I'm pretty sure that's a myth that's lingers in society like the "humans only use 10% of their brains thing". If I had to say though I guess I would lean left brain.
Bo in this song: "I know what will bring me happiness, performing live comedy!" Everyone after watching Inside: "Oh...oh, no. No no no no no no no no no."
Wrong, he was depressed and needed to work on his mental regardless of the issues that the performing caused. The people in the audience putting pressure on him to live up to a celebrity’s status or standards, and being “contractually obligated to perform” is what did it for him I’m sure. The comedy was always his escape in life which is why even after his mental break he knew that this is what he wanted to come back to, but then covid hit and he kind of just…gave it all up in a way. Will be forever missed.✌️
@@ChrisReactsToThings I think the first interpretation is something like "he feels like a prisoner in his own mind", but hard to say if that was the intent, or if it was just a reference that might get a chuckle from a few theatre geeks like me. :)
Bo explained the number in a reddit AMA " In the left/right brain bit I'm called patient 24602 because in Les Mis Jean Valjean is 24601. Hope some people caught that."
Yea I actually just realized that I never really payed attention to it but when Chris pointed it out I realized it was the next number from that and that Bo has said he was a theatre kid
My favorite line from this song is "Half of his problems were supposed to be mine, but you wanted everything". It resonates with me trying to "solve" my way out of feeling sad and not realizing that emotions are important as well, and a balance needs to be found.
“You can tell them anything if you just make it funny, make it rhyme.” That’s a quote from Can’t Handle This, but it’s essentially the fundamental theory of his comedy. Recognizing this, it makes a lot of sense why Bo often cites George Carlin as an influence. Carlin believed the same thing. He described comedy numerous times as form of self-satisfying rhetoric, a means of expressing your own truth that gets the audience on your side.
Right Brain: "Half of his problems were supposed to be mine. But you wanted everything." The right hemisphere mediates the communication and regulation of emotional state. So right brain should have been in charge of his emotions and feelings. But anxiety is the sort of intellectualization of emotion. Instead of feeling his emotions, left brain took over and used reason and logic to avoid uncomfortable or anxiety-provoking emotions instead. Bo is so good at lyrics. So, so good.
Agreed 100% with this song hitting harder after seeing inside and knowing where he’s at years after this was made. I watched this special recently when I guessed you’d be covering it next, and I felt myself getting all emotional during this song and I was like “wait I don’t remember this song getting me so bad last time!”
I love the ending bit where Right Brain says "I love you" and Left Brain says "I know" because while it's a reference to Star Wars it's also accurate since Right Brain is in charge of emotion "love" and Left Brain is in charge of categorical knowledge. Such a great performance, I love this one. Edit: Lol I should have watched 'til the end you already covered this lol. Loved the reaction man keep it up!
Yeah, specially since it seems he's not going to react to the whole Words, Words, Words special. It would put into perspective that Bo's struggles with being a comedian go way back…
Ik ima bit late to comment on reaction videos abt this, but I’m currently 21 years old and got into Bo’s comedy at the age of, I wanna say roughly 12 or 13 when I stumbled on to his song “my whole family thinks I’m gay”, and yes after watching his story unfold and coming back to watch some of his old specials for some kind of nostalgia trip, and also after growing up and seeing him come back after everything he went through, then there is no doubt that the feeling of these different energies he was putting off in every single song, clip, or performance put a whole new meaning to every word he said. When you watch the “what” and “make happy” specials as a kid, you almost see some of the things he’s doing on stage as just repeatable and funny. I remember having thoughts abt trying to do a school talent show or something like that with his ideas but I always had stage fright so fk that💀as a young adult watching them, I think even without the “inside” special you could still easily tell how broken he was if you’ve lived in depression, which most of us do because of social media. Anyways I hate that he could be gone for good this time cause I did, and in a different way than it used too, I do still look up to him.✌️
i watched all of these specials as they came out. it was like watching Bo's mental health steadily decline from this to "we think we know you" to "can't handle this" to "all eyes on me" and all of them are amazing but it's just so sad to see him decline like this.
Bo was definitely a master of hiding how he was truly feeling. I feel like songs like this one and Can't Handle This were sort of him testing the waters, seeing if he could let people into his mind and if they would come out the other side still his fans and still having fun and then Inside was basically "Welcome to the crazy depths of my mind, these are the things i really think, I hope you still had fun"
I love how most of Bo's "comedy" is really theatrical... It's an impressive creative production. He doesn't half-ass anything. Have you noticed in Bo's early stuff he always sort of apologizes or protects himself by making things "okay" ... Like when the robot said n***a.. He was like whoa, don't say that. Then the robot is like, im a robot, I can say whatever I want. Technically deflecting the n comment off Bo (even though he wrote the script), but putting it on the robot who actually said it this protecting Bo? He does this with a lot of stuff. Also, no clue how far you are on recording this special, but the final song blows this one out of the water when it comes to being creative .... O_O First time I saw it .... just wow.
Alright I’m a bo Burnham fan since high school TH-cam stuff. When you know the dude (or the character of him) as well as we do it’s all swirling in our heads at once. So if anything Inside is just the natural conclusion of what we’ve seen glimpses of for years. It’s the most extreme example of what his comedy was masking. So inside hits harder but a lot of it is because we were primed for the breakdown eventually. Inside hit real fucking hard.
I legit get upset when reaction channels jump straight from Welcome to the Internet to All Eyes on Me. It feels like such a disservice to that song, Bo, and all the art he's made that lead up to it. Inside hit so fucking hard.
