Amy Poehler recently recounted a wild encounter with a chimpanzee actor named Mikey during her time on Saturday Night Live in 2005, sharing the story on her podcast, Good Hang. The comedian described the chimpanzee as “formidable” and explained her general discomfort with animal actors, which heightened her anxiety during that sketch.
While discussing a segment where Jason Bateman hosted the show, Poehler recalled a particularly alarming moment. As she rushed past Mikey in the midst of a costume change, the young chimp reached out, grabbed her wrist, and refused to let go. She noted that she started screaming because of the chimp’s strength. Thankfully, she eventually managed to free herself from the chimp’s grip.
Poehler’s appearance in the notorious 2005 sketch, “Monkeys Throwing Poop at Celebrities,” painted a picture of the chaotic nature of the segment, which involved Bateman, Sean Connery, and various shenanigans including the chimp flinging feces.
Jason Bateman himself has voiced similar experiences with Mikey. During a 2020 SNL hosting gig, he shared that as the show drew to a close, the chimp had an unexpected violent encounter with him. While trying to give Mikey a friendly gesture, the chimp attempted to bite his nose, leading Bateman to humorously theorize that chimps might harbor resentment towards human faces.
Bateman later visited Mikey in his dressing room, where the chimps seemed remorseful, reaching out in what he interpreted as an apology. Describing it as a touching moment of connection between man and nature, Bateman expressed that it was an experience he would never forget. His humorous monologue about the incident underscored his entertaining storytelling ability, leaving audiences laughing while recalling the unusual circumstances of their time on SNL.
This lighthearted exchange between Poehler and Bateman highlights the unpredictability of live television and the quirky nature of the show, reminding fans of the hilarity and occasional chaos that characterize Saturday Night Live.