Retta Reveals the Iconic Parks and Rec Line Fans "Whisper" to Her on the Street
The Parks and Rec star also revealed how she spoils herself today, and Donna Meagle would most definitely approve.
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Key Takeaways
- Retta shared that fans still regularly quote the iconic Parks and Recreation catchphrase “Treat yo self” to her in public, sometimes even whispering it as if it’s a new joke.
- The phrase became famous through Donna Meagle and Tom Haverford’s habit of justifying extravagant purchases and self-care on the show.
- Retta said her own version of “treating herself” has evolved from shopping to experiences like travel and professional stretching sessions.
Parks and Recreation may have aired its final episode in 2015, but the beloved NBC mockumentary is still as popular as ever today. Just ask Retta, who played Donna Meagle in all seven seasons.
On July 30, the actor-comedian stopped by TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle, where she reminisced about being part of Parks and Rec. As it turns out, Retta confessed to hosts Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones that fans still quote one of the show's most famous lines to her whenever they see her out and about.
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Parks and Rec fans "whisper" and "yell" this iconic line to Retta on the street
"You have so many quotable moments from Parks and Rec, what's the most... like, what do people yell at you?" Hager asked Retta during her appearance on TODAY.
"I mean, 'Treat yo self,' really," Retta immediately responded. "Yeah, it's still going."
To clarify, fans don't just yell the iconic phrase at Retta on the streets. In fact, many go one step further.
"Or they'll whisper it, you know, come up behind me," she revealed. "But it's always so funny to me when they think they're landing on the moon, they're breaking new ground, and they're like, 'Treat yo self, girl.' Yeah, I heard it, five minutes ago."
The famous line is a reference to the mantra Donna and Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) lived by in the show, often as an excuse to justify making extravagant purchases.
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Retta reveals how she "treats" herself today years after Parks and Rec
Even though Retta may hear the words "treat yo self" all the time, that doesn't mean she doesn't embrace her inner Donna. According to the star, she still "treats" herself today, although her definition has changed over the years.
"I was big on shopping, and now I'm like, 'I don't wanna be a hoarder,'" she shared on TODAY before explaining that she loves taking trips these days. But that's not the only way Retta "treats herself" in 2026.
"My big thing now is stretching," she continued. "I hire someone to stretch my body ... Everyone is doing cold plunges. Not I. I get stretched."
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How to stream every episode of Parks and Recreation
It's been over a decade since the final episode of Parks and Rec aired on NBC, but that doesn't mean fans can't binge as many episodes as they want. You can stream all seven seasons of the Emmy-nominated single-camera comedy on Peacock right now.
