Stand Down

Kicking it all off is the inimitable Patton Oswalt, who had a nice man completely decimate his material at a show early in his career.

Not only is Maria Bamford one of the best comedians working today, but she basically exists in a class by herself. On paper, the topics she favors—her family, her neuroses, her checkered job and relationship history—may sound typical, but no one else quite matches what she says and, especially, how she says it. Although she’s not an impressionist, Bamford has a panoply of voices at her disposal to make her jokes about vapid co-workers or deeply disturbed comedians ring a little more true. Of course, that skill can also lead people to think she’s mentally ill, as was the case when she stopped by a morning radio show to promote a gig in Cleveland.