Maria Bamford

Early life

Bamford's father, Joel Bamford, served as a Navy doctor. She grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, attending Chester Park Elementary and Duluth Marshall School. She has stated that when she was younger, she was often troubled with her anxiety, depression, and what she has called "Unwanted Thoughts Syndrome", a subset of obsessive–compulsive disorder.

Upon graduating from high school, she attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. In 1992, she transferred to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland at the start of her junior year. She became the first female member of the college's improvised comedy group, The Improverts. After a year in Scotland, she transferred back to her home state and enrolled at the University of Minnesota, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She began stand-up comedy in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at age 19, at Stevie Ray's Comedy Cabaret.

Career

1998–2008: Comedy beginnings

Bamford has been in many movies and television shows, including cartoon voices. She was the voice of Shriek DuBois in Nickelodeon's CatDog, a wide selection of secondary characters in Cartoon Network's Adventure Time, and Mrs. Botsford, Violet, and Leslie on the PBS educational series WordGirl. She does impersonations, including her mother and her agent. Her stand-up comedy often takes the form of vignettes rather than the standard setup-and-punchline format.

Bamford was featured in the documentary series The Comedians of Comedy on Comedy Central and Showtime, and appears in short skits titled The Maria Bamford Show, broadcast on the website Super Deluxe. She appears on the comedy compilation CD Comedy Death-Ray.

2008–2014: Rise to prominence

Her album Unwanted Thoughts Syndrome, produced by Comedy Central Records, was released in April 2009 and includes a DVD containing The Maria Bamford Show episodes. During the Christmas 2009–2010 shopping seasons, she was featured in a series of Target commercials, portraying an over eager shopper determined to be first in line. For Christmas 2009, she released a free stand-up special online as a gift to her fans.

While working in voice-over shows and advertisements in Los Angeles, she was hospitalized three times over the course of 18 months for nervous breakdowns. She commented on the hospital visits by saying "it was the responsible thing to do" after she felt "suicidal" and "dispirited".

In 2012, she released The Special Special Special for download through Chill.com. The special was recorded at her own home in Los Angeles with only her parents present as the audience.

In 2013, she created and starred in a web series called Ask My Mom. She plays both herself and her mother, who answers questions sent in by fans. Also in 2013, she appeared as herself in one episode of the interview web series All Growz Up with Melinda Hill. She voiced Pema in the Nickelodeon cartoon The Legend of Korra.

In 2013, she appeared in season four of Arrested Development as Debrie Bardeaux, Tobias Fünke's love interest. The series creator noted her as a comical "genius" and said that "real artists [like Maria] talk about things that nobody else talks about, and talk about them candidly." She remained on the series until it concluded in 2019.

2014–present: ''Lady Dynamite'' and critical acclaim

She appeared in the third season of Louis C.K.'s Louie. In 2014, she co-created, wrote, and starred in The Program with Melinda Hill, produced by Funny or Die. In 2014, she won the American Comedy Award for Best Club Comic. In January 2016, she was a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where host Stephen Colbert called her his "favorite comedian on planet Earth".{{cite web

In early 2016, Netflix announced an original series based on her life, called Lady Dynamite, starring her,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/02/maria-bamford-lady-dynamite-premiere-date-netflix-sarah-silverman-1201707924/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160224172023/http://deadline.com/2016/02/maria-bamford-lady-dynamite-premiere-date-netflix-sarah-silverman-1201707924/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 24, 2016|title=Maria Bamford Announces 'Lady Dynamite' Premiere Date – With A Little Help

In May 2017, she was the commencement speaker for the University of Minnesota's College of Liberal Arts. During the speech, she gave a check made out to Sallie Mae for $5,000, her net speaking fee, to a graduate in the audience who had student loans.

In April 2018, she appeared on season 13 of Worst Cooks in America. She was eliminated in the fourth episode.

On September 5, 2023, her book, Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere, was released by Gallery Books. On September 24, 2023, the book entered the New York Times Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction best seller list at #11.

Comedy style

Bamford's unique comedic style has drawn praise from many in the comedy world. She is best known for her portrayal of her dysfunctional family and self-deprecating comedy involving jokes about depression and anxiety. Her comedy style is surreal and incorporates voice impressions of various character types. Zach Freeman of the Chicago Tribune has noted her content and comedic style as "comically erratic" with "seemingly unrelated tangents and constantly varying vocal inflections". David Sims of The Atlantic noted her roles and voice work as having themes of "serial passivity" stemming from her "polite upbringing and own internal anxieties". Film producer Judd Apatow has described her comedic style as "complex" and "bizarre", later calling her "the funniest woman in the world". Variety described Bamford's performance in Lady Dynamite, saying that "the actress and comedian, whose presence has rarely been used as well as it is here, manages the neat trick of being both believably guileless and winningly sharp." A 2014 New York Times profile of Bamford noted her comedic style by saying: Much of Bamford's work examines the relationship between "people" — generally well-intentioned friends and family — and those who grapple with depression or anxiety or any other challenge to the psyche. Her act is a series of monologues and mini skits performed rapid fire and often without regard for transition. Deploying a range of deadpan voices, she mimics the faux enlightened who hover around the afflicted, offering toothless platitudes, bootstrapping pep talks, or concern warped by self-interest. The humor of any given moment relies not so much on punch lines as it does on the impeccably timed swerves of her tone, the interplay between Bamford's persona and those of all the people who don't get her.

Personal life

Bamford stated in an interview with The Salt Lake Tribune that she has been diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). In stand-up, she describes bipolar as "the new gladiator sandal".