From the point when left brain lays into right brain up to "no your not" breaks out my tears every time, before inside and after. It is very close to home for me. I even considered doing comedy for a bit partly because of this song, but unfortunately I don't have talent to go with my social anxiety. Another great reaction 🙂
OhHHH yeah. I remember watching this when it came out and felt so heartbroken for him during this song. And coming back to this special (and all of his other ones, let's be real here lol) just basically twists the knife in that little bit deeper. Because I'd actually been following Bo since he started doing YT and followed him all the way through Make Happy and then he just kinda dropped off the face of the earth, but then for some reason, I found myself wondering during the first week in June 'what's Bo up to?' and went to look and, sure enough, there was a new special on Netflix. Also - as someone who's exceptionally empathic, I know exactly what you mean about Bo's work hitting hard. Sensitive folks like us are just more affected by art like music and film because our brains process things more deeply. I'm pretty sure Bo's sensitive that way, too and kinda explains the panic attacks. Tremendous pressure, all those eyeballs watching and judging, but feeling people's judgement and uncharitable vibes just rolling in while you're trying to do your job - guh. I could never lol
oh 100%, i’ve been listening to bo since i found make happy like 3-4 years ago? and after watching inside and after that wait, going back n watching his old stuff hits so hard, i don’t think i’ve ever cared more about an entertainer and the way he’s opened so many ppls minds n hearts is beautiful
One part really stood out to me rewatching this: "I hope that you're happy, cuz he's sure not" and the ending to the special Make Happy: "Thank you. Good night. I hope you're happy." I've always said he could legitimately wishing he's made the audience happy, but that specific phrasing 'I hope you're happy' is almost never said sincerely. Almost always it's a "Look what you've done" type of thing. Particularly with Make Happy, he effectively quit performing for the longest time because he was burning himself out to appease his audience and he couldn't take it anymore.
damn i have been sad about this performence, but when you talked about it in the end i started crying a little. like holy fuck, it just hit me even harder. i just want him to be happy, and i wanna be happy myself. fuck fuck fuck
Damn, loved your breakdown of this one! I noticed that this one hit harder as I got older and would re-watch it. The first time, I definitely saw it as more lighthearted, then caught more of the meaning as I gained life experience.
Looking back on this special after watching Make Happy and Inside I definitely feel that the way that some of the songs resonate has changed. As a member of the audience for the special's taping, I can say that at the time, I (and I would assume a good portion of the other members of the two crowds that night) went into it with a larger focus on Bo's punchlines and showmanship than on the emotional brilliance that he brings to so many of his bits. Combining that frame of reference with the fact that it was the taping of a comedy special and that people tend to laugh in uncomfortable moments, it is unsuprising to me how many of us were quick to laugh during some of the most serious and introspective parts of What. It has been amazing to watch Bo evolve over the past decade or so. I think songs like Left Brain/Right Brain, From God's Perspective, and We Think We Know You were the first glimpses into the level of genius he would be able to reach in his successive specials. Watching Chris react to the specials in reverse chronological order has been such an insightful treat and I look forward to watching as he completes the rest of What. I'm glad that my understanding of so many of Bo's songs has had to expand and shift over numerous playbacks. And for any of you who watched this in 2013, I hope that your perspectives have changed a bit over the past 8 years as well.
Pretty sure 24602 is a Les Miserable reference, as the main character is prisoner number 24601 (and they often say it two-four-six-oh-one). There's an interesting dynamic where his parole officer refers to him as 2-4-6-0-1 throughout the musical while he is trying to leave his past behind him and become his own man, Jean Valjean. So the 24602 could be a reference to either that dynamic where he is trying to make it into his own and everyone still knows him as the TH-cam kid (at the time, maybe this dynamic existed), possibly just a vague reference to feeling imprisoned, or has no meaning aside from being a cheap reference.
What. and Make Happy are specials that o would play throughout quarantine last year to take my mind off things and just laugh. I’d put them on to watch or just play as background noise. But going back to them after watching Inside definitely hit different. I realized how many times he was essentially crying for help when I passed it off as just artistic exaggeration or just Bo trying to relate to a wide audience. Knowing how real his struggle was definitely makes these bits feel darker. I really hope this time around for Bo is different.
My empathy levels were off the charts at the time because I related to this back then. Somebody doesn't come up with something like this out of nowhere.
I loved your analysis, and I can relate on struggling to balance my emotions and logic. This song hits me so hard and I agree that after Inside, it hits harder. This song is literally Bo explaining the purpose and meaning behind his comedy and its incredible.
I would imagine, more specifically, that this isn't what he is struggling with, but what he's been through, given he clearly has the perspective to express the whole arch of personal growth.
I watched all of Bo Burnham's specials , in order, over the years. I've always considered entertainment a service being provided to me, so I rarely dig deeper into the provider's personal status. I really had no idea about Bo's mental health,till after Inside. I just always thought he was very funny,creative, and intelligent. The best comedians always make us sad. I just am grateful for the service he has provided over the years,and hope he has gotten to a good place in his personal life.
This special was my first introduction to Bo years ago, and I have gone back to it many times after watching inside but it didn't necessarily make this hit different, if anything watching this and make happy for so many years made inside hit beyond words. So kinda vice versa for me.
"what." was my favorite Bo Burnham special until Inside released, and this is definitely one of the standout songs from the special. It's incredibly ambitious and insightful, and remains one of the best pieces he's done. Much of the stuff in Inside is more elaborate, but it has the benefit of editing and post-production. This was all done live, with Bo's performance and choreography synced to the lighting changes and music. A ton of work and rehearsal must have gone into it, and to think something like this was achieved in a one man show (and yes, especially by such a young artist) is mind-blowing. And for me, the emotional impact was always there, even before watching Inside. I feel like I could always detect Bo's depression, anxiety, self-doubt, etc., showing through his writing and performing. I still tear up watching this one, just like I did watching it years ago. "what." is more of a comedy special than Inside is, and some of the segments aren't meant to have much of a "deeper meaning", but some of the bits do, and this is absolutely one of them. One of the highlights of the special, and for me the performance that converted Bo Burnham from "comedy genius" to "artistic genius" in my mind.
I call Bo an artist before I call him a comedian now, mostly because of Inside but especially because of performances like this. I appreciate your comment, it was beautifully put.
