At first it seems to be just about life in the pandemic, but it becomes a reference to his past, when he made faces and jokes from his bedroom as a teenager and put that on the internet. Not only is this whiteboard a play on the classic comedy rule that "tragedy plus time equals comedy," but it's a callback to Burnham's older work. At the start of the special, Burnham sings "Content," setting the stage for his musical-comedy. "Inside" feels like the creative culmination of Bo Burnham's career over the last 15 years, starting with his first viral YouTube video in 2006. HOLMES: So before he was this celebrated filmmaker, Bo Burnham was himself a YouTube star. While platforms like Patreon mean creators can make their own works independently without studio influence, they also mean that the creator is directly beholden to their audience. He's the writer, director, editor, and star of this show. Burnham's earlier Netflix specials and comedy albums. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Well, well, buddy you found it, now come out with your hands up we've got you surrounded.". As we explained in this breakdown of 31 details you might have missed in "Inside," Bo Burnham's newest special is a poioumenon a type of artistic work that tells the story of its own creation. There's no more time left to add to the camera's clock. If we continue to look at it from the lens of a musical narrative, this is the point at which our protagonist realizes he's failed at his mission. On May 30, 2022, Burnham uploaded the video Inside: The Outtakes, to his YouTube channel, marking a rare original upload, similar to how he used his YouTube channel when he was a teenager. Burnham quickly shifts from the song to a reaction video of the song itself in the style of a YouTuber or Twitch streamer. Burnham watching the end of his special on a projector also brings the poioumenon full circle the artist has finished their work and is showing you the end of the process it took to create it. By keeping that reveal until the end of the special, Burnham is dropping a hammer on the actual at-home audience, letting us know why his mental health has hit an ATL, as he calls it ("all time low"). newsletter, On Parasocial Relationships and the Boundaries of Celebrity, Bo Burnham and the Trap of Parasocial Self-Awareness.. I have a lot of material from back then that I'm not proud of and I think is offensive and I think is not helpful. The comedy special perfectly encapsulated the world's collective confusion, frustration, and exhaustion amid ongoing pandemic lockdowns, bringing a quirky spin to the ongoing existential terror that was the year 2020. Inside, a new Netflix special written, performed, directed, shot, and edited by comedian Bo Burnham, invokes and plays with many forms. Inside (2021) opens with Bo Burnham sitting alone in a room singing what will be the first of many musical comedy numbers, Content. In the song, Burnham expresses, Roberts been a little depressed ii. Burnham makes it textual, too. Look at them, they're just staring at me, like 'Come and watch the skinny kid with a steadily declining mental health, and laugh as he attempts to give you what he cannot give himself. It moves kind of all over the place. "), Burnham sang a parody song called "Sad" about, well, all the sad stuff in the world. See our analysis of the end of the special, and why Burnham's analogy for depression works so well. While sifting through fan reactions to Inside, the YouTube algorithm suggested I watch a fan-made video that pitch corrects All Eyes on Me to Burnhams actual voice. In recent years, he has begun directing other comics specials, staging stand-up sets by Chris Rock and Jerrod Carmichael with his signature extreme close-ups. WebBo Burnham's Netflix special "Inside" features 20 new original songs. In White Womans Instagram, the comedian assumes the role of a white woman and sings a list of common white lady Instagram posts (Latte foam art / Tiny pumpkins / Fuzzy, comfy socks) while acting out even more cliched photos in the video with wild accuracy. "Part of me needs you, part of me fears you. The song, written in 2006, is about how his whole family thinks he's gay, and the various conversations they're having trying to figure it out. Now Burnham is showing us the clutter of the room, where he's almost claustrophobically surrounded by equipment. While the other songs have abrupt endings, or harsh transitions, "That Funny Feeling" simply fades quietly into darkness perhaps the way Burnham imagines the ending of it all will happen. Anyone can read what you share. Depression acts like an outside force, one that is rather adept at convincing our minds to simply stay in bed, to not care, and to not try anymore. He takes a break in the song to talk about how he was having panic attacks on stage while touring the "Make Happy" special, and so he decided to stop doing live shows. So let's dive into "Inside" and take a closer look at nearly every song and sketch in Burnham's special. You know, as silly as that one is, some of the other ones are more sedate. And you know what? It's a reprieve of the lyrics Burnham sang earlier in the special when he was reminiscing about being a kid stuck in his room. And like unpaid interns, most working artists cant afford a mortgage (and yeah, probably torrent a porn). The incentives of the web, those that reward outrage, excess and sentiment, are the villains of this show. But on the other hand, it is lyrically so playful. And then the funniest thing happened.". Accuracy and availability may vary. (For example, the song "Straight, White, Male" from the "Make Happy" special). "You say the ocean's rising, like I give a s---, you say the whole world's ending, honey it already did, you're not gonna slow it, heaven knows you tried," he sings. In this case, it's likely some combination of depression/anxiety/any other mental disorder. Once he's decided he's done with the special, Burnham brings