You Are (A Comedy) Special: A Simple 15-Step Self-Help Guide to Forcibly Force Yourself to Write and Perform a Full Hour of Stand-up Comedy

by Maria Bamford

Maria Bamford is a creative genius. But the process of creating is not something that "comes easily" or "is enjoyable" for her. So, over the years, she’s invented a number of helpful techniques for tricking, shaming, coercing herself into doing things. You Are (A Comedy) Special is 15-step comedic send up of a self help guide that examines Maria’s approach to stand-up in a hilarious fashion. So if you’ve ever found yourself alphabetizing your cans of soup instead of, oh, writing that screenplay, you might find this book interesting. Or at least an entertaining distraction from that tough soup-alphabetizing work.

Genres: Audiobook, Humor, Nonfiction, Comedy, Writing

Audiobook

Published August 31, 2020

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

You have to listen to the audiobook because it's narrated by Maria, and her delivery is everything!! I cried laughing too many times to count. I also recently watched her comedy special Weakness is the Brand on Amazon prime. Hilarious! She's a genius.

[Denise Lauron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this one up because it was free with my Audible subscription, and it was short. I don't really plan on ever doing standup, but this book gave some great ideas for those people who do. It was presented in a fun way, and kept me entertained. It wasn't the book for me, though.

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this as a reminder to DO STUFF. Just do it. Don't listen to the (bad) voices in your head telling you everything is too hard.

But she (as she acknowledges) is EXHAUSTING. All the voices she does are great and believable and funny and I got some chuckles. (Including an unintentional one: call what you're doing "stand-up comedy". I imagined calling school "stand-up comedy" and it was kind of funny but also not that far off, except for the part where I think I'm [that] funny.) I admire her ability to have all those voices in her head and still be able to find the funny and to be so vulnerable and raw about all of it.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will listen to this over and over again. I LOVE Maria Bamford, she's the absolute best. I think I'm gonna write another hour.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Maria Bamford, so it pains me to say this was just ... OK. Fine. I wouldn't urge anyone to listen to it, but if you're a fan of her comedy, you might enjoy it. It is often funny (though also often repetitive, and sometimes tedious).

On the plus side, it offers motivation that could apply to any project, really, especially a creative project. But it does focus on comedy (or anything the listener wants to do which they want to call comedy). But the main bit of advice it gives for crafting and performing a live comedy set, being to start with the goal of writing an hour of material before you hit the stage for the first time, is godawful.

I used to do stand-up. I never wanted it as a career; I already had one of those with good bennies and a regular paycheck that I was terrified to be without. But the comedy pros all said to perfect a five-minute set and it can take you a lot of places. If you try to do too long when you don't know what the hell works or how to do it, it will not end well. Developing a solid five definitely worked for me. It got me on a lot of shows and gave me a lot of very cool opportunities, some of which I turned down because A) they would've interfered with my career that paid the bills without offering the same guaranteed income, and B)I only had five minutes of good, tested material. It was gratifying for professional headlining comics to offer to take me on the road as a feature, but I didn't have enough material to accept the gig, and I wasn't interested in working toward a longer set. It was a hobby for me, really. BUT that shows you why it's good to learn what the hell you're doing in the first place with a solid five, and build on that. The overwhelming majority of us would exhaust any and all goodwill of anyone in the universe ever if the first time we got on stage was to do a whole damn hour of new material!

[Linds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know if this counts having read something... It was an audiobook and under 2 hours. But, fuck, dude. Maria Bamford is so so funny and honest and I personally find her extremely relatable. You definitely have two free hours to listen to this, especially if you've got an audible subscription (or are mid-way through the free month of audible+ like I ammmmmm)

[Mads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really needed this right now. Thank you, Maria Bamford.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maria Bamford must emphasize heavily with Dorothy Parker and her famous quote: “I hate writing, I love having written.”

Bamford performs stand-up routines, but has always struggled with the work involved of writing and practicing her sets. Here, she outlines what has worked best for her to create her art, and advising others on how to write comedy as well - although her advice applies to a lot of creative art.

Based on her own experiences, she emphasizes the importance of seeking proper medical treatment if you are suffering - "Laughter is not the best medicine! Medicine is the best medicine!" and explains that failure is a needed and inevitable part of process, offering up several hilarious stories about times she utterly bombed. (She's made most of her family cry from bad jokes!)

Bamford shows her work, not hiding the fact this presentation took a year of blood, sweat and tears to put together, all while being highly encouraging to her audience to go out there and try.

A wonderful guide on the importance of failure, seeking help, having a support group, trying, trying again, and not letting fear get in the way of following your passions.

