In this episode of Wits, top touring comedian Maria Bamford transforms into a mermaid obsessed with the Showtime series Homeland, host John Moe becomes a guy at the bottom of the well, dying from Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe," and Brandi Carlile blows us all away with the sheer power of her voice and her solid comedic chops.
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Maria is the creator and star of Maria Bamford: the special special special, which Vulture.com named one of the Top 10 Stand-Up Specials of 2012, and of the cult hit web series The Maria Bamford Show, which screened at the Museum of Art and Design and was described as a “cold blast of brilliance” by The New Yorker. Maria recurred on the Netflix reboot of Arrested Development, for which she was praised as “fantastic” (Entertainment Weekly) a “standout” (TIME) and “perhaps one of the high points of the entire new season” (Black Book Magazine). She also recurred on FX’s critically-praised Louie and stars on the upcoming USA sitcom Benched. Maria currently contributes comedic voiceovers for such animations as Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time, PBS’s Emmy-winning series Word Girl, Nickelodeon’s Kung Fu Panda and Legend of Korra, and Netflix’s upcoming Puss in Boots. Her latest CD, Ask Me About My New God! was named one of top five CD’s of 2013 by Entertainment Weekly. Maria recently won the American Comedy Award for Best Club Comic.
Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile is known for her critically acclaimed albums and songs like "The Story," as well as her non-stop touring. She has toured with the likes of Ray LaMontagne, Dave Matthews Band and The Avett Brothers. Her 2007 album The Story was produced by T Bone Burnett and elicited praise from Elton John, who appeared on a track from her 2009 album, Give Up the Ghost, which was produced by Rick Rubin. Bear Creek, Carlile's latest album, debuted at No. 10 on The Billboard 200. Her new album, The Firewatcher's Daughter, will be released in March on ATO Records.