charms nearly everyone she meets with her southern accent and upbeat personality, much to the frustration of Leslie Knope, who Jessica refers to as Leslie Knorp. She’s always focused on expanding Sweetums, a company dedicated to all things, well, sweet. Remember those sugared-up NutriYum bars Leslie pounded down to stay awake during the telethon? That’s Sweetums. Jessica explained to Leslie and Tom how she met the elderly Nick Newport., the man behind the candy empire. “Well, I was doing a ribbon cutting at the hospital, and he was there because his blood doesn’t work. We started talking and then I realized who he was, and oh my gosh, it was love at first sight!”
Juxtaposing the tightly-wound and level-headed Ben with Jessica was a combination you didn’t know you needed. In Season 5, she recruits Ben to head the new Sweetums’ Foundation Charity. On the tour of the headquarters, she shows Ben to his office, which is decorated in “more mahogany wood than currently remains in the Amazon rainforest” and life-size nude portraits of her and her late husband. “If you can’t beat ‘em...Sweetums!”
11. Perd Hapley
He’s Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson), and we’re talking about him...right now. Perd is Pawnee’s number one trusted news anchor and host of Ya’ Herd? With Perd. He’s been with the Pawnee gang since the Season 2 episode, “Practice Date,” when a jittery Leslie prepares for her date with officer Dave (Louis C.K.). Since then, he’s covered the most controversial news scandals to come out of Pawnee, including Bobby Newport’s campaign, Leslie’s spats with Jennifer Barkley, the infamous oil painting, anything Councilman Dexhart says, and the town slogan. Over the years, Perd’s socially awkward but wholesome personality made any time he graced the small screen an utter delight. He’s hosted other shows such as The Final Word with Perd, The Perdples Court, and Lights, Camera, Perd. Let’s not forget when he did the worm during the telethon, or the fact that he has a surprising—albeit brief—romantic past with Ann.
10. Dennis Feinstein
Jason Mantzoukas plays Dennis Feinstein, Pawnee’s ultra-successful fragrance maker and the man behind colognes including Butterface, Sideboob, Yearning, Coma, and of course, Allergic. Dennis is one wild ride and he knows it. He’s the embodiment of sleaze, and goes out of his way to make sure people know exactly how wealthy he is. (In case you’re wondering, he claims to be worth $20 million.) Tom admires Dennis’ ability to cultivate such a successful empire, and in the episode “Indianapolis,'' Tom tries to make his own scent (which he dubs Tommy Fresh) in order to impress him. In his typically blunt fashion, Dennis makes fun of Tom and his cologne idea, leaving Tom feeling completely rejected. This however, proved to be a powerful bonding moment for Ben and Tom, as Ben took the liberty of dousing Dennis’ car in Tommy Fresh.
In “Citizen Knope,” a reluctant Ben, with the help of Andy and Tom, meets with the fragrance connoisseur in a desperate attempt to secure donations for the Sweetums Foundation. Dennis can’t quite grasp the purpose of charity, admitting, “I’m gonna cut right to the chase. I don’t like charity. I don’t get it. Feels to me like I’m giving money away and getting nothing in return.” Dennis, you wonderfully insufferable scent snake.
9. Howard ‘The Douche’ Tuttleman
Local personality Howard Tuttleman (Nick Kroll) is better known by his classy radio moniker “The Douche.” He and his buddy Crazy Ira (Matt Besser) co-host the popular and chaotic radio show Crazy Ira and The Douche, in which the two bros blabber on about gossip, sexual exploits, and have questionable on-air debates. They never hesitate to share their crass and unfiltered opinions on celebrities, politicians, and women in general. The Douche is proud of his sleazy persona, telling a less-than-thrilled Leslie the pick-up line he used to get a date with Ann: “If you’re looking for douches they’re in aisle me.” His flirting with Ann is the final straw for Leslie in the episode, “The Fight,” which, you guessed it, leads to a big fight between Ann and Leslie (blame it on the Snake Juice). As he would say, "classic!"
