About this episode

Kamau Bell and Maria Bamford discuss the intricacies of standup comedy, mentorship, and financial transparency in the industry.

Kamau chats with alternative comedy legend Maria Bamford, praising her artistry and creative fearlessness, recounting how fellow comedians have long considered her a genius.  They bond over difficult, irritable fathers teaching practical skills like changing tires, and how the “vibe” made learning impossible. Maria and Kamau discuss their sometimes complicated love of standup: both cherish the craft but often prefer being home, joking that the best part of a show is when it’s canceled. Maria talks about wanting comedy to bring bliss while recognizing it rarely changes the world, and Kamau says comics must write as if jokes will change the world but not actually believe that they will. Kamau describes reshaping his touring life, early shows for older and parent audiences, bringing his daughters on the road, and credits Maria’s DIY coffee-shop and 9 a.m. shows as inspiration to make standup work on his own terms. Maria explains her pay-what-you-can neighborhood theater shows, and intimate Zoom sets for tiny audiences, which she prefers over “great crowds.” They move into mentorship and money: Kamau leans on Dwayne Kennedy and others for…

People in this episode

Host: W. Kamau Bell

Guest: Maria Bamford

Topics covered

• alternative comedy
• mentorship
• financial transparency
• standup comedy
• creative process

Keywords

• comedy
• mentorship
• financial transparency
• standup
• alternative comedy
• artistry
• creative process

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Debtors Anonymous

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