← Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out
Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out
153. Maria Bamford Returns: Marketable Mania
00:43:01
Mike welcomes back one of most referenced guests in Working It Out history, the legendary Maria Bamford. Mike and Maria discuss the importance of true confession in stand-up comedy, the financials of being a comedian, and why Maria works out new material one on one with strangers on coffee shops. Plus, Maria’s impression of Esther Perel, and why five-year-old Maria wanted to be called "Blueberry.” Please Consider Donating To: https://downtownwomenscenter.org/
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- [00:01]
A
My current barn burner joke that's going very well is me. There's a podcast when you're looking for healthcare, sometimes that's when you need to turn to a podcast. Este Parel. She has a Belgian. She has a French accent. I love her so much. But she started doing her own ads and today we'll be talking with a polyamorous quote quad. Of the four of you, do you like to be cc'd or be cc'd? Purple mattresses sleep up to nine. Take the firmness calculator. My husband likes to sleep on his side like a seahorse. I like to sleep on my tum tum.
- [00:59]
B
That is the voice of the great Maria Bamford. The legend Maria Bamford. Everyone who loves standup comedy loves Maria Bamford. Myself being at the top of the list. I'm a huge Bamford head. She's one of the very first guests we had on the Working it out podcast back in 2020. She wrote a book last year called sure, I'll Join youn Cult, which is amazing. So happy to talk to her again. I want to thank everyone who has first of all been coming out to my shows. The shows in Pittsburgh, actually in Dayton and Detroit were my favorite of the whole tour. Like, I think that the show is getting better week over week over week over week. All building up to the Beacon Theater in March for the final shows. The Good Life 4 shows at the Beacon Theater, March 19 through 22. Tickets@burbigs.com I am doing 10 more cities on this tour. I'm doing Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, Asheville, Charleston, Iowa City, Pickering, Ontario, Baltimore, Northampton, Massachusetts and Burlington, Vermont. We're going to add a show in Los Angeles, but just stay tuned. I think that's the final city that we're going to add. I love talking to Maria Bamford. We talk about one of Maria's favorite topics, the financial business of standup comedy. How over the years, voices of her family and friends have become a huge part of Maria's act. She does unbelievable voices in her comedy. She talks about how she works out material one on one for strangers in coffee shops when she's on tour, which I am endlessly fascinated by. Meanwhile, I work out material about singing hymns from my childhood. She has some great new jokes about podcast ads and I just love this episode. I hope you enjoy my conversation with the the great Maria Bamford. I always cite you as my favorite comedian on the planet and so does. I was looking this up. So does Stephen Colbert. So does Judd Apatow. Here's My question, do you feel funny on a day to day basis?
- [03:20]
A
I feel like I'm very funny and I'm very. And I'm also very pretty and, and I am in no way toxic.
- [03:35]
B
Oh, these are great. This is really helpful. We're gonna have to go step by step to how you arrived at this perfectly non toxic, fun personality.
- [03:46]
A
No, no, I think I am none of those things. So you know, I'm a carcass filled with deadly venom and a viper in the darkness snapping at the light.
- [04:06]
B
Yeah, I follow. I'm all the things I know complimenting you is not going to lead to the best answers.
- [04:15]
A
Yes, it's going to be very uncomfortable.
- [04:20]
B
But I'll preface this by saying that this is purely out of my own kind of pure curiosity. Cause I think of you as such a great performer. Do you have a pre show ritual? Because I have to imagine city to city. In some cities you're in, let's say a theater. In some cities it's maybe a bar or something. You know, in some cities it's, you know, a college, a college auditorium. Like it's. And it's. I feel like it would be so hard to prep for your show.
- [04:50]
A
The main thing is I start to get kind of lonely. I just kind of want to go home. So I only do like maybe three, four cities at the most. And then I go home, four cities the most, come home. And the thing that helps me a lot is I meet with somebody off Twitter, meet somebody for coffee. I practice my act for them. You know, that helps me feel kind of more connected to the area that I'm in. And if I have time, if I don't have time, then yeah, my only ritual is exercise and taking a beta blocker and maybe going to one of my weird Zoom 12 set meetings. Just hear the voices of other human beings talk about their lives and how similar standup is to driving a school bus or all the jobs. They're exactly the same.