On December 11, 2014, during her show at the Neptune Theater in Seattle, she announced that she was engaged to artist Scott Marvel Cassidy. They were married at a private ceremony in 2015. She has one sister, Sarah Seidelmann, who is a physician, life coach and Shamanic healer. She has a private residence in Los Angeles, California, and a home in Altadena, California. She loves pugs, and typically owns at least one senior pug at any given time.

Filmography

Film

Television

Web series

Discography

• The Burning Bridges Tour (2003) [CD]
• How to WIN! (2007) [CD]
• Unwanted Thoughts Syndrome (2009) [CD]
• Plan B (2010) [DVD]
• The Special Special Special! (2012) [video download]
• Ask Me About My New God! (2013) [CD]
• 20% (2016) [CD]
• Maria Bamford: Old Baby (2017) [Netflix]
• Weakness Is the Brand (2020) [album/video]
• CROWD-PLEASER! (2023) [album]
• Local Act (2023) [video download]

Biography

• Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere (2023)

Podcasts

• Bonanas for Bonanza (2020)
• Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend (2023)
• Planet Money - Maria Bamford gets personal (about) finance (Oct 13, 2023)

References

References

1. 9781496835499.
2. "Book review: Sure, I'll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford - The Washington Post".
3. Keller, Joel. (November 24, 2009). "Maria Bamford plays a demented shopper in new Target ads". AOL Television.
4. (November 29, 2012). "Maria Bamford: the special special special!". Chill.
5. Haglund, David. (June 6, 2013). "Maria Bamford on Arrested Development and Her New Web Series, Ask My Mom!". [[The Slate Group]].
6. Balthazar, Brian. (September 25, 2013). ""All Growz Up" Talks To Maria Bamford In A Back Alley".
7. Onion, Rebecca. (30 May 2013). "Tobias gets served.". Slate.
8. Bamford, Maria. (July 20, 2012). "What it's like to work with Louis C. K.". [[The Slate Group]].
9. "Maria Bamford, Melinda Hill's Funny Or Die series The Program features Jerry Minor, Oscar Nunez and more as Debtors Anonymous members (Videos)". LAUGHSPIN.
10. (July 2014). "The Program Part 1: Visions". Funny or Die.
11. (May 8, 2014). "American Comedy Awards Winners List: Bill Hader, Amy Poehler & More". [[Penske Media Corporation]].
12. (June 19, 2015). "Maria Bamford's Lady Dynamite comedy series is heading to Netflix". [[Meredith Corporation]].
13. Fox, Jesse David. (May 20, 2016). "Maria Bamford Walks You Through Lady Dynamite". [[New York Media]].
14. Jacoby Zoldan, Rachel. (May 19, 2017). "This Graduation Speaker Made Her Entire Commencement Speech About Her Fee". [[Condé Nast]].
15. Mullen, Mike. (May 14, 2017). "Maria Bamford gives U of M theater arts grad $5,000 to pay down student loans". [[citypages]].
16. "A Fresh Batch of Cooking-Challenged Celebrities Enter Boot Camp".
17. Reed, Conner. (May 26, 2023). "Fall 2023 Adult Announcements: Memoirs & Biographies".
18. (September 24, 2023). "Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction". The New York Times.
19. Corbett, Sara. (July 17, 2014). "The Weird, Scary and Ingenious Brain of Maria Bamford". [[The New York Times]].
20. Freeeman, Zach. (August 20, 2016). "Maria Bamford on edge and on point at the Athenaeum Theatre". [[Tronc]].
21. Sims, David. (May 20, 2016). "Maria Bamford's 'Lady Dynamite' Is a Weird, Sweet Comedy".
22. Hill, Libby. (February 24, 2016). "'Who is Maria Bamford?' Judd Apatow and others try to explain". [[Los Angeles Times]].
23. Ryan, Maureen. (May 17, 2016). "TV Review: 'Lady Dynamite'". [[Penske Media Corporation]].
24. Burger, David. (June 22, 2011). "Comic Maria Bamford will cross personal boundaries at Utah show". Huntsman Family Investments, LLC.
25. (September 4, 2014). "Comic takes on politics, understanding conservatives and suicide". [[Lee Enterprises]].
26. "This couple chose a funky costume to dance at their wedding".
27. (17 August 2015). "Maria Bamford Got Married Dressed As A Hotdog And It Was Amazing".
28. "Had a wonderful time with Mary Kay Place (playing my mom), Ed Begley, Jr. (as my dad), Mo Collins (as best friend) shooting the final scenes of Netflix series Lady Dynamite in Minnesota. The show should be out in April. The Minnesota-based crew was awesome. My Mom is very frustrated with my lack of social media posting and so, may be taking over this position. She wants to post "as Maria"- so if I start to sound upbeat and schilling Eileen Fisher fashions, trip advisor hotel reviews in Italy- know that it is not me- it is "Maria". This is a picture on my Mom's computer from my wedding of myself and my sister Sarah. Expect more of this type of thing in the future. I have abnegated all upon giving her my Facebook password. Enjoy.".
29. "The half-soft, half-sharp comedy of Maria Bamford and 'Lady Dynamite'". [[Daily Dot]]date=May 19, 2016.
30. (October 5, 2018). "Episode 21: Maria Bamford and Grant Imahara". MaximumFun.
31. (December 21, 2017). "Ave Maria Bamford - Topic".
32. (January 28, 2020). "What's Your Ailment? {{!}} Topic".
33. "Maria Bamford on her new memoir "Sure, I'll Join Your Cult"".