And many people will probably remember his 2018 movie, "Eighth Grade." 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. Bo Burnham: Inside is a devastating portrait of the actor-director-singer-comedian's dysfunctional interiority and 2020's unyielding assault on mental and social health. He's also giving us a visual representation of the way social media feeds can jarringly swing between shallow photos and emotional posts about trauma and loss. HOLMES: So, as you'll hear there, on the one hand, there's a lot of sadness in what he's talking about there. They may still be comical, but they have a different feel. Were complicated. Though it does have a twist. It's not. Initially, this seems like a pretty standard takedown of the basic bitch stereotype co-opted from Black Twitter, until the aspect ratio widens and Burnham sings a shockingly personal, emotional caption from the same feed. He also costarred in the Oscar-winning movie "Promising Young Woman," filmed in 2019. And then, of course, he had previous standup comedy specials. It's self-conscious. Then, of course, the aspect ratio shrinks again as the white woman goes back to posting typical content. The song untangles the way we view peoples social media output as the complete vision of who they are, when really, we cannot know the full extent of someones inner world, especially not just through social media. The lead-in is Burnham thanking a nonexistent audience for being there with him for the last year. Parasocial relationships can be positive too, as outlined in culture critic Stitchs essay On Parasocial Relationships and the Boundaries of Celebrity for Teen Vogue. "The world needs direction from a white guy like [you] who is healing the world with comedy. Long before the phrase parasocial relationship had entered the mainstream zeitgeist, Burnhams work discussed the phenomenon. Relieved to be done? Tapping on a synthesizer, he sings about the challenges of isolation as he sits on a cluttered floor, two striking squares of sunlight streaming in through the windows of a dark room. This is especially true for Patreon campaigns that give fans direct access to creators on platforms like Discord. 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.". Instead of working his muscles at open mics or in improv, Burnham uploaded joke songs to the platform in 2006. ", He then pulls the same joke again, letting the song play after the audience's applause so it seems like a mistake. Bo Burnham Performing "Make Happy" was mentally taxing on Burnham. "All Eyes On Me" starts right after Burnham's outburst of anger and sadness. The final shot is of him looking positively orgasmic, eyes closed, on the cross. Whatever it is, NPR's Linda Holmes, host of Pop Culture Happy Hour, has reviewed it, and she liked it. Some of this comes through in how scenes are shot and framed: its common for the special to be filmed, projected onto Burnhams wall (or, literally, himself), and then filmed again for the audience. newsletter, On Parasocial Relationships and the Boundaries of Celebrity, Bo Burnham and the Trap of Parasocial Self-Awareness.. The special was nominated for six Emmy Awards in 2021, of which it won three: Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special, Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, and Outstanding Music Direction. Yes, Bo Burnham posted a trailer via Twitter on April 28, 2021. And the very format of it, as I said, it's very much this kind of sinister figure trying to get you interested. Bo All Eyes on Me takes a different approach to rattling the viewer. He tries to talk into the microphone, giving his audience a one-year update. In his new Netflix special, Inside, Bo Burnham sings about trying to be funny while stuck in a room. Its a feat, the work of a gifted experimentalist whose craft has caught up to his talent. He brushes his teeth, eats a bowl of cereal, and begins editing his videos. So when you get to the end of a song, it often just kind of cuts to something else. But he's largely been given a pass by his fans, who praise his self-awareness and new approach. This is a heartbreaking chiding coming from Burnham's own distorted voice, as if he's shaming himself for sinking back into that mental state. "I'm so worried that criticism will be levied against me that I levy it against myself before anyone else can. And they're biting, but he's also very talented at these little catchy pop hooks. And I think that's what you're getting here. Web9/10. So we broke down each song and sketch and analyzed their meaning and context. But by the end of the tune, his narrative changes into irreverence. MARTIN: This special is titled, appropriately enough, "Inside," and it is streaming on Netflix now. And it has a lot of very clever and very quick wordplay about the specific things you can get on the internet. 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. I was not, you know, having these particular experiences. 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. Burnham reacts to his reaction of the song, this time saying, Im being a little pretentious. 