8. Tynnyfer
While she is only in one episode, Tynnyfer leaves an indelible mark on the employees of the parks department, especially April. The Season 6 episode “Doppelgänger” is an emotionally charged one. Leslie is reeling from the news that her best friend, Ann, and Chris will be leaving Pawnee. On top of that, Leslie has to figure out what to do with the Eagleton’s old parks department employees since Pawnee recently absorbed the town. April is paired with Tynnyfer (June Diane Raphael) who’s dressed for a club, not a parks department. April has her work cut out for her, but instead of showing her the ropes, she seizes the opportunity to play along and pretend to be “Tynny’s” new best friend. Tynnyfer’s sing-songy voice and overall personality both drives April crazy and mesmerizes her. “She’s the worst person I’ve ever met. I want to travel the world with her.” During her short appearance, we learned a lot. She used to be named “Jennifer,” but decided to rebrand herself, her husband is in jail, and her spinning instructor’s name is “Yannis.” Fortunately, April convinces her that this job might not be the best fit. Tynnyfer didn’t seem too sold on Pawnee anyway.
7. Ingrid de Forest
Ah, Eagleton. The pretentious town to the west. The place where poverty is gross and every resident is perfect. In, like, every way. Councilwoman Ingrid de Forest (Kristen Bell) is no exception, much to Leslie’s frustration. Though she only appeared in 3 episodes, Ingrid never ceased to disappoint. No matter how many times Leslie tries to get any bit of reality through Ingrid’s perfectly styled blonde bob, she’s faced with Ingrid’s blissful ignorance, and total composure. Even when Eagleton was on the brink of a financial catastrophe and had no choice but to turn to Leslie, Ben, and Chris for help, she shamelessly spoke about Eagleton’s lavish way of life, saying, “I’m so sorry we’re late. Came from our bankruptcy brunch and Michael Bublé played but he ran a little wrong.” When Ben asks, “Is a bankruptcy brunch the best idea?” she laughs him off, and says, “Sure, let’s not have brunch. Like animals.” Nearly every line out of her mouth is delusional, and is delivered in the most sincere and elegant way. If you can take only one iota of wisdom from her, let it be this: “You don’t kick a dressage horse after a failed pas de deux.”
6. Mona-Lisa Saperstein
Mona-Lisa (Jenny Slate) is one of the most destructive people in Pawnee. No, literally. She sets fires and breaks glass. We meet her in Season 5 Episode 16, “Bailout,” where Tom welcomes the shareholders of his company, (including Ben, Chris, Jerry, and Donna), to Rent-A-Swag, his clothing rental company. Ben is understandably horrified when he hears that Tom hired a woman named Mona-Lisa Saperstein to be his sales associate, as she has the same last name of Jean-Ralphio. Yep, she’s his “twin sister from the same mister” and according to him, is “the worst person in the world.” The always-bedazzled Mona-Lisa hates working or any form of responsibility, and would much rather be partying with her “shrink” at a Pitbull concert and doing ecstasy. She brings out the worst in people and, like her brother, just wants to be super rich. And how did she not know that Diddy was on Instagram?
5. Jeremy Jamm
Jon Glaser’s Jeremy Jamm is a walking cavity. He’s everyone’s least favorite dentist and councilman. It’s hard to believe that such an integral supporting character doesn’t appear until Season 5. Jamm’s first episode, “How a Bill Becomes a Law,” introduces the audience to what will be a constant push and pull relationship between him and new councilwoman Leslie. Their first disagreement is over a bathroom. That’s right, Jamm is pretty peeved that Leslie gets her own private bathroom, so he decides to go ahead and use it. Gross. Leslie proposes a bill that would help out the swim team (the Pawnee Porpoises) by keeping the pools open longer in the summer. Of course, Jamm finds a problem with this bill, and ends up being the single deciding vote. Leslie’s reluctant deal proves just how selfless she is: she gives up her fancy new bathroom and parking spot for Jamm to vote in support of her bill. (Ah, politics.)
He’ll do anything to make things extra difficult and has the ability to turn anything fun, like karaoke and mini-golf, into a chore. Does Jamm really stand behind his bold decisions, or does he just want attention? Even though he can be pretty terrible, one can’t help but feel sorry for him. (Just a little bit.) He tries so hard to be cool and have friends, but it’s obvious he’s a lonely guy. Let’s not forget his catchphrase: “You just got Jammed!” No wonder Ron punches him in the face.