- [05:51]
B
Can you go and can you elaborate on that?
- [05:53]
A
Well, I mean, you know, guess what, there's somebody else. Some people prefer another school bus driver. A lot of the kids really like.
- [06:03]
B
This other school bus driver.
- [06:04]
A
I mean like, you can't be a superstar no matter where you go, there's always going to be some issue with the quality of your performance. So that's, that's what I mean. I think by that I find that.
- [06:22]
B
Even with, like, with, you know, having my daughter's nine years old and so many of the problems of being a 9 year old are the Same as being an adult. It's just like this person says they don't want me to hang out with this person. And you're like, oh, yeah, me too. I have that.
- [06:40]
A
Yeah. At least they said it's your face. At least it's clear. I mean, yeah, I have some people that I keep trying with. And I'm like, well, stop trying, Maria. Just. That's absolutely ridiculous.
- [06:55]
B
You mean like friends, where you have to stop trying because it doesn't quite work?
- [06:58]
A
Well, yeah. Where I have a friend in my neighborhood who we've tried to get together a number of times, and then halfway through a conversation, there will be a disconnect where they will say something that really hurts my feelings. Something not innocuous. I mean, something to the effect of, you know, you think you're a comedian, but you're not funny. I mean, like one of those things where you're like, oh, hey, hey, you're my friend. I mean, I know you think that's.
- [07:36]
B
Oh, dear.
- [07:36]
A
Yeah, we're just talking about. So I've tried several times, and because this person is geographically attractive, I would love that we were better friends. But I don't think it's gonna work out. And it's okay. It's okay. Sometimes things don't work out. It's all right.
- [07:57]
B
So much of childhood is about geographically attractive friends.
- [08:01]
A
Right? Right. Who's.
- [08:03]
B
That's like your whole childhood. Do you. When you. Cause I just wanna give context to the listeners that you actually do this thing where on social media, you'll say, I'm gonna do my set for a person, basically a stranger in a different city. And it's sort of over coffee.
- [08:23]
A
That kind of stuff. It's over coffee. Yeah. Or whatever they want. Sky's the limit. I mean, I'm not.
- [08:27]
B
Chicken parmesan.
- [08:28]
A
Yeah. Order something to go, too. I wanna pay a living wage, which is around $80 per hour in Los Angeles County. If you think you're. We pay our housekeeper $20 an hour. Have you made eye contact with her? She is not happy. Anyways, so. But yeah, so meet with them. Buzzwatch. And then I've also done it over Zoom many times. Zoom is probably quite much more convenient. Cause sometimes I just don't have the time to go somewhere physically in a town. But, yeah, I've only met lovely people. Now, you don't always get laughs. Sometimes they bring. Sometimes they bring children. That's confusing. Cause the kids are always very funny. The kids are always like. You're like, come on. But I'm doing My bits.
- [09:28]
B
Sometimes they bring their kids.
- [09:31]
A
Yes. Yeah.
- [09:31]
B
Cause like a seven year old kind of thing. Cause they don't have a sitter.
- [09:34]
A
No. Five year old, four year old baby.
- [09:36]
B
Five year old. Wow.
- [09:38]
A
Or a friend. I've had people bring a friend who is not a fan and that is, I feel bad for them at that point.
- [09:46]
B
Oh God.
- [09:47]
A
But yeah, so it's an interesting experience and my act is very theatrical. As my friend Jackie Kishinawa says, comedians are sometimes fighting the wind of autism. I just gotta say it. I just gotta say the words over and over again or that's what feels good to me.
- [10:05]
B
So your warm up, so to speak, is the, is the interaction with the, with the local person.
- [10:10]
A
Yes. And if they want to do time up front, they can open, they can open with, you know, if they're a musician or they have something to say. Yeah, just as long as they bring me up at some point.
- [10:28]
B
Are you. Wait, so in other words, like is this, does this tie into the thing you do sometimes, like at Laundromats and kind of these alternative spaces where sometimes you'll perform in the city?
