Austinist Interviews Maria Bamford

But you studied at Edinburgh?

Yes.

And you were in the Improverts there?

The Improverts! Yes.

They’re essentially TheaterSportz, right?

Yeah, it’s TheaterSportz. And I think they may have actually called it that at the time. I’m not sure when they were called the Improverts, because there was a guy from Canada that started it.

They’re now for sure called the Improverts. But I don’t remember them being called that when I was there. It’s still there—they have the Bedlam theater. It’s totally improv heaven.

Did you like performing improv?

It’s really fun. The only thing I find hard about it is that once you create something, it’s gone, even if it’s gorgeous and beautiful. And it’s very Zen—to let go of something as soon as you create it.

That was the frustrating part for me. And also, I was younger and it was mostly guys. So I usually got to play the part of the wife. Or the whore. Or the mother. Wife, whore, mother. A triumvirate of roles.

Was that before you had gotten into stand-up?

Yes. I had done it a couple times in college. I went to a couple years at a school in Maine called Bates College, and I had done stand-up a couple times just for talent shows.

I knew they had stand-up at Edinburgh, but I didn’t think I could handle it because it was at pubs. They also have more of a tradition of heckling there, which is kind of—it’s like on the East coast, people shout stuff out and are more boisterous. I just knew I wasn’t very—I don’t know if it was conscious, but I realize now that I’m not very comfortable with that.

I’m trying to get better at it, but it’s definitely my weakness. Crowd participation.

What can you tell me about your new CD, How to Win?

It was recorded in Austin at Cap City. I feel pretty proud of it.

It’s a variety of things. You get to meet my sister, Sarah. I have more stuff about my sister. More stuff about mental health. I think, before, I was doing more office humor.

It’s a mix of stuff that’s interesting to me. I guess material that I was thinking about from the age of 32 to 34. Those jokes.

How to Win—it seems like in show business, or maybe just in life, or maybe it’s just the way my brain works, people are asking, “What is going on with you? What are you working on? What’s happening? What’s your current project? What’s on your plate these days?”

I’m done. I finished early. I think that’s my main theme in How to Win: that I’ve lost. Perhaps that’s the only way to win—to give up.

liezl was here on Flickr

What can you tell me about your show on SuperDeluxe?

It’s a worst-case, best-case scenario premise: I’ve gone mad or had a nervous breakdown of some sort and now I’m taking some time off to live with my parents in their attic in Duluth, Minnesota. Which is kind of my greatest fear and my greatest wish at the same time. You think, “what if things went so terribly wrong that I had to go back home?” Or, at least for me, that’s a fear.

So I’m doing my own sitcom from my parents’ attic. That is what the show is.

Do you like doing web-based video?

It’s great. It’s great because you can do whatever you want. You can do whatever you want, edit it, and put it up. It’s fantastic.

It’s a good way to get your stuff out there immediately to people who really are interested in your stuff, rather than flailing about in the wilderness. I love the internet because it creates little communities.

Some people might say that those communities are isolated—that everyone stays in their own little community and there’s no cross-pollination. I don’t know.

But it’s great. It’s creative. If you do something for TV, there’s the network and the advertisers and all these people telling you what to do. On the internet, there’s nobody—well, there’s one guy. His name is Dan and I have his phone number.

Are you going to continue doing the show?

We finished 20 episodes, and I think there’s 15 up now. But we ended at 20.

What can someone expect from your stand-up show?

Professional show business.

I’ve worked very hard on all of my bits. One thing I hope to do is to be honest—to be vulnerable as a performer. I’m not interested in comedy where somebody is the winner. Where they’re the kind of their world on stage. Have you ever been to a comedy show where it’s like, “and here’s the Hammer!”

I love the Hammer!

Well, the Hammer is talented. He has a gift. But I don’t really bring that machismo energy. Get ready to enjoy yourself—to quietly enjoy yourself.

EveryBODY…shhhhhhh.

Get read to quietly enjoy yourself!

But your style of humor isn’t set-up, punchline, set-up, punchline. It’s more narrative.

Yeah, it’s a narrative. And it’s not funny to everybody. It’s funny to me, though, and that’s a certain percentage of the audience.

It’s little stories. I do try to do some machismo, though. I have a couple of jokes where I try to bring it. But they’re sort of pathetic bringing it.

mediageek on Flickr

So then who is your—I don’t want to say typical fan, but what kinds of people have you see the most loyal following from?

That’s tough.

Well, I ask this because I watched a show about Kathy Griffin and she said her audience is gay men—she called them her gays. Can you do that? Can you say, “my audience is _____.”

I would argue with Kathy Griffin if she were here right now, because I’m a Kathy Griffin fan and I’m not a gay man. I love Kathy Griffin. I haven’t seen her live but I’ve watched all of her stuff. So maybe that’s her broad base.

It’s hard to say because there are lots of older people at my shows. And then I’ve seen young kids. People seem to connect the most with the mental health stuff. Or people who have worked in an office. Or people that are kind of shy or goofy.

Sometimes it’s weird, though. I met this woman that said, “I’m your biggest fan.” And yet she seemed to hate me. When I was talking to her she made fun of my outfit and said, “I saw that one show you did. Weird.” She was kind of a brassy young gal that didn’t seem like she liked me that much. But apparently she does like me.

I beg your pardon, but I don’t think you are my biggest fan based on what you’re telling me.

Wait a minute, I take issue. My biggest fans bring me chocolate.

But it’s probably people like myself: a bit odd, self-effacing, have maybe had issues with mental health. And are passive aggressive. And those people come in all ages, shapes and sizes.

Is doing stand-up therapeutic for you?

Yes, it is. Because you hear people laugh about stuff you’ve though about. They know what I’m talking about, so I can’t be that weird. Or I can’t be alone, because other people relate.

But then it feels really bad—I mean, I still have shows where people, for whatever reason, are quiet. But not in a good way.

What is your favorite thing about Austin?

My favorite thing is hanging out with the other comics, like Lisa Delarios and Maggie Gallant. And when they take me to lunch somewhere. It’s usually a nice, fresh Mexican place. Or once we went swimming at that place…

Barton Springs.

Yeah! I only went there once, but I would go there every time if someone would give me a ride there. Not that this is a plea. But it is.

Maria Bamford plays the Cap City Comedy Club tonight and tomorrow night.