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MARIA BAMFORD - September 15, 2006
MARIA BAMFORD: Hang on one second. I'm just going to
get to a place where I can talk. I'm here at my local
art class place.
GUY MACPHERSON: You're in the middle of a class?
MB: Oh, no, no, no. I'm not at a class. My friend
teaches here at the Wizard of Art. I've taken many
classes here. I'm just coming for a visit.
GM: What city are you in?
MB: I'm in Los Angeles.
GM: Is that where you live?
MB: Yes!
GM: Everyone lives there.
MB: Well, I don't know. There are certainly a lot of
people. Yeah. I think it's where most of the work is.
That's what they say, anyway. I haven't tried anywhere
else so I don't know if there's work other places.
GM: You travel around a lot. So what do you mean? Are
you doing acting work in L.A.?
MB: I get some voice-over work and I hate to say this,
maybe this is totally fear-based, but it seems like if
you don't live in L.A. or in New York, and you aren't
on the scene in one of those cities, or a major city,
you're less available.
GM: Your face isn't out there so people don't think to
call you for work, is that it?
MB: Certainly. I think that's the theory. I don't
know. I'm completely basing my life and lifestyle on
something I haven't experimented with.
GM: You're from Minnesota?
MB: Yes, from Duluth, which is about three hours north
of Minneapolis.
GM: A lot of good comics come from Minnesota.
MB: Yes! I think so. Yeah, there's um... uh... okay.
GM: Diane Ford?
MB: Yes. Garrison Keillor, uh, there's um... okay
now... There's so many wonderful people... Mitch
Hedberg...
GM: That's right. Al Franken.
MB: Al Franken, yes!
GM: Did you quit standup at some point and go back to
Minnesota?
MB: No. That was a fantasy that I had. And I acted out
my fantasy in a one-person sitcom. Because you know
sitcoms always have something like [sing-songy] a fish
out of water! So I have thought of that extensively,
moving back to Duluth, Minnesota. And I may, in fact,
buy a house there because I can't seem to buy one
here. But that's my fantasy, so I acted out how I
thought that would go. And of course it doesn't go...
Well, I mean, I don't know. But yes, I didn't actually
do that. That's just this thing that I did.
GM: It was a sitcom or a one-woman show?
MB: One-woman show/sitcom-type thing. I made a DVD of
it that isn't out yet. And I just did it at the
Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the month and I got some
really great reviews from the UK Guardian and the Herald.
GM: This is all separate from your standup?
MB: Yes. Although those same characters occur in my
standup so it's all mixed together.
GM: How long have you been doing standup?
MB: Like, 14 years.
GM: Obviously you've evolved over the years. How
different was your act in your first few years?
MB: Let me see... When I was doing it the first few
years, I was bald and I had a violin.
GM: What?
MB: Yeah. I shaved my head. I had just gotten out of a
depression treatment centre-type thing. Like, an
out-patient treatment centre for depression, eating
disorders, etc. So I said to myself, "I think I'm
gonna take back the night or something." And then I
shaved my head. I would play my violin and then do
what I perceived to be a joke. A lot of comics when
they start out, not all of them, but some people start
out and they do sort of more shocking material because
they want to get people to pay attention. Maybe I did
that. Now it's different. At least right now I'm kind
of in a sort of a blank period. I don't know what to
do next. I'd like to grow as a comedian and try new
things. I'm hoping to start a couple of shows in my
neighbourhood so I can get used to going up at regular
places where people aren't paying so I can try
different things. I mean, I can try things at comedy
clubs and things like that, and I think I've become a
better comedian definitely doing that. But I'm not
sure what the plan is.
GM: You do character-based comedy. I'm trying to
picture somebody (you) starting out doing that. Was it
as character-based, or more jokey?
MB: It was more like, "Here are some jokes." I did
some material like, "This is a musical interpretation
of my relationship history in the past." I was only
22, and didn't have much of one. And then I'd do like
a beautiful piece and then scratch it all up at the
end. That type of joke. I never liked playing the
violin but people always said, "Oh, that's so nice!"
GM: Do you play clubs often? Because your style isn't
what a lot of people associate with a comedy club.
MB: I do Minneapolis at the comedy club there. I've
done that several times. The Acme Comedy Club,
the main club there. And I do Austin, Texas, and San Francisco.
And that's been it so far. I haven't done Chicago or New
York or Boston or anything like that. So I don't know.
I always think what I do is funny but when you go to
something generic, it might be a rude disappointment
for audience members. For them and possibly for me. I
don't know what the answer is.
GM: That's okay, I forgot what the question was. Since
starting out 14 years ago, have you noticed a palpable
change in the way women comics have been perceived or
treated in the business? Is it that much different
now, do you think?