- [10:40]
A
Well, I like the perception. It makes me laugh about way standup specials are sometimes shot or how people can see. Stand up. Like. I had a dear friend, she's still my friend. First time she saw me, I was in a used bookstore and I am the used bookstore of comedy. I will not solve what you want, but you're free to come in and have a look around. So she saw me there, she said, oh, so well, so that you do that. And that's. Well, good for. Gosh, that's great. I mean, good for you. And so then she saw me at a larger venue in Hollywood. She said, huh, okay. I mean, so it's going, wow, it seems like you're funny. Then she saw me on TV and she said, you've got something. You're very good. And I'm like, all that is, is lighting, you know, it's just lighting. Like it's just like being in a museum where if you saw it on somebody's coffee table with dust on it, you'd say, sure. I don't know, I don't know if I'm going to buy that. But if it's well lit and cleaned off, well staged, staged, then it looks great. And that also makes me laugh. Stand up because comedians, I like comedians because they're so ridiculous and they're kind of, they're antiheroes or, or self deprecation. So when the staging is victorious is machismo. Is stomping around in an amphitheater. That makes me laugh. Like, I just like to it. I mean, not that it's just like, I'm a winner, you know, I'm a winner. I'm the king. Now that. That is. That's very funny to me.
- [13:03]
B
No, I know what you mean. It's a pet peeve. I have also with comedy specials where you just go, no, I think it's not. I don't think the theme should be that I have conquered it all.
- [13:17]
A
Well, it's almost fascist where you're like, wait a minute, everybody's cheering and looking the same direction. And have we. Is it even comedy anymore? Is it just sort of a sing along about ideas, you know, of just saying we all agree about that, you know, And I'm not saying that's not valid and great, but it's funny.
- [13:44]
B
It really goes back to the thing. I think that's the reason why I'm so fascinated by you doing stand up like one on one at a cafe with a stranger. Because it's like that's sort of what the whole art form is in a way.
- [13:57]
A
Yes, yes, yes.
- [13:59]
B
It's just one person talking to one or more people.
- [14:03]
A
Yes, exactly. And some. One person. I've had some of the best crowds of one person. I mean, like people just laughing their asses off and just having such a great time and then going to a show later on and being like it was. I mean, there's 300 people there.
- [14:21]
B
But do you. Do you feel like your parents passing has made the. Like you were evoking, like mortality things? Do you think that's made that more present?
- [14:34]
A
For sure. For sure. And also the. Yeah. That I do miss, though, doing my parents as characters. So. And miss doing. Well, I miss them in general, but. So I have done five times. I've done an entire show as just my mom dressed up as my mom. And it's called Marilyn is Risen. And she answers questions from an audience and then she tells you what's good and what's evil and. And it's really. It's really pleasant. It's pleasant to be inside my mother where she loved life. Like everything was just the greatest. Like everything she. Everything she was into, she would just be like, this is the best. And this was on wire cutter, honey. This was a consumer's report. Okay, Hilton honors, you gotta get into that. Okay, Delta, they are the. That is the one airline. And you know what? You shouldn't have ever is bad bread. There's no reason for bread to be bad. Have you ever had an airport ciabatta? It's not right. It's not right that it is both soaked and stale.
- [16:08]
B
You. You have jokes. You have some of my favorite jokes. And one of the favorite. My favorite things about him is. And I was. It's funny. I was just in Minneapolis and I thought of you and I thought of our old friend Mitch Hedberg, who passed many years ago. You and I both performed at that state theater tribute to Mitch back when his parents were around. And. And. But I was thinking about. You and Mitch have a thing in common, which is. I don't know where the jokes come from. Like, I just go, I don't. This is magical to me. This is beyond me. I don't know. And I'll give you an example from your act. It's like you have a line, you go, I was driving past a graveyard yesterday and I was like, what happened? And I'm. I'm just like, how did you arrive at that as a joke?
- [17:03]
A
Well, I was walking past. We were going. We were driving past Arlington National Cemetery and I was like, what happened, you guys? Something really bad. Is anyone talking about this? And it keeps happening. Yeah. Oh, that's so nice. Yeah, I love that about standup, where you just go, I can't believe, like, it went in a way that I could never imagine or. Yeah, just somebody's energy is really different over the years.
- [17:39]
B
Did you have anything in the. When talking about your mental health, where people were laughing when you're talking about on stage in a way that surprised you, that they would laugh?
