A genius, reemerging comedian at the mercy of the audience’s laughter
Like a thought-to-be extinct species reemerging into the world after so many years, comedian Bo Burnham has made a comeback after a five-year hiatus. Sort of.
Due to Covid-19, Bo was not able to perform a live comedy special in front of an audience.
Instead, he secretly created his show in a studio apartment for the entirety of quarantine. Bo titled this special Inside, and rightfully so.
Burnham wrote, produced, directed and starred in Inside.
It was different to say the least, not only by the production being done remotely, but by the typical standards of Bo’s comedy. Burnham had always implemented musical comedy in his shows.
However, the majority of Inside was filled with comedic musical numbers, which of course makes sense since he didn’t have a live audience available.
Each song was briefly interrupted by cut scenes of Bo editing, interjecting thoughts about life and society and imitations of Youtubers.
A line from the last song of the last performance Bo performed, before his hiatus, called Can’t Handle This transcends to this special.
“I want to please you, but I want to stay true to myself. I want to give you the night out that you deserve, but I want to say what I think and not care what you think about it.”
And that’s exactly what he did.
Inside is Bo Burnham unleashed. A comedian at the mercy of an audience’s laughter addressing important societal issues.
For instance, in a song called That is How the World Works, Bo manages to comedically simulate people in the position of power who use fear to control and undermine the masses by using a cheaply made sock puppet.
In another song titled Problematic he addresses past mistakes he made when he was young. Bo pins himself to a wall resembling a crucifixion, symbolizing how people utilize social media to crucify and excommunicate others who have made past mistakes despite showing growth of character.
As the special progresses, Bo’s humor becomes eerie and pressing. At the halfway mark, Inside is no longer a comedy show, but an experience.
Witnessing a man build and fall apart repeating over a span of year is like watching a double rainbow appear after a hurricane. It’s translucent, raw and real and nothing short of awe.
After an hour in I couldn’t laugh anymore, I could only listen. And I believe that’s exactly what Bo wanted.
Inside, was nothing short of genius and unseen. Bo Burnham is a man who is hyperaware of his surroundings and showcases the complexity of our society through the lenses of musical comedy.