MB: I don't think so. I know when Phyllis Diller was
coming out, there were no women comedians. So that
changed. If it's changed a lot then it's been so
gradual that I haven't noticed. I think in every
interview most women comedians get asked, "Is it hard
being a woman? How is it different?" So maybe it
hasn't changed. But I don't know.
GM: Some female comics say it's awful and they're
treated awful, whereas others say it's fine. So I
wonder.
MB: Here's an example: Most clubs will not book two
women on one show.
GM: Still?
MB: Yes. It's a classic three... opener, middle and a
headliner, which is what they do in U.S. clubs,
anyway. I'm not how it is in the U.K. or Australia. I
think Austin and Minneapolis and the Punchline in San Francisco
are less likely to do that. But if you look at comedy club
lineups, I would be surprised, unless it's a women's
night, unless it's like, "Ladies are funny!"... And
it's the same thing with ethnic groups. I don't think
they say it, but usually there's only one black person
or one Asian person unless it's a theme show for the
chosen minority. So I think that's odd.
GM: Is it a numbers game, though? Are there more white
males out there doing standup than any females or
ethnic comics?
MB: Well, that could be. That's a good point as well.
It's hard to say. I think there usually are a lot of
women comics. Maybe it is a numbers thing. One thing,
and maybe is in any male-dominated workplace that
occurs in a bar, is... One thing is I didn't have
brothers so I wasn't very good at dealing with guys
and how to make boundaries around work and dating and
stuff like that. That can be confusing. Especially
when you start out pretty young. And in Hollywood,
sometimes women who are perceived as being more
conventionally attractive are given opportunities. Not
that I'm a hot, hot superstar, but I feel like I've
gotten enough comments where people have said, "Oh,
it's so great that you're both funny and pretty." Or
you've heard an executive say, "That comic is great
but she doesn't have the sex appeal" or something. But
I think white men have the same issue because there
are so many of them so it's hard for them to make
themselves known. They just have a different issue. I
think everybody has their own level of suffering.
(laughs)
GM: And that factor of good-looking women getting
ahead is probably true in every walk of life.
MB: And good-looking people.
GM: Tell me about it. I know.
MB: Yeah! So it turns out things aren't fair, and
that's uncomfortable.
GM: Have you ever felt any exclusion from either the
business side or fellow comics, who are male?
MB: Not at all, really. The only thing is - but I
think guys have experienced this, too - is you just
want somebody to like you because they think you're
funny. For example, my voice, as well as lots of
women's voices... One of the descriptatory words used
about my voice is that it's squeaky and high and
irritating. I think, well, women's voices are higher.
But I think guys who have unique voices probably get
the same thing. I don't know. I guess people just pick
out whatever they notice.
GM: Any kind of difference.
MB: Yeah. Any kind of difference. That's the criticism
that bothers me, whereas I'm sure somebody else can
go, "They always pick out my neck and how my neck is
short." So I think it's hard for everybody. In every
job. (laughs)
GM: In the last few years, you've started to make a
real name for yourself in comedy.
MB: I feel really grateful and happy. I've been
invited to be a part of things that I didn't... Like
the Comedians of Comedy thing, that's totally made my
career. It's got me a lot more fans and stuff. And
that's through none of my own doing - except for
showing up for the thing. So that was really lovely.
But I haven't been a marketing genius, that's for
sure. So if that gives any hope to people who are not
marketing geniuses, if you wait long enough, somebody
will notice you! (laughs)
GM: I don't know if it's true across the board, but
often the marketing geniuses in comedy are not often
the best comics.
MB: I don't know. That's hard to say, too. Whenever
somebody becomes super, ultra-popular then it's like,
"Hmm. Bandwagon." One person I've heard criticism of
is Dane Cook. I saw his special and I thought that guy
is working his butt off. Just physically. He's running
around. Even if his material or art form, whether or
not I was into it, there's just no denying that he's
worked really hard.
GM: And he's entertaining a lot of people.
MB: Exactly. Entertaining a whole lot of people and
that's wonderful. That's the job, making people laugh.
It's wonderful. But I guess that's the thing is that
you then open yourself up to be criticized when you
really have a giant fan base.
GM: It's like when I was in university at the college
radio station. When all the hip alternative bands hit
it big, they were suddenly hated. With a passion.
MB: I guess that's the human experience. Like, I'm
sure if I met Paris Hilton on the street, maybe I'd be
like, "Oh, she seems all right" or "I like her hair."
But when it feels pushed upon you or when you start
seeing the person over and over you get your back up.
I have people write me and they get mad if I don't
write them back right away. And I'm like, "I'm going
as fast as I can." I'm sure part of it's that, where
either they're working so much they can't keep in
contact with the people who were diehard fans. I mean,
I don't know.
GM: And then, of course, they say, "Oh, her head's too
big now. She's changed."
MB: Yeah, yeah! And you're just like, "Listen, I gotta
write jokes every once in a while." Maybe that's why a
person got into comedy. Maybe they're not as good at
talking to people. Like, they love performing but...