- [17:52]
A
Um, uh, yeah, I. Let me see. I think, yeah, when I first talked about, like, maybe my, like, depression, I think one of my first jokes about depression. Well, you know, I never thought myself as depressed as much as paralyzed by hope. And I got some laughs out of that. And I don't know if that was because I appeared at the time. I was wearing the hijab of youth and I was a blonde, you know, high voiced person who might otherwise be. If you clocked me from across the room, you might go, oh, she's probably jolly. But I am not jolly. If you come away from this podcast with one thing, I am in no way jolly.
- [18:45]
B
Oh, my God. This is almost a villain. It's a professional voiceover artist doing a villain voice.
- [18:53]
A
I am a jolly, jolly girl. Yeah.
- [18:59]
B
Do you have, do you, do you have rules for yourself in relation to. Because you do talk, like, similar. You know, I talk about sleepwalking. I've talked about like, you know, Health issues. I've dealt with, like, with. When you talk about health issues, do you have rules in relation to keeping it from dipping into therapy? Dipping into being kind of, you know, self indulgent?
- [19:23]
A
Self indulgent. I don't know. Which probably is a bad sign. I don't know exactly what that would mean. Because you have to let people know your exact experience. They have to hear the absolute. Yeah. The selfish, horrible thing that you thought to yourself because otherwise they won't be able to relate because everybody's. At least. That's my hope. That's my hope. Is that. Yeah. That. I don't know. Self indulgent. Yes, I get what you're saying. Like, I'm trying to talk about money and I wanted to talk about it on stage in a way that isn't. That isn't offensive to people, you know, that isn't. Like, you clearly don't know what you're talking about. You Coastal elite. Sure. And which actually people may be right. I don't have dependence. I'm drinking a nine dollar coffee and yes, I think they may be right. So, yeah, just trying to. Yes. So I do think about it. I definitely do think about it. And go. And that's why I'm encouraging my audiences to unionize against me. No, I mean, listen, you've taken so much for only so much time. Only if you do a group walkout will it become apparent to me how much value you're bringing to my business. So, yeah, I don't know. You just come up with stuff that makes you. Makes you laugh. What am I doing right now? My current barn burner joke that's going very well is me. There's a podcast when you're looking for healthcare, sometimes that's when you need to turn to a podcast. Esther Parel, she is a Belgian. She has a French accent. I love her so much. But she started doing her own ads and today we'll be talking with a polyamorous quad. Of the four of you, do you like to be CC'd or B. CC'd? Purple mattresses. Sleep up to take the firmness calculator. My husband likes to sleep on his side like a seahorse. I like to sleep on my tum tum. Ah. Today, today, Trigger warning. We will be Trigger warning. We will be talking about domestic violence as well. Sexual trauma. Hello, fresh. Hello, fresh. I love the peanut curry. There's so much quinoa and squash. She now at that point she's lying. There's no way she's eating that. She's from she eats butter by the stick.
- [22:41]
B
Yeah.
- [22:42]
A
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- [23:17]
B
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- [25:37]
A
Yes. Okay.
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B
What. What is a time that you lied and either got away with it or didn't get away with it?
- [25:45]
A
Oh, my God, I lied. I told. Oh, this is so awful. I still feel bad about it. It was a benefit for a Christmas thing for kids, and I told the guy that I couldn't do it because I was out of town, and he said, I just saw you, Maria, you're in LA today. And I was like, I know, I'm sorry. I'll be there. Oh, my God, that was awful. Yep, yep. Not great. Not very good.
- [26:26]
B
What is a. Is there a song that makes you cry?
- [26:30]
A
Oh, yes. My mom was him. Our God, beyond all praising. It's. She. It's got. I don't know what the key is in, but it's. Yeah, it's a crying key. I'll have her sing it. O God, beyond all praising. We worship you today to sing your love amazing. Our thoughts will not repay. Sorry, she doesn't know that. I don't know the words anyways. Yes. Yeah. But that makes me. Yeah. Cry. Thank you to my mom. She loved that song.
- [27:08]
B
What's the best piece of advice someone has given you that you used?