Yes, this is a great one. But the finale is definitely one of my favorites. I'm so excited for you to see that one too! You're channel is still the best!
I don't believe people can make others happy. I think we have to find our own happiness. But, I could be wrong. I've been wrong before, and I'll be wrong again
I’ve been a Bo fan for about 10 years and actually just loved his comedy. I didn’t really take it seriously until “Can’t Handle This” where it was crystal clear what he was dealing with. I was incredibly happy when I heard Inside was coming out. His explanation about why he quit in “All eyes on me” hit like a truck. We knew vaguely why but to hear him say it was pretty brutal.
I did revisit these after Inside, and it 100% has a different feel now. It's like rewatching a complex movie plot multiple times. You piece together parts that you missed before.
A huge benefit of you watching this in the full special is that you avoided the lyric video that many other reactors used. Lyric videos kill comedy songs, when you can see the punchline coming before it's heard.
I sometimes laugh at the more serious parts, but it's really a combination of the way he's presenting it (trying to frame it comedically) and an almost ironic laughter. I mean, I think it's pretty natural to laugh when things are terrible, for me it's sometimes basically an alternative to crying. Basically, I don't think everyone who laughed missed the more serious tones, though of course most probably did, since they were expecting comedy and not really looking for that.
@@cameronjadewallace I think it varies depending on the person. To some people, just the idea of laughing at something sad/tragic/etc. is so foreign that they're appalled and horrified when people do laugh. And to some people crying comes easily (especially if they didn't learn to repress it growing up). And I'm not sure it's just as healthy as crying. That's to say that I don't know if it's healthy to exclusively laugh and never cry, since I think that probably means repressed emotions. But I do agree that it's healthy to laugh in situations like this, it's still just a way of releasing your emotions. And I definitely relate to crying being hard.
Imagine if at the end everyone formed a group hug around him. he plainly explained such a complex feeling that we all have at some point… but instead there’s laughter
My favorite part of this song has always been the final exchange that occurs between the left and right brain. Having his left brain respond with “I know” instead of “I love you, too”… Idk, I’ve just always thought that was very clever. Very left brain of him to say 😄
@@heidia.8198 its also how the left brain and right brain would react, the right brain said i love you because he is the emotional side and the left brain said i know because he is the logical side and doesn't really show his emotions to he just acknowledges that he knows the right brain loves him
Makes my day when I get to watch these! Interested to see what you will be doing after this special. Love the format of watching a full special too! :) Hi from Australia.
I think I first discovered him in ‘11 - I went through a period of using watching comedy to self medicate for some heavy personal stuff. When Make Happy came out I was jazzed to see it, and moved by it, esp the ending. After all of that, seeing Inside was like “Holy Crap, I hadn’t realized it’s been so long.” I hadn’t seen 8th grade, but I’d heard all his interviews about it, glad to see he was branching out and trying new things - it reminded me of Jim Carey doing Spotless Mind, his first non comedic role (I think), but in this case Bo write & directed. So, to answer your question, watching them forward, Inside hit harder I think. Which is pretty amazing, since it already hits hard for people who hadn’t seen any of his previous work.
I did see both of the specials before inside, I have been a fan for a long time.. And all of his songs and bits make me feel something. Somehow he is very good at making a show and putting up some kind of acting skills, but he still is a real person and I totaly see that! Sometimes he makes it more or a bit too much, but you can't act something you know nothing about...
We watched them all in order as they came out, And this song relates so much because over the years you could watch his performance improve incredibly. Inside was pure genius. But over that same time period, you watch his mental health decline to the point that you truly worry about him.
Just want to say I’ve watched no since I was 14 and loved him thought he was hilarious it took till 20 and now to really see what he was trying to say to the audience and I don’t even think they realized how impactful some of of his stuff is, even as a different mind set to think about.
YES, I saw what. and Make Happy both right when they came out and many more times over the years, but going back to watch them after seeing Inside definitely hit differently and felt more intense. Yeah, I said this song was my second favorite of what., but my favorite is the finale!
The 24602 is a joke about a musical about the french revolution. The main character valjean was only referred to as his prison number 24601 which I guess could mean that he feels imprisoned and can't escape like valjean did
This is right up there with the Kanye Rant in the re-watch gut punch. Loved it years ago, need tissues now. Speaking of which... keep up the empathy, but definitely have tissues nearby when you watch the finale. Talk about post-Inside jaw-drop.
after watching what. i recommend checking out the other songs in the album preferrably the automated uploads than the lyric videos the order in the album: Eff, Nerds, Channel 5: The Musical, Hell of a Ride
I know I'm late to the party but I like when RB tells LB "You think you are the right one every time" when they are fighting because... you know, it's the left brain, not the right one. It's not deep or anything, just a clever play on words.
I hope you are well Chris. You haven't posted in 2 years. I watched a lot of your videos when you were active and was recently reminded of them. Going thru them all again. Hope you're doing alright and your family too :)
14:04 a lot of people don't know how to react when they're uncomfortable, so they laugh - not because they find it funny necessarily, but because they don't know what else to do. I think laughing at inappropiate parts might partially be due to that. I personally took a very long time to realize what emotions are appropiately expressed by laughter and what emotions are not (for example, laughing when you are in pain is not the right thing to do).
This is probably the first time we also see bo subconsciously shows theres a problem with himself which i dont know if he noticed or not but depicting his emotional side as a child is a sign of some extra stuff going on
But i also think the subtext of the ‘battle in his brain’ is that the work took over and he wasnt able to allow his emotions to grow and shut it off causing problems
I think it's telling that he starts with "Hi, I'm sorry." Like he's apologizing for existing there. This reminds me of Sanders Sides everytime. They're different parts of Thomas Sanders personality, the logical is called Logic, the feelings at first is sort of lumped together but eventually splits into Prince (his creativity and passion named because he's a diva who dresses like a Disney prince), and Morality (aka Dad Jokes Sanders). I love that you caught the Star Wars reference and that Bo tied it into his act. Also 95% sure he produced the lights. Maybe for this first one he had a guy on board following instructions, but in Make Happy he had it all on a track afaik.
