3 minute readIn March 2025, Amy Poehler and editor Joel LaBelle made their red carpet debut at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party after nearly a year of low-key dating.
In October 2024, People magazine reported that the two started dating that summer, with a source saying they were “enjoying their time together.”
The Parks and Recreation star has previously been rumored to be in relationships with John Stamos, Nick Kroll, and Benjamin Graff, but her most well-known relationship was with ex-husband Will Arnett. The pair were married for 13 years before divorcing in 2016 and have two sons, Archie, 16, and Abel, 14.
Here’s everything you need to know about Poehler’s past relationship with Joel LaBelle.
Who is Joel LaBelle?
According to a 2016 interview with the University of Michigan Alumni Newsletter, Joel Lovell grew up in upstate New York and went on to attend Cornell University. He had hoped to attend medical school, but discovered a love for literature and writing. He went to the University of Michigan to get a master’s degree. After graduating, he taught undergraduate novel writing at the University of Michigan before making a big career change.
“I was lucky in a way to get the magazine job at Harper’s,” Lovell said. “A friend of mine had applied for a job at the magazine and decided not to take it, so he recommended me. Literally, the editor called me one day and asked if I was interested in applying for an editorial job. That was 20 years ago.”
From Harper’s he moved on to The New York Times Magazine and GQ, where he wrote a hugely popular profile of Stephen Colbert in 2015, which connected him to the comedy world. He later became deputy editor of The New York Times Magazine. According to People magazine, LaBelle left the publication to pursue a career in podcasting. He currently serves as editor-in-chief of Pineapple Street Studios, owned by Audacy, the producer of Poehler’s 2023 scripted comedy podcast “Say More with Dr?” Sheila. Mr. Lovell’s company website credits him as editor of the podcasts “Missing Richard Simmons,” “Winds of Change” and “9/12.” Previously, he served as editor-in-chief of This American Life and the first two seasons of the hit true crime show Serial.
In an interview with the University of Michigan, Lovell talked a little about his editorial philosophy.
“You have to look at what’s working in the story, but you also have to look at how things are told in a less intellectual sense,” Lovell said. “You start paying unusual attention to sounds, like, ‘Oh, there’s this breathing sound here, and that makes it hard to understand what she says next.'”
Like Poehler, LaBelle also has children from previous relationships: Addie (23), Tess (21), and Julia (17).
What does Amy Poehler say about Joel LaBelle?
After serving as a red carpet official at the 2025 Academy Awards, Poehler mentioned her date in an interview at Vanity Fair’s Oscar party.
“We hit the trifecta tonight, and that never happens,” she said of that night’s experience. “All I’m saying is that I liked the way I looked. That’s never going to happen – you know, I want to be one of the greatest! I want to be the Michael Jordan of this party. I liked the way I looked, the date was fun, and my feet didn’t hurt.”
But, she added with a laugh, “I can’t wait to get going. I can’t wait to get in there so we can do a lap and go.”
When was the last time Poehler and Lovell were seen together?
On November 4, 2025, Poehler and LaBelle were photographed leaving dinner at Sushi Park in West Hollywood. The couple appeared in coordinated outfits, with Poehler wearing a denim shirt and red pants, and Lovell wearing a blue shirt and black pants.
