Born in California, Maria Bamford grew up in Duluth, Minnesota. From a young age, Bamford displayed a knack for humor, often running for student government in high school just to deliver amusing speeches to her classmates. She began her college education at Bates College in Maine, driven by a sense of uncertainty about her future paths. Although she explored the theater program there, it didn't particularly capture her interest. Her time spent studying English in Edinburgh marked a turning point, as she discovered and fell in love with improv, performing with Theater Sports. Upon her return to the United States, Bamford completed her studies at the University of Minnesota. During her senior year, she was treated for depression, which she has since managed with medication. Her experiences during this time have often informed the candid themes in her comedy. At 21, Bamford began performing stand-up in Minneapolis, strategically waiting to start in a less heckler-heavy environment compared to the Northeast and Scotland. By incorporating a violin into her early stand-up routines, Bamford offered audiences a distinctive mix of music and comedy, rationalizing that they would appreciate at least one part of her act. Her trademark style emerged through her ability to slip into distinct character voices, satirizing various perspectives with a surprising blend of her naturally high voice and more mature, layered characters. In the late 1990s, Bamford moved to Hollywood, spurred by the buzz from her appearance at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. Her career quickly picked up steam as she made her mark on the festival circuit, performing at major events such as Montreal's Just For Laughs, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and The Melbourne Comedy Festival. In 2005, Bamford's one-woman show "Plan B" had a successful month-long run in Australia, later being adapted into a web series for Super Deluxe. She became a key player in "The Comedians of Comedy" tour with Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, and Zach Galifianakis, bringing stand-up to unconventional venues and further gaining exposure from a Netflix documentary and a Comedy Central series. Maria Bamford made history in 2006 by filming her second Comedy Central Presents special, the first female comedian to do so. Her appearances on numerous late-night talk shows, including "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn," and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," have cemented her place in the comedy world. Bamford’s unique blend of humor and vulnerable honesty continues to resonate with audiences worldwide, making her a beloved figure in the stand-up comedy scene.