How Twitter Landed Comedian Billy Eichner His 'Parks And Recreation' Role

"Billy On The Street"

Comedian Billy Eichner has garnered over 150,000 Twitter followers by yelling at unsuspecting people on the street in his popular web-turned-Fuse TV series, "Billy On The Street."

A few of Eichner's Twitter fans happen to include Amy Poehler and the rest of the "Parks and Recreation" cast and crew - so it was only a matter of time before the comedians joined forces.

Last year, Eichner landed his first real acting role as "Crazy Craig" on "Parks," and it's all thanks to social media. He explains to Rolling Stone in a new Q&A:

Amy [Poehler] was a fan of my Billy On The Street show; I had reached out to her to be on. I heard through the grapevine that people at Parks enjoyed my show, then Mike Schur ["Parks" writer/producer] and I set up a meet-up through Twitter. After that first meeting, I got a DM on Twitter from Mike Schur and he said, "We have a part for you."

Lucky for Eichner, he was a hit. Unfortunately, his shows shoot on opposite coasts.

I thought I'd be in one or two episodes - and then I ended up in ten. My life was crazy because my show shoots in New York and Parks shoots in LA. I'd shoot my show all day in New York then get on the latest flight to LA to shoot at seven in the morning, then right back to New York.

But Poehler isn't Eichner's only celebrity fan. Neil Patrick Harris, Lena Dunham, Olivia Wilde, Rashida Jones, Paul Rudd, and many more have graced his guerilla-comedy show with guest appearances.

"Billy On The Street" premiers its third season on Fuse tonight.

Watch Eichner's hilarious "Crazy Craig" on "Parks And Recreation" below:

Watch more of his "Parks" appearances here >

Read the rest of Eichner's Rolling Stone Q&A here >