5 Reasons Maria Bamford Stole Our Hearts
Maria Bamford is our girl—and she’ll probably be yours too by the time you finish this post. You’ve probably seen her before, even if you can’t quite place her. Bamford’s stand-up career has spanned some twenty-odd years and more recently, she’s brought the funny to Arrested Development and FX’s Louie.
Bamford is best-known for an ultra-bizarre sense of humor. Her act is augmented with spot-on (if utterly zany) impressions of family members and select celebrities. She speaks in affectation, often in very low or very high tones. Yes, she’s eccentric, and yes she’s got celebrity fans. Judd Apatow told the New York Times he considers Maria “the most unique, bizarre, imaginative comedian out there right now.” High praise from the man who’s partially to thank for Jason Segel, Seth Rogen, James Franco, etc-ad-infinitum. If you need more proof that this comic is one to follow and frolic around, we’ve compiled a helpful list of visual arguments.
1. Maria Bamford outshone the cast of Arrested Development.
In last summer’s Arrested Development revival, the comic played a meth-addled actress who teamed up with the ever-preposterous Tobias Funke. She nailed it. ‘Nuff said.2. Maria Bamford makes us feel less like weirdos. Perhaps the most interesting hallmark of Bamford’s “brand” is her subject material—the comic has openly struggled with mental illness for most of her life. Her struggles with depression, suicidal thoughts and anxiety constitute the basis for a lot of her jokes. This might sound off-color at first, but we fans who relate to the comedian’s issues have praised her candor as cathartic. Not many comics can neatly lampoon issues like mental illness with a voice that’s empathetic, warm and supremely goofy.
3. Maria Bamford is savvy as heck.
Case in point? In a recent FunnyOrDie interview, when asked if she was “in possession of anything that didn’t belong to her,” Bamford answered with a great joke: “As a middle-class white woman, I’m sure there are a few things I’ve appropriated that I should return. I should probably give back reggae.” Tee-hee.
4. Maria Bamford is getting people to notice her.
The comic was recently tapped to front a series of Target ads, and she still managed to retain her silly self. . . in a national ad campaign. Forget Bamford, it’s kind of a big step for corporate America. See, guys? The world is ready for WEIRD!
5. Maria Bamford is never afraid to be a doofus.
A lesson we could all benefit from, I think. Part of the reason Bamford is so likable is her unabashed silliness. Did I mention that she filmed her most recent comedy special in her home, and invited only her parents to be in the audience? Brilliance!
To see if this crucial comic is coming to a stage or screen near you, check out her website. Or, make a bigger commitment and snag a copy of Bamford’s recent comedy album. You will die, in a good way.
