Ron Swanson

Ronald Swanson is a fictional character played by Nick Offerman in the NBC situation comedy Parks and Recreation, which was created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. Ron is the director of the Parks and Recreation Department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, and the series protagonist Leslie Knope's their immediate superior (Amy Poehler). Knope and Swanson are polar opposites in demeanor, political philosophy, and work ethic: where Knope is sunny and outgoing, decidedly liberal, and always working, Swanson is distant, and as a staunch libertarian, is a strong advocate for small government, stating his belief that government should be privatized, and thus believes that the parks department should not even exist.

Ron, who has a deadpan and stereotypical masculine personality, actively works to reduce the effectiveness of government and despises interacting with the public. He enjoys meat, carpentry, hunting, Lagavulin whisky, breakfast foods, nautical literature, and sex. He despises and fears his ex-wives, both named Tammy and played by Megan Mullally, Offerman's real-life wife. Ron claims to be uninterested in the personal lives of those around him, but he genuinely cares about his coworkers and has a special fondness for Leslie. The portrayal of Ron Swanson by Offerman has received widespread critical acclaim. The character gained a cult following and is widely regarded as the series' breakout character.