The Funniest Leslie Knope Quotes On Parks And Recreation
Few television characters in recent years have been as enduring and beloved as Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation. She’s always reliable for awkwardness, goofiness, and genuine inspiration. As we reflect on the ways Knope gives us hope, here are our top five funniest Leslie Knope quotes.
“We need to remember what’s important in life: friends, waffles, work. Or waffles, friends, work. Doesn’t matter, but work is third.”
This one doesn’t just say something about Leslie Knope; it says something about Parks and Recreation as a series. Ostensibly a workplace comedy, the series certainly is grounded in what goes on in the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee.
But it becomes clear in short order that the work element is just the backdrop to the relationships between the characters.
These relationships might at times appear superficial, developed over things as seemingly insignificant as waffles, but all the superficial things are really just ways for the series’ characters to connect with one another.
Leslie and Ron Swanson might celebrate breakfast food with great enthusiasm, but it’s clear that they’re really celebrating each other.
“I’m a Goddess, a glorious female warrior. Queen of all that I survey. Enemies of fairness and equality, hear my womanly roar!”
Like a lot of Leslie Knope’s best Parks and Recreation quotations, this one might sound a bit silly at first. But for all the awkwardness of the declaration itself, it really represents the truth of Leslie’s character.
She might be prone to clumsiness. She might embarrass herself frequently. And she might often have insecurities in foibles, but she really is dedicated to standing up for what’s right and making the world a better place.
That’s really part of her charm as a character—her devotion to higher ideals and desire to change the world, even from a seemingly insignificant local government office.
“Winning is every girl’s dream. But it’s my destiny.”
We would hardly be surprised if this quotation was written on a sticky note stuck to Leslie Knope’s bathroom mirror. Parks and Recreation is very much rooted in Leslie’s indomitable spirit and positive attitude especially in contrast to Aubrey Plaza‘s polar opposite character April Ludgate.
It can sometimes seem ridiculous that someone with as many things going against her as she has could actually rise to the top, and her optimism certainly seems steeped in girlish naivety.
Somehow, though, she ends up being right about herself. She really does seem to be destined to win, despite all evidence to the contrary. Or maybe it’s her belief in that destiny that allows her to overcome.
“Hobbies? Organizing my agenda. Wait, that doesn’t sound fun… Jammin’ on my planner!”
Can we talk for a minute about how adorable Leslie Knope’s obsession with things like organizers, sticky notes, binders, and planning is? Of course we can because we absolutely have to. It’s almost as endearing as her constant efforts to make herself appear more fun than those interests would seem to indicate.
Parks and Recreation just wouldn’t work the way it does if it weren’t for the mix of Leslie’s constant desire to be liked and her irrepressible nerdiness. A lot of us have some seemingly odd thing that we’re totally obsessed with, making Leslie’s inability to cover those things up all the more endearing. The combination is flawless, hilarious, and sweet.
“What I hear when I’m being yelled at is people caring really loudly at me.”
It’s hard to tell whether this Parks and Recreation quote reveals Leslie Knope’s dimwittedness or her fervent devotion to positivity. Upon reflection, it might be both.
Like Edith Bunker’s touching revelation that she heard Archie telling her he loved her every time he called her a dingbat, it shows Leslie’s consistent attempt to live on the sunny side of life.
And yes, we think it’s totally appropriate that her perspective should be reflected with a possible reference to breakfast food. We tend to think she might consider her eggs sunny-side up even when they’re scrambled. And that’s just one more reason we still love her.