- [27:12]
A
Uh, well, I don't know if this was advice, but. I was 24, leaving Minneapolis for Los Angeles. A woman who is now my age, 50s, came up to me and said, life turns on a dime. And I wasn't sure what she meant by that, but now I do.
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B
Oh, that.
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A
Oh, it sure does.
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B
Yeah. Never true words spoken.
- [27:51]
A
You never know what's going to happen, good and bad. I mean, I love it when la, New York. It's really wonderful. Sometimes somebody will hit the numbers and they'll move into a black obelisk semi submerged in the sea, and you won't see them again for decades.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And then. And then the next day, they could show up on your porch, tears, saying, the sheriff's locked up me out of all my shit. Can I stay with you? And I'll say, you sure can help yourself to some old vegan pizza that is covered in beans, corn, and is damp with arugula. I didn't want it when I ordered it. No. The highs and lows of life. You never know what's going to happen. So of your.
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B
This is not a slow, round question, but of your. You wrote a book called sure, I'll Join youn Cult.
- [28:43]
A
Yes.
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B
About various groups that you're part of, not formally cults.
- [28:47]
A
Yes.
- [28:48]
B
What's your favorite of them?
- [28:50]
A
To be a part of My favorite is Debtors Anonymous. It's so good. I know one of the rules. You're not supposed to say anything, what part of Fight Club you're in, but.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And I'm so. If lightning hits me now. Oh, I'm still talking anyways. It's so great. Of course it's problematic. All 12 super groups were designed by a bunch of white guys in the 1930s, so no problems there. And yet this one, I think it started in the 80s, and it's all about money. You know, people who have. I came in with. I had medical debt, but it was really just a place to go. It's free. It has very problematic pseudo spiritual stuff, peer counseling. I brought my husband to one of the meetings. He said, these people need professional help. Yes. Yes, they do. And yet none is forthcoming. And so here we are in this Zoom breakout room. And. But it's been great. I've been in it for, like, 25 years, and it's just like. It's a great place to go just to talk about your anxieties and also salary negotiation, how to take vacations, and how to pay debt back in a way that didn't kill me. And it's like, I want to say, a hobby almost at a certain point, where I love personal finance, I love the emotions of money, you know, the fear and the shame that's involved that people will have so much money, Millions, Millions of dollars, and will be terrified. Terrified, I tell you, and real terror. They're not making it up. And then people who are, you know, have less or even nothing and are fairly generous and at peace. And I would like to be one of those people, because there's no need. There's no need. I have all the clogs I want. But. Yeah. Do you still feel that way? Like, if someone, like. Yeah, if you're offered a certain amount or not offered a certain amount, do you have feelings come up? Or if somebody doesn't mention money and they're a friend and they want to work with you.
- [31:26]
B
Yeah, I do think about that sometimes, because essentially, when you're an artist and you make a living, if you're lucky enough to make a living, at a certain point, you don't. You're not guaranteed that more than a week or two, or maybe at most six months, for sure.
- [31:44]
A
And. But now nothing is guaranteed. Everybody has a gig economy. And, yeah, I get just very emotional about. Yeah, I tell everybody what I earn when I'm working. Like, I'll tell the opener what I'm earning. So that they can see what I'm earning and what I'm paying them and they see what the money is because comedy has no unions. So they're still paying openers what they did 35, 40 years ago.
- [32:16]
B
Sure.
- [32:17]
A
So, yeah, sometimes I haven't known that. Like, I did a special and I got a big chunk of change and I thought to ask. Sadly, I said, what are they paying the warmup person? And they're like 200 bucks. And I'm like, oh. And I'm getting $350,000. Oh, I think I'll give them some cash because they're making this happen. Like they're part of the show, making this possible. And anyways, I get very. I just get so upset about things and I don't know where to go with that except writing more material about it, which I haven't written yet. I'm so sorry.
- [32:59]
B
Do you have a memory on a loop from your childhood that you think of?
- [33:02]
A
Sometimes I think of myself. I think of about five and I told everyone to call me Blueberry. This was in the same time period. I said, please call me Blueberry from now on. And then also I started giving people animal kisses on their arms or hands. I would lick their hands and arms and I think, hmm, what was going on there? It's pretty short, short time.
