Maria Bamford is best known for her smart stand-up comedy routine that features her using a plethora of different voice impressions. She has also done a lot of voiceover work and appeared in various movies including Lucky Numbers with John Travolta.

You can view Maria's tour schedule on her MySpace page at MySpace.com/TheRealMariaBamford. Along with her touring, Maria also has a show on SuperDeluxe.com that will definitely tickle your funny bone. Also, make sure to check to keep an eye on Comedy Central's TV listings if you want to see her half-hour comedy special when it re-airs.

Q: What was the best and worst part about growing up in Minnesota?

MB: Conservative is worst, cold and dark are best.

Q: Do you have to practice your different voice impressions, or is it something that comes naturally to you?

MB: I practice the harder ones- if I need to do an East African accent- but others are just from inner well of voice.

Q: It goes without saying that the timing and delivery of a joke are of utmost importance, but what do you feel is the most critical aspect of stand-up comedy?

MB: To keep doing it and trying new material, ideas!

Q: Where do you come up with the ideas for your show on SuperDeluxe.com?

MB: Whatever is going on in personal life/brainbox.

Q: Go ahead and share with us why you feel your pug is the most amazing dog in the world (or why she isn't, if you feel that way).

MB: Well, because she is a baby and a sweetpea and a snuggletop mountain and then also because she is a muffin and a ccooo-koo-kiii-cookie-koolke-coo and she's a super lady.

Q: Which would you find more enjoyable, a stand-up routine that totally kills or robbing a bank and getting away with it?

MB: Stand-up option.

Q: Mark Twain said, "The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter." Does that observation make you nervous, since the government may already consider you a weapon of mass destruction?

MB: Well- despite lots of laughter- and socially relevant humor- the world seems to keep in a status quo about war. It is my dream that war includes comedy more. It doesn't seem to stop- the desire for people to stop killing each other- so, it would be great to just tweak war with some comedic elements- adding color, balloon animals, guitar parodies to the generals' playbooks.

Q: What's something that most of your fans probably would be surprised to learn about you?

MB: I'm pretty happy and have a really good life.

Q: What are your plans for the rest of the year? Where can fans see you perform, and do you have any new projects underway?

MB: Plan for 2007 closing: Comedians of Comedy Tour- west and East coast legs (see schedule online) and hoping sketch show pilot for Fox gets picked up! (The Right Now Show!)

Q: We end all of our interviews with word association, so I say "wombat" and you say...

MB: "...And they became the best of friends."