back all the motifs from the earlier songs into "Goodbye," his finale of this musical movie. Inside is the work of a comic with artistic tools most of his peers ignore or overlook. I did! Burnham's career as a young, white, male comedian has often felt distinct from his peers because of the amount of public self-reflection and acknowledgment of his own privileges that he does on stage and off screen. All Eyes on Me also earned Bo his first Grammy win for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 2022 Grammys. Thought modern humans have been around for much longer than 20,000 years, that's around how long ago people first migrated to North America. It's an instinct that I have where I need everything that I write to have some deeper meaning or something, but it's a stupid song and it doesn't really mean anything, and it's pretty unlikable that I feel this desperate need to be seen as intelligent.". Thank you so much for joining us. He decided to stop doing live performances, and instead set out to write and direct his first feature film, the critically-acclaimed 2018 movie "Eighth Grade." Burnham reacts to his reaction to his reaction: Im so afraid that this criticism will be levied against me that I levy it against myself before anyone else can. The video keeps going. It is set almost entirely within one room of his Los Angeles guest house, the same one shown in the closing song of the June 2016 Make Happy special, titled Are you happy?. The song brings with it an existential dread, but Burnham's depression-voice tells us not to worry and sink into nihilism. "Everything that once was sad is somehow funny now, the Holocaust and 9/11, that s---'s funny, 24-7, 'cause tragedy will be exclusively joked about, because my empathy iss bumming me out," he sang. The title card appears in white, then changes to red, signaling that a camera is recording. He has one where he's just sitting on a stool with an acoustic guitar describing our modern world. "Truly, it's like, for a 16-year-old kid in 2006, it's not bad. Please check your email to find a confirmation email, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity. He tries to talk into the microphone, giving his audience a one-year update. Comedian Bo Burnham recently a new comedy special for Netflix aptly titled Inside which was filmed entirely by himself while under lockdown during the Coronavirus Pandemic in 2020. Comedian and filmmaker Bo Burnham used his time alone during the pandemic to create a one-man show. Doona! I like this song, Burnham says, before pointing out the the lack of modern songs about labor exploitation. ", He then pulls the same joke again, letting the song play after the audience's applause so it seems like a mistake. Back in 2010, Burnham appeared on Showtime's "The Green Room," a comics round table hosted by Paul Provenza. MARTIN: So a lot of us, you know, artists, journalists have been trying to describe what this period has been like, what has it meant, what's been going on with us. Burnham is an extraordinary actor, and "Inside" often feels like we're watching the intimate, real interior life of an artist. our ranking of all 20 original songs from the special here. The comedians lifetime online explains the heart of most of his new songs, I made you some content, comedian Bo Burnham sings in the opening moments of his new Netflix special, Inside. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. That YouTube commenter might be understood by Burnham if they were to meet him. It's an emergence from the darkness. He takes it, and Burnham cries robotically as a tinny version of the song about being stuck in the room plays. Each of the songs from the first half of the special are in line with Burnham's earlier Netflix specials and comedy albums. On the simplest level, Inside is the story of a comic struggling to make a funny show during quarantine and gradually losing his mind. He slaps his leg in frustration, and eventually gives a mirthless laugh before he starts slamming objects around him. It's wonderful to be with you. Don't overthink this, look in my eye don't be scared don't be shy come on in the water's fine."). Coined in 1956 by researchers Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, the term initially was used to analyze relationships between news anchors who spoke directly to the audience and that audience itself. The flow chat for "Is it funny?" On the Netflix special, however, Josh Senior is credited as a producer, Cooper Wehde is an assistant producer, and a number of people are credited for post-production, editing, and logistical coordinating. Likewise. BURNHAM: (Singing) Start a rumor, buy a broom or send a death threat to a Boomer. Still terrified of that spotlight? For the song "Comedy," Burnham adopts a persona adjacent to his real life self a white male comedian who is driven to try and help make the world a better place. During that taping, Burnham said his favorite comic at the time was Hans Teeuwen, a "Dutch absurdist," who has a routine with a sock puppet that eats a candy bar as Teeuwen sings. Feelings of depersonalization and derealization can be very disturbing and may feel like you're living in a dream.". Instead, thanks to his ultra-self-aware style, he seems to always get ahead of criticism by holding himself accountable first. It's as if Burnham is showing how wholesale judgments about the way people choose to use social media can gloss over earnest, genuine expressions of love and grief being shared online. Get up. The song's melody is oddly soothing, and the lyrics are a sly manifestation of the way depression convinces you to stay in its abyss ("It's almost over, it's just begun. "The world needs direction from a white guy like [you] who is healing the world with comedy. He's almost claustrophobically surrounded by equipment. Parasocial relationships are neutral, and how we interact with them is usually a mixed bag. Social media; it's just the market's