Maria Bamford is launching a revolution from her microphone. In less than two years, Bamford has survived the death of her best friend — her pug, Blossom — and a battle with depression, suicide, and hospitalization. The result: Her stand-up contains some of the most transformative work being done around mental illness and stigma today.
Last Monday, comedian Mike Birbiglia Tweeted, “Saw [Maria Bamford] tonight at Caroline's. I've never seen a comedian who made me want to give 25 standing ovations in one set.” He wasn’t alone.
I have seen Maria Bamford perform for almost eight years, primarily at the now-shuttered Lakeshore Theatre in Chicago. Her act has always been [...]
"If I have a male protagonist, it’s a studio movie, and if it’s a female protagonist, it’s an indie movie. That’s just how it is. It’s not about the studios. It’s about America and who goes to see movies. Women are interested in men and women, and men aren’t interested in the woman’s story. They just aren’t. There are exceptions, but by and large … I mean I do think that it’s feminizing for a guy to go see a movie with a female lead unless it’s Angelina Jolie shooting people or Zero Dark Thirty or something that feels like it’s in the male sphere. The devaluation of the traditional female roles [...]
Here's the trailer for the second season of HBO's acclaimed series Enlightened, which debuts on January 13th at 9:30, right after Girls. Created by Mike White and Laura Dern, Enlightened stars Dern as an unhinged woman trying to take down the evil company she works for from the inside. The show also stars Mike White, Diane Ladd, Luke Wilson, and Timm Sharp, with Jason Mantzoukas sticking his head in every now and then. Enlightened flew under a lot of people's radars when it aired its first season last year, but now that it's paired with Girls, you should start watching it immediately because it's real good.
We’re still in the midst of a golden age of television. At least, I think the era of quality programming that began with The Sopranos is still going, right? If you look at the new comedies we’ve seen this past season, the answer to that question is a firm “maybe”; however, the TV season that gave us Work It, Rob, and I Hate My Teenage Daughter also gave us a few good sitcoms, as well. Join me as I dive deep into this past TV season’s most enjoyable comedies – from sitcoms to sketch shows to 11-minute animated thingies. Know that all of the shows on this list, except [...]