- [33:37]
B
When you started doing standup, because that's one of the most remarkable things about your standup is that you will kind of seamlessly go into voices, come out of voices, be yourself, be some other voice. Did you do that when you were starting out in standup? Because it feels like level 100, you know what I mean? Like, it seems so hard.
- [33:56]
A
Yeah. I've always liked doing characters. I always have liked doing different and you know, I don't. I'm not like a celebrity impersonator, which is a craft and a skill that is. Seems to be beyond me, but I do. Yeah, I like just it's. It's fun because then it makes. Sometimes it really can punch up a joke without changing the words. Yeah.
- [34:24]
B
Just.
- [34:24]
A
It changes, changes the meaning. And my own voice is not the easiest to listen to from what I have read. And so, you know, if I can change it every once in a while, give everyone a break.
- [34:55]
B
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- [36:08]
A
I have a joke about a bank that is not going well. Oh, have you ever been inside a bank recently?
- [36:15]
B
It's been so long, right? Yeah.
- [36:19]
A
It's like immersive theater. I tell you, there are, there are always two people in my bank. I go to Comerica Bank. Have you never heard of it? That's right, you haven't. I didn't want to go with one of the big ones. I know everybody at Comerica bank has Alan Wong. He and I go way back during an episode, a manic mixed state. I invited him to my home and he brought me a bottle of Crown Royal and we had a discussion, but nothing. They can't do anything at my bank. Every time I go into the bank because my hands tremor and I can't do anything on the app. And then I go in there and then we all discuss how I can't. Why don't you do it on the app? And I say, because my hands tremor. And I go, well, could you do it on the machine outside? What are you guys doing this afternoon? And once I went in there in cash, as you sometimes have, being a comedian, like a drug dealer, you have cash. And I said, hey, can I put this in the box that I assume you're keeping everything hidden? And they left me alone in the cubicle. I could see them outside. They left me alone with the lollipops. And yeah, they didn't come back for about 20 minutes. And I actually decided to go because I thought maybe this is. I'm coming out ahead if I leave with cash. So my bank. Anyways, it's not very funny yet, but I just love the idea that it's it's just what is. What is happening and what is. And your credit score is such bullshit. I fucking hate it. People. You don't need to pay off your credit cards. You know, get. Get healthcare, get shelter, get food first.
- [38:24]
B
I used to do. When I first started doing standup, one of my first jokes was this really dates me because it was like the late 90s. I go, I have my money in an online bank. And I go, I'm not even sure they have. They know where the money is. Like, I showed up one day and I said, hey, one day I called them. I go, do you guys. Are you guys FDI insured? And they were like, f Dick. Totally f. Dick.
- [38:50]
A
Well, and I don't know if you feel this way because I still get anxious about money despite the fact. I mean, I could retire in the middle of this sentence. Wow.
- [38:59]
B
Wow.
- [39:00]
A
Well, I didn't say where to.
- [39:02]
B
That is threatening.
- [39:02]
A
To Pahrump, Nevada. To Pahrump, Nevada. If I would just Instagram individual cans of Pillsbury Crescent rolls.
- [39:12]
B
Oh, my God. I wrote down this thing, which is. I was raised Catholic, and so those hymns. I don't know if you were raised religious, but the hymns just stick in your head.
- [39:23]
A
Episcopal light. Episcopal is very much like Catholic. None of the guilt. But all of the verses to all the hymns, we had to sing all six, versus to every hymn. It's a clock eater.
- [39:36]
B
It's a clock eater. So the one that came into my head the other day, I was in the car with my beloved Jennifer Hope Stein, my wife, and a hymn came into my head. And the hymn goes, keep in mind that Jesus Christ has died for us and is risen from the dead. And that came into my head.
- [40:01]
A
Yes.
- [40:02]
B
And then I. I said it to Jen. I was like, oh, this hymn just came into my head. And she goes, never say that again. And then I go. And then I go, no, no, it's sort of funny. I go, keep in mind. And then she texted me, which is always a huge red flag in a relationship when the person is three feet away from you and texts you. And I looked at my text, and it said, the Uber driver has rosary beads on the dashboard.
- [40:34]
A
Okay.
- [40:35]
B
And I said, well, that's the reason I bring it up is that it's a wonderful hymn and it's always stuck with me.