answer to a generation that demanded to perform so the market said, here, perform. At first hearing, this is a simple set of lyrics about the way kids deal with struggles throughout adolescence, particularly things like anxiety and depression. Not putting a name on parasocial relationships makes the theme less didactic, more blurred while still being astutesuch sharp focus on the eyes, you dont notice the rest of the face fades into shades of blue. Mirroring the earlier scene where Burnham went to sleep, now Burnham is shown "waking up.". The piece also highlights Bos anxieties with becoming older and his legacy as a comedian. An older Burnham sits at a stool in front of a clock, and he says into a microphone that he's been working on the special for six months now. Hiding a mysterious past, a mother lives like a nameless fugitive with her daughter as they make hotels their home and see everyone else as a threat. For all the ways Burnham had been desperate to leave the confines of his studio, now that he's able to go back out into the world (and onto a real stage), he's terrified. An ethereal voice (which is really just Burnham's own voice with effects over it) responds to Burnham's question while a bright light suddenly shines on his face, as if he's receiving a message from God. Remember how Burnham's older, more-bearded self popped up at the beginning of "Inside" when we were watching footage of him setting up the cameras and lighting? Most sources discuss fictional characters, news anchors, childrens show hosts, or celebrity culture as a whole. Right after the song ends, the shot of Burnham's guest house returns but this time it's filled with clutter. The global pandemic and subsequent lockdown orders of March 2020 put a stop to these plans. It's a series of musical numbers and skits that are inherently about the creation of comedy itself. jonnyewers 30 May 2021. See our analysis of the end of the special, and why Burnham's analogy for depression works so well. BURNHAM: (Singing) Could I interest you in everything all of the time, a little bit of everything all of the time? Inside takes topics discussed academically, analytically, and delivers them to a new audience through the form of a comedy special by a widely beloved performer. But, of course, it tangles that right back up; this emotional post was, ultimately, still Content. Even when confronted with works that criticize parasocial attachment, its difficult for fans not to feel emotionally connected to performers they admire. The whole video is filmed like one big thirst trap as he sweats and works out. According to a May 2021 Slate article, the piece was filmed at Bo Burnhams Los Angeles guest housethe same room used for June 2016s Are You Happy? and the closing shots of the Make Happy special. The question is now, Will you support Wheat Thins in the fight against Lyme disease?). You can tell that he's watched a ton of livestream gamers, and picked up on their intros, the way the talk with people in the chat, the cadence of their commentary on the game, everything. Burnham can't get through his words in the update as he admits he's been working on the special much longer than he'd anticipated. "I didn't perform for five years," he says. Some of the narrative of the show can be indulgently overheated, playing into clichs about the process of the brooding artist, but Burnham has anticipated this and other criticisms, and integrated them into the special, including the idea that drawing attention to potential flaws fixes them. Web9/10. Might not help but still it couldn't hurt. Is he content with its content? Get the fuck up! Burnham walks towards the camera and grabs it like hes grabbing the viewer by the throat. The result, a special titled "Inside," shows all of Burnham's brilliant instincts of parody and meta-commentary on the role of white, male entertainers in the world and of poisons found in internet culture that digital space that gave him a career and fostered a damaging anxiety disorder that led him to quit performing live comedy after 2015. That quiet simplicity doesn't feel like a relief, but it is. Oops. And finally today, like many of us, writer, comedian and filmmaker Bo Burnham found himself isolated for much of last year - home alone, growing a beard, trying his best to stay sane. I got so much better, in fact, that in January of 2020, I thought 'you know what I should start performing again. But by the end of the tune, his narrative changes into irreverence. Or was it an elaborate callback to his earlier work, planted for fans seeking evidence that art is lie? The clearest inspiration is Merle Traviss 16 Tons, a song about the unethical working conditions of coal miners also used in weird Tom Hanks film Joe vs. Apathy's a tragedy, and boredom is a crime. After more sung repetitions of get your fuckin hands up, Burnham says, Get up. MARTIN: You know, about that, because it does move into a deeply serious place at some point. HOLMES: Right. he sings as he refers to his birth name. Throughout the song and its accompanying visuals, Burnham is highlighting the "girlboss" aesthetic of many white women's Instagram accounts. Copyright 2021 NPR. I cant say how Burnham thinks or feels with any authority, but as text and form-driven comedy, Inside urges the audience to reflect on how they interact with creators. I think you're getting from him, you know, the entertainment element. Or DM a girl and groom her, do a Zoomer, find a tumor in her HOLMES: And this is what the chorus of that song sounds like. Teeuwen's performance shows a twisted, codependent relationship between him and the puppet on his hand, something Burnham is clearly channeling in his own sock puppet routine in "Inside.". Inside has been making waves for comedy fans, similar to the ways previous landmark comedy specials like Hannah Gadsbys Nanette or Tig Notaros Live (aka Hello, I Have Cancer) have.
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