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is for youuuu, turrrrtles!!! This is (one of the?) the best self-help book I’ve ever read (listened to). And by ‘self-help book’ I mean: It’s not just for people who want to create an hour of standup. It’s for anyone who struggles with motivation, goals, self-esteem—for whatever reason (ADHD, mood disorders, unruly hair/pets/children, overwhelming schedules, trauma/panic/anxiety/the vague but looming global threat of fascism and/or climate collapse, angry wolverines lingering about your doorstep, soul-crushing but all-enveloping jobs, etc.) No new information, just artfully curated & accessible guidance delivered to your ear holes by a fellow traveler/veteran who is also lumpy turtle like you, only with lots of silly voices—but not tooo too many because that would just be insane. Bon appetit, munkybutts!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I’m being THAT FAN but I love every single thing that she does and think it’s amazing and hilarious and perfect. I didn’t pay money for this because I don’t have Audible so I got it for free with the trial but I absolutely would pay money for it and have paid money for her albums and shows and even an obscure terrible streaming platform called Topic to watch her interview show. Also this is one of the only things I haven’t listened to at an accelerated speed to get through it faster, I actually slowed the speed down a little to enjoy it more. Twelve stars. All the stars and the moon. Don’t @ me, not sorry not sorry.

[Amalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no ambition to be a stand up comic (I guffaw at my own jokes and my memory is broken), but I can vouch loudly for the applicability of this audiobook to the practice of any creative endeavor. This thing will eradicate your very specific self-doubts, give you so much practical and technical advice for navigating the choppy waters of your chosen medium, spell out essential pitfalls to avoid, and inspire you to dive in to your projects with tremendous joy and humor. Seriously, so much gold, so many things I wish I’d known 20 years ago. It’s like receiving the most hilarious, vulnerable pep talk from a hotter yoda.

[T. Laane · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was… okay. I strongly felt the book was written only to be produced and cashed in, but still it turned out quite okay. And always remember: a joke could never be funny to everyone. Don’t think about the public - talk about what YOU find funny. Then at least one can have a great evening :D Oh, and this “book” is one that would be totally different when read on paper - for the comedian makes so many different voices in here, playing different characters.

[Saravanan Mani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maria Bamford is really a wonderful comic who shares her vulnerabilities without seeking pity. She channels her positivity into an instructional guide which makes us reflect about the challenges in life in general and how to deal with failure in particular. This is thoughtful book, often funny and enjoyable throughout.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I'm not a comedian and didn't need any help writing an hour-long comedy special, but dang did I find this super entertaining. Maria Bamford's audiobook reminded me so much of ADS in collegiate Forensics that I just couldn't stop listening for a moment. Lots of witty moments and fun voices. :) Highly recommend this short audiobook!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5
This was great and fun and funny. I dont want to be a comedian, but I felt like through the jokes there was some great advice here that could apply to anything you want to do. I am a big fan of Maria Bamford and I was pleasantly surprised to find this audible orginal and it being read by here was just fantastic.

[BleedersDigest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before reading, be aware that this is not a guide on how to ideate, structure or perform a special.

It is more of a motivational humorous list of steps to get there.

You’ll enjoy it if you like Maria Bamford’s comedic style. If you don’t and/or if you’re looking for something about technique - pick a book by Judy Carter or Greg Dean.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes I'll listen to this for a little pick me up even though I never reread (or relisten) to books. It's just classic Maria Bamford. Quirky, a little dark, a little twisted, delightful, perspective-shifting, and funny. Maybe that's not common to get all of that from her comedy, but.... there it is.

[Deyth Banger · Rating 2 out of 5]

"November 28, 2023 – Started Reading
November 28, 2023 – Shelved
November 28, 2023 –
60.0% "After pick up and absurd life it's time to enjoy some kinda work from other genre."
November 28, 2023 –
60.0% "But Still it's not my thing this book... it's weird and sometimes this advice does not make sense... it's probably totally wasted time and just false expectations build up by itself is a joke."
November 28, 2023 –
100.0% "One moment it got into a annoying rant which I am totally against""

Not the best suggestion but you can give it a try

[Victor Catano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny AND Helpful!

If this were just Maria Bamford - one of the truly original and hilarious comedians out there- telling stories, it’d be five stars.

But Bamford offers genuinely constructive advice on how to pursue your creative goals! Actual useful tips! And that makes this truly great.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first exposure to the comedy of Maria Bamford. Perhaps this treatise on how to be a comedian is not the best place to start. I only found it mildly amusing, at best; however, it was a free listen.

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maria Bamford is the life-size, human version of a wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tubeman. She is nonstop and quirky as hell. Yes, she gets annoying but she's also lovable. She's like a puppy. This audiobook was funny and zany and over the top and ridiculous.

[Bruce Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first blush I was not impressed, but it grew on me. Generally, just solid advice on life, including apparently in doing stand up comedy. I did not find this particularly funny, but its value was in its common sense advice.

[Dian Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is a treasure meant to be shared by all. Her mind is so insightful you just want to be her friend and have coffee with her every day.

[Starr Baumann · Rating 5 out of 5]

WEIRD FUNNY IS THE BEST FUNNY

[Barry Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute audio book by the author

[Sandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Audiobook. I listened up to chapter 3. I didn’t understand a word of it! Not what I was expecting. Gave up early.

[Megan Mcewen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun read for everyone. We listened to this as a family, and we all loved it!

[Aletha Dunston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love her, but I probably wasn’t the audience for this book. That being said, I think she’d be a great, no nonsense mentor.

[Sarah Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as weird and funny as you would expect anything from Bamford to be.

[Hanna Kylin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bamfordesque stepladder to deal with procrastination, apply to whatever task you want to climb and thread with enthusiasm.