- [40:42]
A
You know, sometimes it's the wrong crowd. You know, it's not you.
- [40:48]
B
That's right.
- [40:49]
A
You know, I came to New Jersey hoping for better. I'm sure they. There was a misunderstanding.
- [40:55]
B
I was thinking about that hymn. And it starts with the phrase keep in mind, which is basically saying, hey, by the way, hey, one last thing before you go. And then it's, we murdered God.
- [41:04]
A
BT Dubs, this whole thing is kind of your fault. But, you know, just be grateful because, yeah, I really was not on board with religion from an early age. I just, I didn't feel it. It didn't ring true to me at all. Like, I tried to pray and prayer feels like improv, you know, like where you're like, well, then, you know, yes. And you know, like all of it sounds just like me. I'm talking to myself, you know, saying what I want to hear, which is, you're doing great. You're doing such a great job.
- [41:51]
B
Yes.
- [41:51]
A
Which may or may not be true, but it just to say, oh, I was. I belong to all the 12 step cults. And sometimes when it's said and I've said that I've been a believer in the past where I've said, oh, I, you know, I feel like the message for my higher power is it's like, nah. But I don't think it's a very bunch of different market forces at work. I don't think it's necessarily, you know, yeah, a God. It's economics or, yeah, privilege. In my case, tons of privilege is how things really worked out for me. Along with a mania that was. I was able to move into the marketplace with my mania.
- [42:50]
B
Marketable mania.
- [42:51]
A
Marketable mania. Can you get a lot of shit done in a 24 hour period while crying? Yes, I can. Yes, I can.
- [43:08]
B
So the last thing we do is working it out for a cause. Is there a nonprofit that you like to contribute to?
- [43:13]
A
I certainly do. Downtown Women's center of Los Angeles. Dwc. Ladwc. It serves the skid row neighborhood of la. My husband and I, that's the primary place we give money to here in la. And yeah, they've built a lot of affordable housing and I volunteered there myself. And if I were to be unhoused, that's the first place I would go. It's thebomb.com awesome.
- [43:48]
B
Well, I will contribute to them. I will link to them in the show notes and encourage listeners to contribute as well. Maria, thank you for coming on. Thank you. Your comedy brings me so much joy and I can't thank you enough for it.
- [44:05]
A
Oh, thank you so much, Mike. That's very kind of you and thank you for having me and for the time. I'm sorry if I don't make sense sometimes. Oh, I love that.
- [44:14]
B
I love that too much.
- [44:15]
A
I just.
- [44:16]
B
I think if you made. I think if you made sense, the whole thing would fall apart.
- [44:20]
A
I talked myself into a cul de sac.
- [44:23]
B
Working it Out. Cause it's not done. We're working it out. Cause there's no that's gonna do it. For another episode of Working it out, you can find Maria on Instagram Ariabank comedy. Over@mariabamford.com you can find her tour dates, which include Salt Lake City and Denver and Chicago. One of the great live comedy performers I have ever seen. Check out burbigs.com to sign up for the mailing list if you want to see one of my upcoming shows. Our producers of Working it out are myself, along with Peter Salomon, Joseph Birbiglia and Mabel Lewis. Associate producer, Gary Simon. Sound mixed by Ben Cruz. Supervising engineer, Kate Bielinski. Special thanks to Jack Antonov and Bleachers for their music. Special thanks to my wife, the poet J. Hope Stein, and our daughter Una, who built the original radio fort made of pillows. Thanks most of all to you who are listening. If you enjoy the show, please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts. We've done over 150 episodes since 2020. They're all free, no paywall. We've had Lin Manuel Miranda and Jim Gaffigan and the original Maria Bamfer. You can go back and listen to that one, check out our back catalog and comment on Apple Podcasts about which one is your favorite. Thanks most of all to you who are listening. Tell your friends, Tell your enemies. Let's say you're at the bank and you just can't get their attention. It's almost like it isn't even a bank anymore, I think. Here's what you do. You bring a portable music player and you play an episode, your favorite episode of Working it out. And you go, this is a podcast for everybody. And they'll be like, what's this? What's this podcast you speak of? And then while they're out there, you just start banking. See you next time, everybody. We're working it out.