Maria Bamford Biography

Fast Facts

• Her stand-up special, "Maria Bamford: the special special special!," was named one of the Top 10 Stand-Up Specials of 2012 by Vulture․com
• Is the first female comic to have completed two half-hour "Comedy Central Presents" stand-up specials
• Studied creative writing at Bates College as well as the University of Minnesota
• Stated publicly that she is bipolar, however, she often credits her success to the disorder, as she often plans routines around multiple characters and voices
• Began her stand-up career in Minneapolis at the age of 19 and soon joined several comedy troupes
• Made her screen acting debut in the TV series "The Tom Show" in 1998 and got her first voice acting role in the cartoon "Hey Arnold!" the same year
• Quote: "I guess what I want to do is make mental illness feel more normal, more like a regular thing․"
• Best known as a stand-up comedian and actress who was the voice of Shriek in "CatDog," Mrs․ Botsford in "WordGirl," and several Princess characters in "Adventure Time․"
• Is lauded for her honesty in talking about difficult issues during her routines, including depression and suicide as well as her own struggle with bipolar disorder
• Studied abroad at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland where she was a member of The Improverts, the school's improv comedy group