I watched all 3 Comedy Specials in order. Although I was sorry to hear about his mental health I do think it's obvious that his comedy touches a lot on human fragility, fleeting happiness & clearly has highlighted the duality of persona in so many areas of our lives. Professional v personal, etc. He definitely expresses his love hate relationship with fame as well. The journey makes sense & I'm just grateful that he keeps sharing it with us because he is brilliant!
I love the way you're breaking this down while watching! It shows that you're listening and getting the point. Every time you stated an observation, it was cracked down right in the next line. Great job. This was enjoyable to watch.
I always see people saying "left brain is to blame and is evil" or something along those lines (obviously less direct) and trying to shift the blame onto LB. Now don't get me wrong, LB has an ego problem believing himself to be more important then RB as he is the one doing most of the work but that doesn't mean he is fully to blame for Bo's emotional state being out of place. The only problem is how LB went about confronting RB, he was mad 'cause RB sudenly started playing the victim during a small argument, over RB being too direct, LB wasn't stoping RB from doing his job he was focusing on Bo's work instead of emotion's as that is his job. The fact is, LB is the one to call out RB for not doing his job and LB is right in this situation, Bo's emotional state is under RB so if it's failing it is not on him, it is and always will be RB's fault but he also doesn't see why RB isn't doing his job. RB had to take control for a bit to get some emotion out but he wasn't, he was just sulking that he didn't have control because LB was focusing on work, basically, RB had to be more forceful than he was being, it is not only on LB but it's not only on RB despite how this comment sounds they are both in the wrong in their own ways, for example, LB could have offered control to RB for awhile but he saw emotions as useless so he didn't and because RB wouldn't take control this left Bo stuck in a cycle of working and sadness because RB wasn't in control, he got out of it for awhile with comedy before it stopped working and he quit and now he's trying again so yeah basically I'm saying there isn't one side to blame their both at fault but LB is right in what he's actually saying. And he even felt bad after calling RB out, trying to comfort him once he started crying. I think people are unfair to LB when talking about this performance, they never mention that he was logically right which makes sense obviously he doesn't understand everything since he is the logical side. IDK, at least that's how I see it have a good day.
Since you asked: the voice calls him "Patient 24602" and the number is totally not-random: it's a reference to the musical Les Miserables, where the protagonist Jean Valjean was famously 24601. Bo is to me a mix between a comedian and a musical actor (and more of a filosopher as the shows get more mature later on).
I've felt this way, like my right and left were at war with each other. My brain making logical and rational decisions and my heart sort of... not doing that. I had to put both in time out because the stress was insufferable. No brain gang. I don't recommend it.
I dont know if its been mentioned. But 24602 could possibly be a reference to Les Misérables. Who's main character was prisoner 24601. Pretty sure that's what he was eluding to there. And im definitely more left brain dominant than right. A balance would be nice, but life is such as it is.
This Act Left Brain Right Brain was another brilliant Bo Burnham act, Bo does an amazing job explaining what to some people is obvious, the traits Bo shows us are fairly common, Bo is just showing us what we all know but never actually think about in our daily lives, but we all share very similar traits. If we take a deeper dive into better understanding we could come up with a few different words to describe what many of us experience on a daily basis, some people are more sensitive then others The first word (Cognitive dissonance): Cognitive dissonance is a term for the state of discomfort felt when two or more modes of thought contradict each other. The clashing cognitions may include ideas, beliefs, or the knowledge that one has behaved in a certain way. The second word (Duality) Duality is the difference between two opposite things : a division into two opposite groups : DICHOTOMY A great movie by Godfrey Reggio the Movie (Koyaanisqatsi) witch in the Indian Hopi Language means “Life Out of Balance” it’s a silent film that came out in 1982, music by Phillip Glass, this movie perfectly depicts how life can be so out of balance and on a day to day basis, we keep ourselves so busy with mundane things that we hardly pay attention to this drama we each have within ourselves. Bo Burnham while he suffers with these same traits as almost every other human on the face of the planet simply shows us in comedic/musical form what appears to him, obvious, these traits however are not obvious to many people and so when we see it, it tends to grab our attention. Many people I believe are misdiagnosing Bo Burnham because of this and that because he is the one showing us what many of us are having difficulty with, many people think that Bo is showing us his dark side when in truth, he is simply pointing out some obvious common human behaviors. People react in some bad or wrong ways thinking Bo is all depressed and just sitting around basking in his sorrows that only Bo is suffering from when in fact, we all share in very similar ways some of the same traits, it’s just that some people handles it all different and show signs of these traits differently. I think, believe when people react and feel badly for Bo, their actually feeling their own sadness that Bo is simply bringing out to the surface. I think is creating a lot of confusion and people end up taking it all wrong. Now, this is just my opinion, but this is what I see going on here with a lot of people’s reactions to the whole Bo Phenomena. There is no doubt Bo is a brilliant performer and I think ironically, the simple fact that people are constantly misdiagnosing Bo might very well be why he makes these types of acts in the first place. Perhaps we need to “Think Mirror” humans tend to project on to others what they themselves are feeling thus becoming a mirror image of themselves. Always remember this one very important fact; Nothing is as it appears to be on the surface. There are always many layers and levels to virtually everything including Bo Burnham and his performances. This is life. There is nothing new under the sun other than the history we do not yet know…
Harrison Ford improved Han Solo reference at the end. Also hey you picked it up. (Curiously most havent.) There's quite a few references to theater, a few movies and to other comedians (before mentioning them).
