How Judd Apatow's insatiable curiosity led to documentaries on Norm Macdonald and Maria Bamford

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Set us as preferred Judd Apatow, man of comedy, has a pair of new documentaries arriving in close proximity on Netflix, their common subject two of the most original, brilliant and idiosyncratically funny comedians of our time.“Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald,” on the deep, deadpan comic, who died in 2021 after a long secret battle with cancer, is now streaming; “Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story,” which charts Bamford’s creation of a singular career while dealing with bipolar II disorder debuts Friday.

Both are lovely, funny, soulful and valuable.His previous such films include “The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling” (2018), “George Carlin’s American Dream” (2022), “Bob and Don: A Love Story” (2023), about the friendship of Bob Newhart and Don Rickles, and “Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man” (2026).Coming up is a documentary on the musician Billy Strings and farther down the road “something on the first Comedy Relief,” where, in 1986, Apatow had his first job in show business.

“I was a PA on the show and in the office, and worked there for free for a few years when I went to college.We’re going to tell the story of them figuring out how to make that show.”I spoke with Apatow over the phone about his documentary work.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.You’ve been interviewing comedians since high school.I’ve always had an insatiable curiosity about comedy and the people who make it.When I was in sixth grade, I wrote a report about the Marx Brothers, just for myself, this 32-page biography.

I’m not sure why other than I just love these people and wanted to understand how they thought and how their lives affected their artistic expression.Making these films was sparked by doing the documentary about Garry Shandling, because he was my close friend and in a lo...