Maria Bamford: The Special Special Special!

source: Maria Bamford: The Special Special Special!

source: Maria Bamford: The Special Special Special!

I'm not even sure I found this comedy special's material inherently original completely. Bamford's deliver is what makes it - she is not what you usually expect from most stand up comedians, who by nature of their profession have to COMMAND the stage (even Seinfeld, who seems fairly low-key compared to a Lewis Black or Chris Rock, has a way to get people's attention and hold it). With Bamford, her voice is that of someone who is shy and nervous, but it's not out of being a poor public speaker or actually those things... you can tell in this case because her audience are her parents(!) (And some of the other crew in her presence). Or, maybe it takes the most guts and courage of all, which makes her performance here nothing short of miraculous. I wonder if this would've got made or released if it hadn't been for Netflix; they take chances on a lot of people, but they also put out specials by known quantities. Bamford has been around for decades, but this is different: an entire "special" that is just her literally in her living room with a camera crew and her parents sitting on a couch. Oh, certain things break up her bits, like, say, the pizza delivery man who comes by with pizzas for the parents and crew. But it's all just Maria, with those big eyes of hers, and her bits are often very funny (and, just occasionally, a joke may fall flat, but that's only me). I don't know if this will appeal to everyone; I can picture a few people turning it on and being uncomfortable by the approach, like it's an even odder take on something Andy Kaufman would do back in the day. It's nothing short of a unique approach, and it does work as an experiment and simply a lot of wonderful observations about relationships and other quirks out in the world. It's a particular mind to come up with this and not only get it together but to think it was funny... and it is!

My sister and I found this while scrolling through Netflix and we thought" why not, let's give it a shot". 5 minutes in and we've already had enough, this new twist on comedy gets old quick and is not funny but just cringe for lack of a better term. The comedy is poorly written and the delivery is awkward to watch and unnatural. We decided to push through to see if maybe it got any better, it did not. The bits in between the living room were not only forced but ruined any sort of momentum she might have gained while performing. The only entertainment my sister and I gained from this was the cringe we saw each other feel. While we love a good "bad movie" so bad it's funny, this special got old quick.

Wow, I love Maria. I don't pretend to understand where she comes from, but there is certainly something honest about her stand up. I think that Ask Me About My New God is her most polished special to date, and it was a total trip to watch her drop it in front of her parents. When the large audience is stripped away, you really get to see what's funny and what isn't; similar to when you watch sitcoms without the laugh-track. Seeing her material performed in such an intimate setting, and hearing my own laughter cut through the silence was a real testament to the quality of her material. Maybe her relationship with her parents is super solid, but still, it must takes some guts to be so vulnerable in front of your folks. From the concept, to the candor, and ultimately, the thuggishly bold commentary on topics ranging from mental illness to sneaky Jesus stuff, Maria Bamford's Special Special Special was an inspiration. F*ck the haters, say what's in your heart.

I don't love a lot of standup, which often feels repetitive to me. But Bamford's work here (and in Lady Dynamite!) is so unique and heartfelt. The funny voices and the clever humor are great, but take a backseat to the humanity.