Yeah the fact that you are watching it all in reverse is probably tearing up your emotions. His stuff has always been introspective and emotional but adding hindsight to it is probably a one way ticket to tearsville. I will say tho I don't appreciate the older specials as much as I used to just because he keeps getting better and better. Don't get me wrong they are still great, but they feel less fully formed in comparison to Inside. It's a good problem to have tho.
I've thought quite a bit about the "cry=brave" comment. I hope it's mostly a generational thing, and that we are moving away from the "strong, silent, stoic man".
I watched this before Inside came out. And also Make Happy. This definitely didn't hit the same way, and I even got only a fraction of Make Happy's import. Without Inside to give it context, it's easier to hear him say "because sometimes people don't realize it's an act up here," instead seeing how real the honest, painful moments are.
Would you consider yourself more dominantly Left Brain or Right Brain?
Reaction starts at 0:31
Left brain most definitely
i don't know and i'm stressed
Right brain
I'm pretty sure that's a myth that's lingers in society like the "humans only use 10% of their brains thing". If I had to say though I guess I would lean left brain.
I think what I do is very intentionally with the left brain decide to let the right brain be in charge of most things, to avoid existential boredom. 🤔
Bo in this song: "I know what will bring me happiness, performing live comedy!"
Everyone after watching Inside: "Oh...oh, no. No no no no no no no no no."
😭
🥲
He should've picked juggling! LOL
For sure
Wrong, he was depressed and needed to work on his mental regardless of the issues that the performing caused. The people in the audience putting pressure on him to live up to a celebrity’s status or standards, and being “contractually obligated to perform” is what did it for him I’m sure. The comedy was always his escape in life which is why even after his mental break he knew that this is what he wanted to come back to, but then covid hit and he kind of just…gave it all up in a way. Will be forever missed.✌️
My favorite part here is the ending lines
"I love you" expresses emotion
"I know" expresses thinking
Bo kept the two character's traits consistent.
And Star Wars reference
24601 is the prisoner number for Valjean in Les Miserables--so 24602 as a joke.
Is there any other context besides that? Like does it tie in somehow?
@@ChrisReactsToThings I think the first interpretation is something like "he feels like a prisoner in his own mind", but hard to say if that was the intent, or if it was just a reference that might get a chuckle from a few theatre geeks like me. :)
Came to comments just to say this. I enjoyed this reference, love me some musical theatre.
I’ve been a bo fan for many many years and I never knew this. Cool fact. I wonder if he was hinting at his own misery by that.
@@Dragon7398 Some of us are just book geeks and know this from the novel, not the theatre :P
Bo explained the number in a reddit AMA
" In the left/right brain bit I'm called patient 24602 because in Les Mis Jean Valjean is 24601. Hope some people caught that."
THANK YOU! I was literally thinking "well Jean Valjean is 24601 so maybe. I feel vindicated
See, my cultural maturity level is at the "I recognized the 'I know' Han Solo reference" not quite at Les Mis levels here lol
OMGggggg!! Thank you for this!
Seriously? That's so amazing!
Yea I actually just realized that
I never really payed attention to it but when Chris pointed it out I realized it was the next number from that and that Bo has said he was a theatre kid
My favorite line from this song is "Half of his problems were supposed to be mine, but you wanted everything". It resonates with me trying to "solve" my way out of feeling sad and not realizing that emotions are important as well, and a balance needs to be found.
nice take on it. thanks for that
I know they're all comedy specials but there's something so....jarring about hearing the audience laugh after knowing what he was dealing with
It would be crushing if they didn't laugh, though
“You can tell them anything if you just make it funny, make it rhyme.”
That’s a quote from Can’t Handle This, but it’s essentially the fundamental theory of his comedy. Recognizing this, it makes a lot of sense why Bo often cites George Carlin as an influence. Carlin believed the same thing. He described comedy numerous times as form of self-satisfying rhetoric, a means of expressing your own truth that gets the audience on your side.
Right Brain: "Half of his problems were supposed to be mine. But you wanted everything."
The right hemisphere mediates the communication and regulation of emotional state. So right brain should have been in charge of his emotions and feelings. But anxiety is the sort of intellectualization of emotion. Instead of feeling his emotions, left brain took over and used reason and logic to avoid uncomfortable or anxiety-provoking emotions instead.
Bo is so good at lyrics. So, so good.
Agreed 100% with this song hitting harder after seeing inside and knowing where he’s at years after this was made. I watched this special recently when I guessed you’d be covering it next, and I felt myself getting all emotional during this song and I was like “wait I don’t remember this song getting me so bad last time!”
I always feel.... "Thanks for understanding what I understand... It's special."
I love the ending bit where Right Brain says "I love you" and Left Brain says "I know" because while it's a reference to Star Wars it's also accurate since Right Brain is in charge of emotion "love" and Left Brain is in charge of categorical knowledge. Such a great performance, I love this one.
Edit: Lol I should have watched 'til the end you already covered this lol. Loved the reaction man keep it up!
This was the song that introduced me to Bo Burnham back when this was released. I still love this song.
Me too! I had it memorized!
Same!! Back then, I thought it was from a musical and I was so surprised it was actually from a comedian 😂
Oh, by the way, you should react to Art is Dead. That song is just great 🙌
Yeah, specially since it seems he's not going to react to the whole Words, Words, Words special. It would put into perspective that Bo's struggles with being a comedian go way back…
If he doesn’t react to words words words then yeah he should definitely should react to art is dead
@@MayorBrownn Yep, no doubt about it. I'm sure someone will point out the songs not to be missed from that era…
@@pixelised he is going to react to the whole special.
@@KaneK1234 I would have thought so but he hinted otherwise in a recent video so we'll see.
