Mindy Kaling Thanks Amy Poehler and Tina Fey for Telling Her 30 Pounds Was 'Too Much Weight' to Lose When They Met 20 Years Ago
Mindy Kaling Thanks Amy Poehler and Tina Fey for Telling Her 30 Pounds Was 'Too Much Weight' to Lose When They Met 20 Years Ago
Angelique BrenesThu, July 2, 2026 at 1:50 AM UTC
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Mindy Kaling attends Hulu's "Not Suitable For Work" New York Premiere; Tina Fey attends the 2026 Netflix Upfront; Amy Poehler at the 83rd Annual Golden GlobesCredit: TheStewartofNY/WireImage; Dominik Bindl/Getty; Alberto Rodriguez/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty -
Mindy Kaling recalled a conversation that she had with Amy Poehler and Tina Fey over 20 years ago
While on Poehler's Good Hang podcast, she recalled telling her fellow comics that she wanted to lose 30 pounds when they first met
The actress said the comedians' response left her feeling reassured and is still a moment she appreciates
Mindy Kaling is reflecting on a decades-old conversation with Amy Poehler and Tina Fey that has stayed with her ever since.
During an appearance on Poehler's Good Hang podcast on Tuesday, June 30, Kaling recalled meeting the comedian around 2005. At the time, Kaling was a guest writer on Saturday Night Live, where Poehler and Fey were cast members.
"I remember this story, and I'm not proud of it," Kaling said, recalling a conversation with the two women she admired. "We were somewhere, and I was like, 'I just want to lose 30 pounds,' and the two of you stopped and were like, 'What? That is too much weight.' "
"I remember I was so happy for like three weeks after," Kaling continued. "I was like, 'Wow, Amy and Tina don't think I'm a fat load.' I was so happy."
Amy Poehler and Mindy Kaling attends the "Inside Out" Photocall during the 68th annual Cannes Film Festival; Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling attend the 92nd Street YCredit: George Pimentel/WireImage; Laura Cavanaugh/Getty
Kaling, now 47, recalled that conversations about weight were common at the time, particularly with the popularity of platforms like Weight Watchers.
"Just like everybody else, we're constantly trying to figure out everybody's relationship to being on camera," Poehler said. "And I do think that, for better or for worse, what women do for each other and to each other is they talk about their bodies to each other."
Kaling said what resonated most wasn't that Poehler, 54, and Fey, 56, disagreed with her, but that they acknowledged the conversation instead of brushing it aside.
"I think to be able to be with two of my heroes and have them acknowledge — because you could have easily been like, 'We don't ever think about it. We're naturally thin,' " she said. "I think really it was a kindness for you to acknowledge."
The pair went on to discuss how conversations surrounding body image have changed over the years, while agreeing that some aspects have remained much the same.
Kaling has spoken candidly about her body image throughout her career.
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While appearing on The View on May 27 to promote her Hulu series Not Suitable for Work, she addressed the public attention surrounding her changing appearance.
"I think we all think it's weird when public figures lose weight because we want this perfectly consistent narrative of their lives," Kaling said.
"But I have wanted to lose weight since I was 12 years old. I've been writing jokes about diet and body image for 20 years now. So when people are surprised or shocked that I wanted to lose weight, I'm like, 'Wait, how is this new? This has been part of my personality since the Clinton administration!' "
The Office alum added that she understands why people sometimes react strongly when celebrities look different than they once did.
"When we see, especially these days, someone that we're used to a certain way look completely different, I think we feel betrayed," she said.
Still, Kaling said her health has become the driving force behind her lifestyle changes.
Mindy Kaling attends The Hollywood Reporter’s "Awards Chatter" Live Podcast with Mindy Kaling during the Newport Beach TV FESTCredit: Tiffany Rose/Getty
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"I see a trainer three times a week. I really watch what I eat," she said on The View, before explaining that she's motivated by her family's medical history and her role as a parent. "I'm a single mom of three kids. My mom died young of cancer and both my parents had diabetes. … I need to live. I need to live and the kids need me."
At the same time, she said there's nothing wrong with wanting to feel confident, too.
"I saw something recently … that people were like, 'I wish Mindy would stop saying she's doing it for the health and her kids, she just wants to look hot,'" Kaling said. "And I'm like, 'Both can be true!' "
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