Bo Burnham ‘Inside’

So he looks like a hot mess, but then after the trash fire of 2020, who didn’t? 

Burnham filmed this by himself during lockdown, he spends a lot of time fiddling with the camera, equipment etc. It’s a nice little insight into the world of ‘I’m-in-isolation-because-the-world-is-on- fire-but-I’ve-got-shit-to-do-but-make-it-funny’ Well, he was more productive than I was.

But here’s the thing about creatives, or at least the creatives I know, is that high amounts of productive work is also followed by many long periods of self-doubt/loathing and the inevitable questions of “is this even any good? Would people even like it?’. We see that in small segments inside this comedy special because it’s all part of the process. It’s also part of being in isolation from everyone for months at a time. And what did we all do in isolation? Spend a heck of a a lot of time online. Mental health is at an all time low, but at least I look happy on Instagram? Trust me, there’s a lot of commentary about the internet in this comedy special.

Let’s start off with one of the opening musical numbers, he’s playing his signature keyboard, but this time everything is different, the lighting is done and organised by Burnham, himself there is also no audience, something that is highlighted by the recording of laughter. In my opinion its a somewhat meta moment, Burnham is controlling the laughter, because that’s what a comedian thrives on. He places the laughter in time with the music but also in the places where he WANTS you to laugh. But, ironically, Burnham asks what is there to joke about?. This is the thing I like about Burnham, he, unlike other comics will say the obscene but he’ll do it through a bizarre medium. Like sock puppets because ‘that’s how the world works’.

In respite from the existentialism that is going on in this comedic, but deeply moving, comedy special there’s a bit on ‘white woman’s instagram’ and to be honest I feel slightly attacked but in a way that made me cringe at my own idiosyncrasy but laugh at the ones I didn’t partake in. You know, like placing daisies over your eyes and constantly using vintage filters that look like the Urban Outfitter aesthetic. If you get my drift? But life is not an aesthetic, filters can’t hide everything.

Anyone FaceTime/Skype their mother recently heck or even the grandparents? Everyone has at some point and everyone did during the course of the pandemic. Because, you know- are you guys okay? But here’s the thing about parents/grandparents/ that generation. They do not get technology and its quite endearing if not frustrating and Burnham beautifully captures that. Like when your mum is seven inches from the screen (bonus if they’re wearing glasses) partly because they want to see you better while you get a fantastic view of their nose. Bravo. Oh, mum, I miss you.

There are some classic Burnham bits like the ‘reacting to myself’ bit. I have watched many of these ‘reaction’ videos on YouTube because I ran out of things to watch (believe it or not). They’re supposed to be relatable, funny and humbling. But they’re kinda not and I love the expose Burnham does to themI will also admit that some of the little spoken jokes can be predictable, but who the heck cares? Anyone who’s watched Bo Burnham before is here for the music, the commentary and the ‘what-in-the-heck-was-that’ moments. You’ll know what I mean when you see the sock puppets bit or the ‘left brain, right brain’ bit from ‘What’. It’s on YouTube. (dammit again with the internet!)

So, to conclude, I’ve watched ‘Make Happy’ and ‘What’. But this special ‘Inside’ may just be Burnham’s most poignant comedy special yet. There’s an enduring belief that even though ‘the world is so fucked up’ comedy can make it seem a little less so. In the times that we are in now a little laughter can a long way. Burnham had said earlier in this special ‘wanna help leave this world better than when I found it’. However, I cannot help wonder that comedians work so hard to make people laugh, but at the expense of themselves. So ‘Should I be joking at a time like this?’ Yes, because clearly Burnham took the time and the damned effort to do this. All by himself. In the middle of a pandemic. ‘Inside’ caters to just about everyone, don’t tell me you don’t find Burnham funny because we all experienced the pandemic and it sucked. But at least someone went and shone a little light humour on it. Oh, and you know (I waited till the end to say this) get off your phone.

‘Inside’ by Bo Burnham is available to watch now on Netflix.