My best friend Lindsay introduced me to Mike Bibirglia on the way home from a "Back to the Future" screening at the Hollywood Palms a few years ago. Lindsay is one of those people who knows about everything good before 98% of the other people on planet Earth. She's a tastemaker. I think the only thing I ever introduced her to was "Wicked" and Jim Gaffigan. The other thousands of things that we both love came directly from her.
Mike Birbiglia is funny. But he's also skilled at writing and performing emotionally resonant material. His film "Sleepwalk With Me" floored me. It ran through my thoughts for days after my initial viewing. It was hilarious, beautifully shot, but most importantly, it had something specific to say. There's a lot of meaningless comedy in the world. (Which is okay. Sometimes the meaninglessness has a meaning.) But Birbiglia's comedy is grounded, focused and helpful. It's adding something to the world instead of taking something away...