Ik ima bit late to comment on reaction videos abt this, but I’m currently 21 years old and got into Bo’s comedy at the age of, I wanna say roughly 12 or 13 when I stumbled on to his song “my whole family thinks I’m gay”, and yes after watching his story unfold and coming back to watch some of his old specials for some kind of nostalgia trip, and also after growing up and seeing him come back after everything he went through, then there is no doubt that the feeling of these different energies he was putting off in every single song, clip, or performance put a whole new meaning to every word he said. When you watch the “what” and “make happy” specials as a kid, you almost see some of the things he’s doing on stage as just repeatable and funny. I remember having thoughts abt trying to do a school talent show or something like that with his ideas but I always had stage fright so fk that💀as a young adult watching them, I think even without the “inside” special you could still easily tell how broken he was if you’ve lived in depression, which most of us do because of social media. Anyways I hate that he could be gone for good this time cause I did, and in a different way than it used too, I do still look up to him.✌️
i watched all of these specials as they came out. it was like watching Bo's mental health steadily decline from this to "we think we know you" to "can't handle this" to "all eyes on me" and all of them are amazing but it's just so sad to see him decline like this.
"My emathy levels are off the charts, dude"
I empathize with that
Bo was definitely a master of hiding how he was truly feeling. I feel like songs like this one and Can't Handle This were sort of him testing the waters, seeing if he could let people into his mind and if they would come out the other side still his fans and still having fun and then Inside was basically "Welcome to the crazy depths of my mind, these are the things i really think, I hope you still had fun"
I love how most of Bo's "comedy" is really theatrical... It's an impressive creative production. He doesn't half-ass anything. Have you noticed in Bo's early stuff he always sort of apologizes or protects himself by making things "okay" ... Like when the robot said n***a.. He was like whoa, don't say that. Then the robot is like, im a robot, I can say whatever I want. Technically deflecting the n comment off Bo (even though he wrote the script), but putting it on the robot who actually said it this protecting Bo? He does this with a lot of stuff.
Also, no clue how far you are on recording this special, but the final song blows this one out of the water when it comes to being creative .... O_O First time I saw it .... just wow.
Salt and vin....
@@jrSinag He makes most of the crowd be problematic lol
man.
this reaction really hit me. i have nothing to say other than you blew it out of the park.
Alright I’m a bo Burnham fan since high school TH-cam stuff. When you know the dude (or the character of him) as well as we do it’s all swirling in our heads at once. So if anything Inside is just the natural conclusion of what we’ve seen glimpses of for years. It’s the most extreme example of what his comedy was masking. So inside hits harder but a lot of it is because we were primed for the breakdown eventually. Inside hit real fucking hard.
for real, ive been watching Bo since like 2010 youtube era i guess... And Inside is truly the conclusion of what we've been seeing
I legit get upset when reaction channels jump straight from Welcome to the Internet to All Eyes on Me. It feels like such a disservice to that song, Bo, and all the art he's made that lead up to it. Inside hit so fucking hard.
From the point when left brain lays into right brain up to "no your not" breaks out my tears every time, before inside and after. It is very close to home for me. I even considered doing comedy for a bit partly because of this song, but unfortunately I don't have talent to go with my social anxiety.
Another great reaction 🙂
OhHHH yeah. I remember watching this when it came out and felt so heartbroken for him during this song. And coming back to this special (and all of his other ones, let's be real here lol) just basically twists the knife in that little bit deeper. Because I'd actually been following Bo since he started doing YT and followed him all the way through Make Happy and then he just kinda dropped off the face of the earth, but then for some reason, I found myself wondering during the first week in June 'what's Bo up to?' and went to look and, sure enough, there was a new special on Netflix.
Also - as someone who's exceptionally empathic, I know exactly what you mean about Bo's work hitting hard. Sensitive folks like us are just more affected by art like music and film because our brains process things more deeply. I'm pretty sure Bo's sensitive that way, too and kinda explains the panic attacks. Tremendous pressure, all those eyeballs watching and judging, but feeling people's judgement and uncharitable vibes just rolling in while you're trying to do your job - guh. I could never lol
Empathy is Life's joke, I think. It's painful, but.... It's how we cope. It's how we connect
oh 100%, i’ve been listening to bo since i found make happy like 3-4 years ago? and after watching inside and after that wait, going back n watching his old stuff hits so hard, i don’t think i’ve ever cared more about an entertainer and the way he’s opened so many ppls minds n hearts is beautiful
One part really stood out to me rewatching this: "I hope that you're happy, cuz he's sure not" and the ending to the special Make Happy: "Thank you. Good night. I hope you're happy."
I've always said he could legitimately wishing he's made the audience happy, but that specific phrasing 'I hope you're happy' is almost never said sincerely. Almost always it's a "Look what you've done" type of thing. Particularly with Make Happy, he effectively quit performing for the longest time because he was burning himself out to appease his audience and he couldn't take it anymore.
damn i have been sad about this performence, but when you talked about it in the end i started crying a little. like holy fuck, it just hit me even harder. i just want him to be happy, and i wanna be happy myself. fuck fuck fuck
Damn, loved your breakdown of this one! I noticed that this one hit harder as I got older and would re-watch it. The first time, I definitely saw it as more lighthearted, then caught more of the meaning as I gained life experience.
This is another song that breaks me. It really is a deep dive into Bo's internal war with himself at the time.
Same.... Every time I hear people laughing at this, I..... Just don't get it. I never have. It's always hurt
Looking back on this special after watching Make Happy and Inside I definitely feel that the way that some of the songs resonate has changed. As a member of the audience for the special's taping, I can say that at the time, I (and I would assume a good portion of the other members of the two crowds that night) went into it with a larger focus on Bo's punchlines and showmanship than on the emotional brilliance that he brings to so many of his bits. Combining that frame of reference with the fact that it was the taping of a comedy special and that people tend to laugh in uncomfortable moments, it is unsuprising to me how many of us were quick to laugh during some of the most serious and introspective parts of What.
It has been amazing to watch Bo evolve over the past decade or so. I think songs like Left Brain/Right Brain, From God's Perspective, and We Think We Know You were the first glimpses into the level of genius he would be able to reach in his successive specials. Watching Chris react to the specials in reverse chronological order has been such an insightful treat and I look forward to watching as he completes the rest of What. I'm glad that my understanding of so many of Bo's songs has had to expand and shift over numerous playbacks. And for any of you who watched this in 2013, I hope that your perspectives have changed a bit over the past 8 years as well.
