How 'Lady Dynamite' hilariously nails comedy about serious mental illness.
You need to watch 'Lady Dynamite.'
Have you heard of comedian Maria Bamford?
Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images.
If not, I highly recommend you keep scrolling.
Bamford is the star of the new Netflix series "Lady Dynamite."
Photo courtesy of Netflix, used with permission.
The show follows a 40-something actress struggling to get her career, friendships, and romantic life in order.
In some ways, it's a story that's been told time and time again.
Photo courtesy of Netflix, used with permission.
But there's a catch...
Bamford, who plays herself in the autobiographical show, has bipolar disorder.
And she's been suicidal.
And she's spent time in a psychiatric ward.
And yet, "Lady Dynamite" — which doesn't shy away from any of those hard truths from Bamford's real life past — is hilarious.
The show jumps between Bamford's present-day struggle to find stable ground, the time she spent living with her parents in Duluth, Minnesota, during her rock bottom days and the cringeworthy events (before Minnesota) that led to her downward spiral.
"I wanted to tell a story of a psychiatric breakdown, but also not bring it down so much," Bamford explained to Rolling Stone. "I wanted to show how depressing those wards are in a very funny way."
Critics are raving. A-list comics have flocked to guest star (Sarah Silverman? Patton Oswalt? Yes, please).
Perhaps the best part, though, is how the show is resonating with its fans — many of whom may be struggling with their own forms of mental illness.
Some viewers say they see themselves in the lead character.
Many applauded the courage it takes to open up about personal struggles.
Some say they appreciate how rare it is to see a funny show that tackles such dark topics with care.
And others have found comfort in "Lady Dynamite" when nothing else seems to do the trick.
All of this praise hasn't been lost on Bamford, of course; she's thrilled her own experiences have helped others in the same boat.
"I went through a nightmare," Bamford explained to People. "But it means a lot to me that other people with mental illness tell me the show has helped them and made them laugh."
Photo courtesy of Netflix, used with permission.
"Getting that reaction makes me feel like I'm being useful in life," she noted. "And that's good."
Staying on top of your mental health can be tough. And topics like depression and bipolar disorder aren't always a laughing matter.
But there is some truth in laughter sometimes being the best medicine, and no one proves that better than "Lady Dynamite" herself.
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Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids… 
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie? 
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Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."