4. Bobby Newport
Paul Rudd plays the delightfully dumb Bobby Newport, the son of Nick Newport Sr. (the man behind Sweetums), and step-son of Jessica Wicks. Bobby’s spoiled and totally oblivious to how the real world works. Even though he’s running for City Council, he has no political aspirations whatsoever. (He just wants to impress his dad.) Because of the Sweetums fortune, he never has to worry about finding funds to stay in the race. Bobby’s a real sweetheart and doesn’t have a secret agenda. He just really lacks substance of any kind. A perfect example is when he tells the Pawnee people in a campaign ad that he likes dogs, especially his Persian greyhound Raclette, who was given to him by his good friend, the pretender to the crown of Alsaice Lorraine. While Leslie uses her platform to explain her goals for the town, Bobby does his best to relate to voters. “One time, a guy stole some downhill skis out of my Jeep, and I was so mad, I punched a mailbox. I’m against crime, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.” (Cue the riotous applause.)
What makes Bobby great is the fact that he admits, like Jen does, that Leslie is the better candidate. He is always mesmerized by Leslie’s firm grasp on politics, so much so that he endorses her and votes for her in the election. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a Bobby Bar. His dad made them!
3. Jean-Ralphio Saperstein
Jean-Ralphio (Ben Schwartz) is down for anything and everything. He’s Tom’s shameless partner-in-crime and is ready to invest himself and whatever money he has into creating the next big thing. We first meet the loveable buffoon in Season 2, when Tom slings him into Ron’s office for what he thinks will be an instant connection. Ron is immediately disturbed by Jean-Ralphio and his high-energy, fast-talking ways and tells Tom he wants to punch him in the face for even thinking he would get along with him. What’s great about Jean-Ralphio is that nothing stops his drive for success and fun. He’ll support your passion (Tom’s Snake Juice), sing you his thoughts (or rap them) and is always down to party...hard. His exploits with Tom result in Entertainment 720, a company that neither of them have any clue how to run. He’s made an unforgettable appearance in 20 episodes, either alone, with his high-maintenance sister, Mona-Lisa, or with his dad, Dr. Saperstein (Henry Winkler). Everyone can use a little bit of this bushy haired baller in their life.
2. Jennifer Barkley
She’s fierce. She’s a news junkie. She’s Jennifer Barkley. Expertly played by Kathryn Hahn, Jen Barkley bursts into Pawnee in Season 4 at the beginning of one of the best storylines of the entire series. Leslie is proving to be a serious threat to her opponent Bobby Newport in the race for City Council. As a result, Bobby’s team hires Washington D.C. expert Jen Barkley to secure his spot as councilman. Reason #156 as to why Jen is a fantastic character is the fact that she tells Leslie and Ben right to their faces that she knows Bobby isn’t the brightest bulb, but that she’ll gladly take his dad’s money. “Bobby Newport’s daddy called me out of the blue. I’d never heard of Bobby Newport before but it became clear in two seconds this guy is a mor-on.” She tells the two Pawneeans about the hefty salary she’s receiving for just 6 weeks of work ($250,000) and that she’s enjoying her time away from Washington. After the surprisingly candid and cordial meeting, however, Jen proceeds to bad mouth Leslie on television.
Jen is an unpredictable joy. One minute she’s “crying” over the death of Bobby Newport’s dad, the next she’s having a secret affair with Chris. By the end of the series, she admits to seeing potential in both Ben and Leslie and helps Ben run for Congress. "Poncho!"
1. Joan Callamezzo
Self-proclaimed legendary newswoman Joan Callamezzo (Mo Collins) is always ready for her close-up. The unfiltered and flirtatious host of Pawnee Today will stop at nothing to break a story...especially if it puts someone (i.e. Leslie Knope) in an embarrassing and unflattering position. Joan wields whatever power she has and makes sure everyone knows of her high-profile status. In “Born and Raised,” her most outrageous episode, Joan invites Leslie onto her show to promote her new book all about Pawnee, only to drop the bombshell that Leslie wasn’t born in Pawnee after all. She tells her audience, “We will pull out the world map and speculate wildly,” as to where the councilwoman was truly born, much to the horror and confusion of Leslie. Joan also manages to make every guy she comes in contact with very uncomfortable with her unnecessary touching and clumsy attempts at seduction. Later on in the episode, Ben and Tom wine and dine Joan, trying to persuade her to slap the coveted “Joan’s Book Club” sticker onto Leslie’s book. Well, Joan has a bit too much to drink and leaves Tom and Ben fearing for their lives. No one ever knows what Joan will say or do next, making every time she’s on screen a hilarious roller coaster.
Make yourself a waffle, top it off with whipped cream, and catch every season of Parks and Recreation on Peacock.
