If there's one thing to know about Maria Bamford, it's that she loves 12-step groups.
The comedian has attended a variety of 12-step programs over the years and, although not supposed to share which ones he attends, he has the habit of revealing those secrets to several important publications. These groups are also a big part of his new memoir.”Sure, I'll join your cult.”
In Sunday Funday, the people of Los Angeles tell us step by step their ideal Sunday in the city. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
Because his favorite 12-step group is on Mondays, that's Bamford's favorite day in Los Angeles, so for all intents and purposes, this is a Monday Funny day. And while she loves living in Altadena with her husband, Scott Marvel Cassidy, and her dogs, Muffin and Max, Bamford also ventures around Los Angeles to try out material in new neighborhoods.
“What I have always liked [L.A.] It’s extreme positivity to the point of delusion,” Bamford said. “I would rather have that. Don't tell me what you really think. “I'd rather someone say, 'You're amazing,' and then never see them again because they live in Marina del Rey.”
“That's what's great about the geography of Los Angeles,” he added. “If you bomb, there's a good chance you'll never see that person again.”
This is how you would spend your perfect Sunday: ahem, Monday In Los Angeles
9 a.m. Go to the gym
We are going to the rock of the well, they have class at 9 am It is a cozy gym; It is owned by a couple: Sarah and Jesse. They have the kind of exercises where they say, 'Well, you can do this,' where they add different weights, and then they say, 'or you can do this,' or 'Mary, could you take a walk to go to the liquor store, buy some cookies and come back in 15 minutes.” You are welcome to do what you can or cannot do. There are some real athletes there, but they don't embarrass us. Our paintings are all on the wall.
Classes are every day of the week and you have to sign up online, which I always do, and then sometimes [people] he doesn't show up, which irritates Sarah, and she's right.
10 am Have a cold beer with nitro
We are going to Milk Coffee, owned by Anya and Matt. They source all their material from Ethiopia and Nicaragua, and have incredibly lovely staff. All the people they have hired are friendly, so we try to memorize everyone's names. We have coffees, what do I get? A cold beer with nitro. Yes, that is irresponsible. Should not. I already have a natural tremor. What am I doing? And my husband has a coffee with oat milk. And then hopefully we'll chat to some people at the cafe because that's what you're really there for: eye contact. Eye contact is limited in Los Angeles.
10:30 am Take Muffin and Max to the dog park (illegal)
Then we go to the dog park, which is an illegal dog park. I'm not going to say where it is. I won't say where it is. But sometimes the sheriff comes and says, “Hello, everyone! Put a leash on your dog! And we all do it. But as soon as he leaves (or she leaves), the dogs are off leash again.
Not well. I don't want people to find out. I mean, I do, because there is a text font. We are all together in a group chat. But it's probably… 100 dogs.
11:30 am Start of the work day
As a comedian, I live the life of a semi-retiree. So yeah, when we get back home, it's 11:30. That's when the work day begins. What is the working day? Ah, this is monstrous. My husband goes to his studio and is actually working very hard on his paintings. We probably greet our fellow tenant, but he's also our friend, Jeff. And then he usually heads to a cafe to meet someone from Twitter.
12:30 pm Lunch with a complete stranger.
This is what you should do: tweet, in your Twitter feed (depending on if you're still using Twitter, I know I shouldn't) say “I'm in this zip code, can someone meet me in the next half hour and listen to me practice my bits, my comedy?” And then you meet a new friend for coffee at Amara Kitchen, because it's almost time for lunch. I have a Mary's chicken salad there. And there aren't many tables, so you have to be quiet. And if there are no tables for you, walk to the Altadena Triangle Park and sit on one of those park benches. It's either strange or it's a relief to get all the new material out and meet a new friend. Then I just walk back home, which is about a half hour walk.
3 pm Nap time!
I could clean the house and take a nap. Falling down a lot. I am taking several medications, Seroquel being the one that will make you sleepier. So yeah, I'm going to go a little closer and when I get back up, I'll pour some more nitro cold brew.
5 pm Relax in an unheated, bug-infested pool.
So I'm at home wandering around. Maybe I can do some work. We have an unheated pool full of wasps and ants. But [if] you swim around it and have a positive attitude, boom!
6:30 pm Dinner with a friend
I can walk within my neighborhood to Everest hamburger. They don't have air conditioning (that's the hard part), but they are a strangely good restaurant for fries and salads. I meet a friend, usually from my 12-step group, and we sit there, chat, and then go to the 12-step meeting.
7:30 pm Attend a 12-step meeting
The meeting is from 7:30 to 9 and is in a church library that is always warm, no matter the season. It's a delight. It is uncomfortable. Many people are right to criticize 12-step programs because they can [use] paternalistic language, very Judeo-Christian, so it can be a bit unpleasant. But it's free. And it's one of the only places I know where people talk about jobs and money very openly. I don't agree with many parts. But the parts where people bring food (strawberry muffins from a mix) are fine!
9 p.m. Clown at open microphone.
Then after that, they take me (that's another big advantage of 12-step programs, you can get people to take you) to the clown theater. What is clown theater? Is it stand-up with nudity and crime and sometimes a kind of consent? There is a lot of consent, because they get into your business. This clown theater is called Altadena Public Exhibitslocated in Fair Oaks [Ave]. It's right next door Venice pizza, one of the best pizzerias in Altadena. I go to the open microphone at the PDA. You [can also] gonna City and country liquor, which I believe is one of the three liquor stores on that street. And Town and Country…the gummy bears are fresh. There are also outdoor community activities where people have fun. And then there's the contingent of clowns, most of whom wear fluorescent Carhartts. And I think I fit into that group.
11 pm Relax for the night.
And that's a complete night. When I get home, and an open mic buddy gives me a ride, it's been a full day. And it's good. I take my nighttime meds and Scott and I usually watch some type of TV. We look at the British “Taskmasters”. That is a good one. I usually do accounting while watching TV. Because I love doing Quicken and QuickBooks. It's a lot of fun to sort through transactions. It's a silly hobby, but I never seem to want to knit.