1 on Billboards comedy albums chart and eventually climbed to No. "You say the ocean's rising, like I give a s---," he sings. WebA biotech genius tries to bounce back from the depths of grief with help from his son, who works to escape his dads shadow and save the family business. It's just Burnham, his room, the depressive-sound of his song, and us watching as his distorted voice tries to convince us to join him in that darkness. 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 have a funky memory and I sometimes can't remember things from something I've watched, even if it was just yesterday. You can stream "Inside" on Netflix now, and see our ranking of all 20 original songs from the special here. And I think that, 'Oh if I'm self-aware about being a douchebag it'll somehow make me less of a douchebag.' The frame is intimate, and after such an intense special, something about that intimacy feels almost dangerous, like you should be preparing for some kind of emotional jump scare. Some of the things he mentions that give him "that funny feeling" include discount Etsy agitprop (aka communist-themed merchandise) and the Pepsi halftime show. Right after the song ends, the shot of Burnham's guest house returns but this time it's filled with clutter. Its a visual that signifies a man exposing himself, until you realize hes in a spotlight. Parasocial relationships are neutral, and how we interact with them is usually a mixed bag. Likewise. For fans who struggle with panic attacks (myself included) its a comfort to see yourself represented in an artist whose work you respect. Then, the video keeps going past the runtime of the song and into that reaction itself. "Oh Jesus, sorry," Burnham says, hurrying over to pick it up. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. I've been hiding from the world and I need to reenter.' The structured movements of the last hour and half fall away as Burnham snaps at the audience: "Get up. And I'm just wondering, like, how would you describe that? 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. Now, the term is applied to how viewers devote time, energy, and emotion to celebrities and content creators like YouTubers, podcasters, and Twitch streamers people who do not know they exist. Maybe we'll call it isolation theater. In another scene, Burnham gives a retroactive disclaimer to discussions of his suicidal ideation by telling the audience, And if youre out there and youre struggling with suicidal thoughts and you want to kill yourself, I just wanna tell you Dont! Look Whos Inside Again is largely a song about being creative during quarantine, but ends with Now come out with your hands up, weve got you surrounded, a reflection on police violence but also being mobbed by his fans. It's so good to hear your voice. But unlike many of us, Burnham was also hard at work on a one-man show directed, written and performed all by himself. Burnham achieved a similar uncanny sense of realism in his movie "Eighth Grade," the protagonist of which is a 13-year-old girl with extreme social anxiety who makes self-help YouTube videos. And did you have any favorites? "Healing the world with comedy, the indescribable power of your comedy," the voice sings. Back in 2010, Burnham appeared on Showtime's "The Green Room," a comics round table hosted by Paul Provenza. ", From then on, the narrative of "Inside" follows Burnham returning to his standard comedic style and singing various parody songs like "FaceTime with My Mom" and "White Woman's Instagram.". You know, as silly as that one is, some of the other ones are more sedate. ", Right as Burnham is straightening up, music begins blaring over the speakers and Burnham's own voice sings: "He meant to knock the water over, yeah yeah yeah, but you all thought it was an accident. The song made such a splash in its insight that it earned its own episode in Shannon Struccis seminal Fake Friends documentary series, which broke down what parasocial relationships are and how they work. Might not help but still it couldn't hurt. It's a heartbreaking chiding coming from his own distorted voice, as if he's shaming himself for sinking back into that mental state. Linda, thank you so much for joining us. But now Burnham is back. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. 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. That's what it is. Burnham is especially aware as a creator constantly reflecting on his own life. Oops. It's progress. 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. It's a hint at the promised future; the possibility of once again being able to go outside and feel sunlight again. The hustle to be a working artist usually means delivering an unending churn of content curated specifically for the demands of an audience that can tell you directly why they are upset with you because they did not actually like the content you gave them, and then they can take away some of your revenue for it.

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