Why I started this site...

I seem to discover really cool entertainment a bit late. I got heavy into the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band about the time of their break-up. I didn't discover Monty Python until they were solidly in reruns on public television. And just as I was really beginning to groove on some of Frank Zappa's works, I found out he had died a year earlier.

I first saw Maria Bamford on Comedy Central's "Premium Blend". Though it was only a five-minute set, I thoroughly enjoyed her comedy. I remember wishing I could see more of her work.

The black hole

Now, I need to explain something. I don't remember names very well. There is a black hole in my brain where people's names are routinely sucked in. It can be embarrassing sometimes, especially when you're dating. But names just won't come to the front of my brain. That is, unless that person has managed to make an exceptional impression on me.

Only a select few people reside in that part of my brain where their name rolls effortlessly off my tongue. My sweet wife is one of them. And the hilarious Ms. Bamford is another.

When I heard the advertisement for Maria's half-hour comedy special, I knew exactly who she was. Her name had escaped my brain's black hole and was fixed in my memory. I couldn't wait to see a full half-hour of her comedy.

Like a caricature artist

Maria has such a unique comedy style. She comes on as this sweet innocent Midwestern woman with her brilliant smile, shining eyes, and quirky mannerisms. And just when she has won you over with her warmth, she hits you with a scathing cut-to-the-bone observation on life and people... only to punctuate it with her childlike smile again.

Whammo.

Maria does a bang-up job imitating people in her life --her mother, her many temp supervisors, Meridith Baxter on E! Celebrity Homes -- and each one is dead-on. Like a caricature artist, she captures the comic essence of each one with only a few gestures, a voice, and subtle facial expressions.

Is it really her?

Which raises the question: is this personality she exudes on stage really her? How can she switch so effortlessly from quirky, sweet, and innocent into a deadly (and funny!) character assassin... and back again? Is the personality we see on stage really her?

Who cares? Real or created, it works. Maria Bamford is dynamite!

After watching her special, I had to find out more about her. So, I went to the Internet and began my search. And much to my amazement, I found she is relatively new on the entertainment scene. Yes, she's been paying dues for a decade like most entertainers do, but she is only now getting serious attention from the show biz world.

She's only just begun...

Wow... I've discovered a talent at the beginning of their career instead of the end. That's a rather new experience for me. And it got me thinking... as talented as Maria is, there are no guarantees that her star will keep rising. Show biz is unpredictable, risky, and many talented people fall by the wayside when the opportunities just don't quite come together right.

The thought of stardom eluding Maria Bamford does not sit well with me. She's simply terrific. I want to see more of what she can do. And that is when it hit me.

I need to be a fan. A serious fan. One who helps make a difference by letting the powers that be know I have disposable income and I'm watching. Maybe if I put out a little extra effort, other fans will band with me and make the media really sit up and notice Maria.

Want to join in?

Hey, it couldn't hurt. Whether it works or not, it will be fun. And it will be exciting to watch Maria as she grows and develops as a talent.

So here I am with a grassroots website and a genuine love for the comedy of Maria Bamford. Want to join in? Let's show Maria Bamford... and the entertainment industry... that we're behind her 110%!

Eugene Barnes
Professional Webmaster
and Maria Bamford Fan

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