Pretty sure 24602 is a Les Miserable reference, as the main character is prisoner number 24601 (and they often say it two-four-six-oh-one). There's an interesting dynamic where his parole officer refers to him as 2-4-6-0-1 throughout the musical while he is trying to leave his past behind him and become his own man, Jean Valjean. So the 24602 could be a reference to either that dynamic where he is trying to make it into his own and everyone still knows him as the TH-cam kid (at the time, maybe this dynamic existed), possibly just a vague reference to feeling imprisoned, or has no meaning aside from being a cheap reference.
Lol I typed this and scrolled down and literally every comment is explaining the reference. Oh well.
What. and Make Happy are specials that o would play throughout quarantine last year to take my mind off things and just laugh. I’d put them on to watch or just play as background noise. But going back to them after watching Inside definitely hit different. I realized how many times he was essentially crying for help when I passed it off as just artistic exaggeration or just Bo trying to relate to a wide audience. Knowing how real his struggle was definitely makes these bits feel darker. I really hope this time around for Bo is different.
My empathy levels were off the charts at the time because I related to this back then. Somebody doesn't come up with something like this out of nowhere.
I loved your analysis, and I can relate on struggling to balance my emotions and logic. This song hits me so hard and I agree that after Inside, it hits harder. This song is literally Bo explaining the purpose and meaning behind his comedy and its incredible.
I would imagine, more specifically, that this isn't what he is struggling with, but what he's been through, given he clearly has the perspective to express the whole arch of personal growth.
I watched all of Bo Burnham's specials , in order, over the years. I've always considered entertainment a service being provided to me, so I rarely dig deeper into the provider's personal status. I really had no idea about Bo's mental health,till after Inside. I just always thought he was very funny,creative, and intelligent. The best comedians always make us sad. I just am grateful for the service he has provided over the years,and hope he has gotten to a good place in his personal life.
This is probably my favorite bit from this special. Some of my favorite songs of his are in the second half of this special and the finale of course.
This special was my first introduction to Bo years ago, and I have gone back to it many times after watching inside but it didn't necessarily make this hit different, if anything watching this and make happy for so many years made inside hit beyond words. So kinda vice versa for me.
"what." was my favorite Bo Burnham special until Inside released, and this is definitely one of the standout songs from the special. It's incredibly ambitious and insightful, and remains one of the best pieces he's done. Much of the stuff in Inside is more elaborate, but it has the benefit of editing and post-production. This was all done live, with Bo's performance and choreography synced to the lighting changes and music. A ton of work and rehearsal must have gone into it, and to think something like this was achieved in a one man show (and yes, especially by such a young artist) is mind-blowing.
And for me, the emotional impact was always there, even before watching Inside. I feel like I could always detect Bo's depression, anxiety, self-doubt, etc., showing through his writing and performing. I still tear up watching this one, just like I did watching it years ago. "what." is more of a comedy special than Inside is, and some of the segments aren't meant to have much of a "deeper meaning", but some of the bits do, and this is absolutely one of them. One of the highlights of the special, and for me the performance that converted Bo Burnham from "comedy genius" to "artistic genius" in my mind.
I call Bo an artist before I call him a comedian now, mostly because of Inside but especially because of performances like this. I appreciate your comment, it was beautifully put.
Yes, this is a great one. But the finale is definitely one of my favorites. I'm so excited for you to see that one too! You're channel is still the best!
Apparently the 24602 may be a reference to les miserable, as the prisoner number of Jean Valjean was 24601
We can MAKE him HAPPY again. I promise.
I don't believe people can make others happy. I think we have to find our own happiness. But, I could be wrong. I've been wrong before, and I'll be wrong again
24602 is a reference to Les Mis where the main character is prisoner 24601
I’ve been a Bo fan for about 10 years and actually just loved his comedy. I didn’t really take it seriously until “Can’t Handle This” where it was crystal clear what he was dealing with. I was incredibly happy when I heard Inside was coming out.
His explanation about why he quit in “All eyes on me” hit like a truck. We knew vaguely why but to hear him say it was pretty brutal.
Thank you for actually breaking this down. I am such a huge fan of his and I love seeing other people enjoy and really feel his work.
I did revisit these after Inside, and it 100% has a different feel now. It's like rewatching a complex movie plot multiple times. You piece together parts that you missed before.
A huge benefit of you watching this in the full special is that you avoided the lyric video that many other reactors used. Lyric videos kill comedy songs, when you can see the punchline coming before it's heard.
I sometimes laugh at the more serious parts, but it's really a combination of the way he's presenting it (trying to frame it comedically) and an almost ironic laughter. I mean, I think it's pretty natural to laugh when things are terrible, for me it's sometimes basically an alternative to crying. Basically, I don't think everyone who laughed missed the more serious tones, though of course most probably did, since they were expecting comedy and not really looking for that.
Laughing is just as healthy as crying, it's just.... Laughing is easier. Crying is hard
@@cameronjadewallace I think it varies depending on the person. To some people, just the idea of laughing at something sad/tragic/etc. is so foreign that they're appalled and horrified when people do laugh. And to some people crying comes easily (especially if they didn't learn to repress it growing up).
And I'm not sure it's just as healthy as crying. That's to say that I don't know if it's healthy to exclusively laugh and never cry, since I think that probably means repressed emotions. But I do agree that it's healthy to laugh in situations like this, it's still just a way of releasing your emotions. And I definitely relate to crying being hard.
These videos are great! My girlfriend and I found rewatching Bo’s earlier works really insightful after seeing Inside.
You're my favorite reactor. Love your self-reflection and break down. Also love that you're on the Bo train like me!
