As the protagonist of Parks and Recreation, Leslie Barbara Knope led the way at Pawnee’s Parks and Recreation Department before leaving to become the City Councilor of Pawnee (and later Regional Director of National Park Service Midwest Region and the Deputy Director of Operations at United States Department of Interior).
Leslie is a strong feminist who thinks Pawnee is the greatest city in America and believes in equal opportunities. She is constantly pushing the men and women in her life to strive for greatness and to think boldly. She’s also a big fan of waffles and girl talk, which humbles her.
While fans love seeing Leslie dive into waffles at J.J.’s Diner, we love seeing her in her home away from home: her office. Filled with her biggest and brightest ideas, we see all the things that inspire Leslie while she’s working on making Pawnee (and America) a better place. Here are 10 things we noticed while taking a deeper look at her office’s decor.
HER WALL OF INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN
In the early seasons, we see a wall of inspiring women hanging in Leslie’s office. These women have a shining, prominent spot when Leslie begins seeing Dave the cop and he asks her who the women on her wall are. It proves Leslie’s entire point about more women needing to be in politics and taking a stand in their government.
Later, as Leslie advances in her career, she shows Ben (via Skype) her wall of inspirational women. Some of the women Leslie has hanging around her office are Nancy Pelosi, Madeleine Albright, Condoleezza Rice, and more importantly, herself.
THE PICTURE OF LARRY BIRD
After learning about how important local basketball legend Pistol Pete was to Pawnee (and to Leslie’s campaign), many assume the picture of the basketball player sitting behind her desk is of him, but it’s actually Indiana native and NBA star Larry Bird. If you look closely there’s an autograph that says “To Lesly, Sink That Shot, Larry B.” As it turns out, this joke is from a deleted scene in which Tom who claimed to have lunch with Larry.
SHE HAS HER OWN BOOK AS DECORATION
To show how much Leslie adored the city of Pawnee in Season 4, she wrote a book about it. Pawnee: The Greatest Town in America. After she wrote it, she went on a small press tour to promote it. But after appearing on Pawnee Today, people started claiming there was a historical error in the book.
Apparently, Leslie wasn’t born in Pawnee at all — she was born in the neighboring town of Eagleton, a town she ridicules throughout seven seasons. Nevertheless, she has her book proudly set up in her office for all to see.
LESLIE’S SMALL AFFINITY FOR OWL DECORATIONS
Leslie’s office slowly changes throughout the seven seasons. Like every person, she makes small touches to personalize her space. If you take a closer look at some still shots, you’ll notice Leslie’s small harmony for owls. She has an owl coffee mug, an owl planter, and a few small statues or owls too. Does she think they’re cute or are they one of the many animals (like the raccoons) that call Pawnee home?
SHE’S A RED VINES WOMAN
After Leslie and Ben get engaged, they decide to throw an engagement party with their closest friends and family so that everyone can meet. Ben was extremely nervous about everyone meeting because his divorced parents still don’t get along. After mentioning having Twizzlers on hand, Leslie reminds him that they are a Red Vines family, not a Twizzlers family.
In this shot, if you take a look in the right-hand corner, you’ll see she has a box of Red Vines. Just imagining her chewing on a Red Vine while working late night after hours is typical Leslie.
AMERICA’S WOMEN: FOUR-HUNDRED YEARS OF DOLLS, DRUDGES, HELPMATES, AND HEROINES
Leslie’s decor changes over tim,e but there are a few books that seem to stay throughout the seven seasons. With a red, white and blue spine, we can see America’s Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines by Gail Collins.
THE POLITICIAN: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LYNDON JOHNSON BY RONNIE DUGGER
Two books down from America’s Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines, it looks like Leslie has The Politician: The Life and Times of Lyndon Johnson: The Drive for Power, From the Frontier to Master of the Senate by Ronnie Dugger. Lyndon B. Johnson was the 36th President of the United States and the book talks about the unique road he paved in American politics. It makes you wonder what Leslie’s connection to President Johnson is. And no, he’s not from Indiana; he’s from Texas.
HER PRIZED PICTURE OF HERSELF AND JOE BIDEN
In the fifth season, Leslie and Ben partake on a long-distance relationship after he gets a job in Washington DC. As a lover of American politics, it’s been Leslie’s dream to live in DC one day (as the President of the United States). After visiting Ben for a long weekend, he tells her he has a surprise for her.
The two entered an official room where the former Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, was standing there. Excited to meet her, Mr. Biden introduced himself and thanked Leslie for all the great work she was doing in the state of Indiana. It was a moment that left Leslie speechless and left the photograph of the two of them in her office to cherish.
THE NINE SCRAPBOOKS SHE MADE FOR ANN
If there’s one relationship Leslie loves more than Ben Wyatt’s, it’s the one with her best friend Ann. However, once Ann becomes pregnant, she decides to move back to her hometown to raise her and Chris’ baby. But before she left, Leslie couldn’t help but make nine scrapbooks depicting their entire friendship.
If you take a closer look, she has a scrapbook dedicated to the three concerts of Kelly Clarkson that they went to. Oddly enough, there’s even a scrapbook titled. The Mystery of the Woman We Saw in Food and Stuff Who Looked Like Isla Fisher. Then there’s a book dedicated to Ross and Rachel from Friends, quotes from actor Sam Waterston, an entire album dedicated to Ann’s job as a nurse, and more.
SHE HONORS HER FUTURE AND HER PAST
As Leslie continues to grow in her career and in American politics (and parks), we see her office contain more and more iconic moments in her life. It becomes more personal, if you will. What was once a cold office with pictures of inspiring women and political books turned into her own political accomplishments, pictures of her and Ben, her and Ann, and the day she graduated from college. It’s a sweet ode to the woman who can do it all.
