December 2017

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–continued from page 12 “Yeah, it’s really lovely for me to have people come up and say that they had a similar experience, and that makes me feel useful,” she says. And yet, Bamford acknowledges that her experiences are not what everyone with mental issues undergoes or should expect. “I don’t know if everybody’s meant to do things the same. I understand people not wanting to be labeled, but the bipolar label was helpful to me because it completely described what I had struggled with for so long. I was just like ‘Oh….’ I had read so many memoirs by bipolar people before realizing, really relating to these stories, but going ‘Oh, but I’m not them like that. It’s nothing like that.’ And then I was like, ‘Oh, s—.’ And I also appreciate people like that who are public about their struggles, so that when I did finally put it together, I was like ‘Oh… right.’ And that they were hospitalized, and they were able to move on, and get married and have lives. There’s even a magazine called BP Magazine, comes out quarterly. Is it good? “Oh yeah, it’s awesome, it’s wonderful. I get it, it’s delightful. Because I think there really are so many celebrities, or people who have a lot more access to health care than your average person — like, you don’t really need to hear about me having an experience because the real majority of people who experience mental illness are experiencing so little resources, so much more of an uphill battle, in terms of finances and getting help, and taking time off from work. So that magazine focuses more on a regular person’s experience.” When did you start seeing the red flags? “It wasn’t until I started just really feeling terrible, it was like feeling terrible enough.” Were you an adult? “Yeah, 40. I started having depression and having high anxiety, and not being able to sleep when I was around 11. And then I kind of went all through high school and college. Then I got on an SSRI [antidepressant] and joined a number of support groups, and that was really helpful. But then — and yet I don’t know if it was a hormonal change — but when I was 40, things just got very untenable, where it was like… not working. But I actually, I’ve been feeling so good mentally, probably the past five or six years, I’ve been on a very good medication regimen. So it is funny because I just go, ‘Oh, now I’m out of that material.’” While Maria says she might be out of “that material,” she makes no pretense about being out of the woods when it comes to her lifelong struggle with a bipolar condition. As we chat on the café’s patio, I mention that I’ve noticed a large number of churches in the area. Maria lights up: “You know what it means for me, though? My favorite thing in the whole world! Which is 12-step groups! I’m an atheist, but I love 12-step groups, so I love a church! I like sitting in the basement of one and chitchatting with people. I love that, I feel like it’s one of the last free things. I can walk to three meetings, which are within distance of my house. And so that’s great!” I ask Maria exactly how long she and her artist husband Scott Marvel Cassidy (they met on OKCupid) have lived in Altadena. “Just two months! And we just sold the [Eagle Rock] house. And we called it ‘a noise lover’s paradise!’ to the new buyers, and so they’re psyched and love noise. I’m afraid it had become so bad… I mean, you want to be friends with everybody, but I think that where it’s combined with drinking and machismo — at least for me — it’s a real bummer, it’s just such a bummer. I mean, you can talk to somebody when they’re sober, and they can say one thing; and then when there are 60 people in the back around a swimming pool, and there are hot ladies, it’s a whole ’nother story.” So you’re liking life in Altadena then? “Yeah, we’re loving it. We’ve got a pool — we were able to afford a pool because we won the Netflix television show lottery. A wonderful pool and pine trees, it’s really nice.” These days, both fictional Maria (who experiences “Future” segments in season 2) and real-life Maria are looking forward to what’s ahead. Her comment on the new season seems to portend wonderful things for both the Maria Bamfords we are rooting for: “I love the future – the future was really fun!” |||| 14 | ARROYO | 12.17
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Page 1 and 2: FINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA
Page 3 and 4: Design Art. Build Art. Lic.653340 P
Page 5 and 6: arroyo VOLUME 13 | NUMBER 12 | DECE
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Page 9 and 10: FESTIVITIES Jeannette O’Malley an
Page 11 and 12: LADY DYNAMITE Comedian Maria Bamfor
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Page 17 and 18: ADDRESS CLOSE DATE PRICE BDRMS. SQ.
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Page 21 and 22: —ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT— -conti
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Page 28 and 29: AN ENGLISH CHRISTMAS A recovering B
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Page 32 and 33: FOR MEN Ry Rocklen’s: Trophy Mode
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Page 36 and 37: An IRC client from Syria Participan
Page 38 and 39: KITCHEN CONFESSIONS Nibbling Heads
Page 40 and 41: THE LIST A SELECTIVE PREVIEW OF UPC
Page 42 and 43: THE LIST BACH CONCERTOS COME TO CAL
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December 2017

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