I'm not very good at talking to people after shows and
I feel like, "Oh God, this is part of the job." I
didn't realize that was part of the job. And I love
the people but I just feel awkward. I just feel kinda
weird about it. Even though they're super nice people
and it seems like it should be fun because I've seen
people have fun doing it. And I enjoy doing it when I
go see a performer. I like it when they stand out
there. And somehow when I'm doing it I feel like, "I
gotta go." I mean, not always. But I always get
anxious that they're going to say something weird.
Like one guy, what did he say? He said, "I really like
you. My wife hates you." But anyways, that's just like
any job. People come up and tell you things you didn't
necessarily need to know about. A public service job.
What do you like about your job? How's your job? Is it
fun interviewing people?
GM: Oh, you're talking to me?
MB: Yeah, yeah, I'm talking to you!
GM: Yeah, it's fun. The worst part is sitting down and
transcribing.
MB: Right. Is it best if I keep it to sound bites?
Like if I don't use any connective words? (laughs)
GM: That's just the grunt work that goes along with
it, that's gotta be done. How long have you been with
the Comedians of Comedy?
MB: I've only done it since they did the film, which
is two years ago now. I'm going to actually take a
year off from travelling so I think they're looking
for new Comedians of Comedy. I think that was the
idea, just to always rotate new comedians in and give
people a chance to see comedians they wouldn't
necessarily see in their town or wouldn't necessarily
get booked at their comedy club. So I'm coming to
Vancouver but then I'm going to be out for the next
year. But then there'll be new people coming in, which
is exciting. One of those people is Morgan Murphy. I
think she's coming to Vancouver. She is fantastic. She's
very funny. And then Jen Kirkman. For the last
tour they had Eugene Mirman. And there's a new tour
that's going to be started by Demetri Martin. He won
the Perrier award [in Edinburgh]. He's doing with an
Irish comic, David O'Doherty, who was at Montreal this
last year. As well as one other person. I can't remember
who it is. But it sounds really great. They're actually
going to go on a road tour across the U.S. I don't know
if they're going to hit Canada. I would think that
they would.
GM: Is the Comedians of Comedy still filming?
MB: No. They did six episodes of a series and Comedy
Central was not interested in more, apparently. So
that's too bad. So onward and upward.
GM: Why are you taking a year off of travelling?
MB: Because I've travelled a lot, a lot, a lot the
past five years. And I just want to try to create a
community within Los Angeles because otherwise it's
like you have nothing to come home to. So I want to
give that a shot and see if I can get work in town.
And then if I can't, there's always performing live.
And that's fun. I like doing that. But I'm an older
lady. I just turned 36. So I'm more interested now in
creating some version of a family and stuff like that.
I think that involves staying in town more than a
week. (laughs) All my friends are having little ones
and I've missed most of the births because I'm just
out of town so much.
GM: By creating a community in L.A., you're talking
about opening up the workout room?
MB: Yeah. I have two ideas. One I tried to pitch to
UCB, the Upright Citizens Brigade. I'm hoping
that they'll be interested. It would be all crowd rap,
where the comedians could only talk to the crowd. They
couldn't do any material. (laughs) So that's the one
show idea I had. If I don't do it there maybe I'll be
able to do it someplace else. And then another one is
to have comedians go up and do a one-minute,
one-person show. (laughs) Like, hopefully that would
be slightly ridiculous. There'd be maybe some dance
then a sad part or a happy part, and then the moment
of revelation and then change and then a happy ending.
Or a sad ending. And I did a show that I may start
again that's just in my living room where I just
invite my neighbours over and book four comics every
week. But the problem is I end up doing too many
dishes. Actually, it's not very hard, but we'll see.
Sometimes my living room can become kind of a rough
crowd. My neighbours will be like, "I heard that one."
GM: That would be a good idea for a TV show, in
Maria's living room.
MB: Yeah, but you know what's so funny? I told my
agent I was doing a show on Friday night and he was
like, "Where?" Anyways, the idea is basically just to
get to know my neighbours. But perhaps, if we recast
my neighbours with more attractive people...!
GM: Yes! Now I like it!
MB: Dave, the agoraphobic gay man, for a bit of a
different twist. Yeah, we'll see what happens.
GM: If you stay at home for a year, you could always
fly out for a weekend to a club if you need to,
couldn't you?
MB: Yeah. I told my booking agent that if somebody
wants to fly me out for one night, then I'll do it
(laughs). It's fun to do festivals. But comedy clubs,
unless you know people in the area, it just can be a
bit... sometimes I just feel sad.
GM: Lonely?
MB: Yeah, it just feels a bit sad. Because usually the
opening acts are a bit younger. You don't really know
how to party with them. And I don't know how to party
anyway, so that's problematic right there.