“We can make him happy again I promise” WOW. I literally held my breath after that line
His developing philosophies are so clear and are only becoming more apparent with every new piece.
Aye I like the super mario galaxy poster in the background!
Oh if you thought THIS was cool you DEFINITELY will love the Finale.
Imagine if at the end everyone formed a group hug around him. he plainly explained such a complex feeling that we all have at some point… but instead there’s laughter
Always love watching your videos and listening to your analysis!
24602 is Probabky a reference to the prison number Jean Valjean has in the novel Les Miserables, where his prison number is 24601
your transition from right brain to left brain in 4:22 got me :D
My favorite part of this song has always been the final exchange that occurs between the left and right brain. Having his left brain respond with “I know” instead of “I love you, too”… Idk, I’ve just always thought that was very clever. Very left brain of him to say 😄
I think it's a reference to Star wars, it's the same interaction Han solo and princess Leia have
@@heidia.8198 its also how the left brain and right brain would react, the right brain said i love you because he is the emotional side and the left brain said i know because he is the logical side and doesn't really show his emotions to he just acknowledges that he knows the right brain loves him
Makes my day when I get to watch these! Interested to see what you will be doing after this special. Love the format of watching a full special too! :) Hi from Australia.
I think I first discovered him in ‘11 - I went through a period of using watching comedy to self medicate for some heavy personal stuff. When Make Happy came out I was jazzed to see it, and moved by it, esp the ending. After all of that, seeing Inside was like “Holy Crap, I hadn’t realized it’s been so long.” I hadn’t seen 8th grade, but I’d heard all his interviews about it, glad to see he was branching out and trying new things - it reminded me of Jim Carey doing Spotless Mind, his first non comedic role (I think), but in this case Bo write & directed.
So, to answer your question, watching them forward, Inside hit harder I think. Which is pretty amazing, since it already hits hard for people who hadn’t seen any of his previous work.
I did see both of the specials before inside, I have been a fan for a long time.. And all of his songs and bits make me feel something. Somehow he is very good at making a show and putting up some kind of acting skills, but he still is a real person and I totaly see that! Sometimes he makes it more or a bit too much, but you can't act something you know nothing about...
0:47
the main character's prisoner number in les miserables is 24601
Love the Star Wars reference right at the and 😂 Empire is consistently ranked #1 in that Saga and for good reason ❤️
We watched them all in order as they came out, And this song relates so much because over the years you could watch his performance improve incredibly. Inside was pure genius.
But over that same time period, you watch his mental health decline to the point that you truly worry about him.
Just want to say I’ve watched no since I was 14 and loved him thought he was hilarious it took till 20 and now to really see what he was trying to say to the audience and I don’t even think they realized how impactful some of of his stuff is, even as a different mind set to think about.
At about 7:30-8:00 he says something really important but all I played attention to was him saying "In society"
Bro...ALL of bo songs hit different after "Inside"... i never realized when i first watched his early stuff, how severe his problem actually was...
YES, I saw what. and Make Happy both right when they came out and many more times over the years, but going back to watch them after seeing Inside definitely hit differently and felt more intense.
Yeah, I said this song was my second favorite of what., but my favorite is the finale!
Great content!! The best youTube channel, hands down ;)
The 24602 is a joke about a musical about the french revolution. The main character valjean was only referred to as his prison number 24601 which I guess could mean that he feels imprisoned and can't escape like valjean did
This is right up there with the Kanye Rant in the re-watch gut punch. Loved it years ago, need tissues now.
Speaking of which... keep up the empathy, but definitely have tissues nearby when you watch the finale. Talk about post-Inside jaw-drop.
after watching what. i recommend checking out the other songs in the album
preferrably the automated uploads than the lyric videos
the order in the album:
Eff, Nerds, Channel 5: The Musical, Hell of a Ride
yeah!!!!!!! please!!!!!!!! must do.
I know I'm late to the party but I like when RB tells LB "You think you are the right one every time" when they are fighting because... you know, it's the left brain, not the right one. It's not deep or anything, just a clever play on words.
4:23 - mans face went from :D to :l in record time.
I hope you are well Chris. You haven't posted in 2 years. I watched a lot of your videos when you were active and was recently reminded of them. Going thru them all again. Hope you're doing alright and your family too :)
14:04 a lot of people don't know how to react when they're uncomfortable, so they laugh - not because they find it funny necessarily, but because they don't know what else to do. I think laughing at inappropiate parts might partially be due to that. I personally took a very long time to realize what emotions are appropiately expressed by laughter and what emotions are not (for example, laughing when you are in pain is not the right thing to do).
It’s pretty cool seeing all these channels find no burnham and that I can say I followed Bo on Instagram before vine was even a thing
This is probably the first time we also see bo subconsciously shows theres a problem with himself which i dont know if he noticed or not but depicting his emotional side as a child is a sign of some extra stuff going on
But i also think the subtext of the ‘battle in his brain’ is that the work took over and he wasnt able to allow his emotions to grow and shut it off causing problems
I think it's telling that he starts with "Hi, I'm sorry." Like he's apologizing for existing there.
This reminds me of Sanders Sides everytime. They're different parts of Thomas Sanders personality, the logical is called Logic, the feelings at first is sort of lumped together but eventually splits into Prince (his creativity and passion named because he's a diva who dresses like a Disney prince), and Morality (aka Dad Jokes Sanders).
I love that you caught the Star Wars reference and that Bo tied it into his act.
Also 95% sure he produced the lights. Maybe for this first one he had a guy on board following instructions, but in Make Happy he had it all on a track afaik.
It did hit me different after Inside.
I watched all 3 Comedy Specials in order. Although I was sorry to hear about his mental health I do think it's obvious that his comedy touches a lot on human fragility, fleeting happiness & clearly has highlighted the duality of persona in so many areas of our lives. Professional v personal, etc. He definitely expresses his love hate relationship with fame as well. The journey makes sense & I'm just grateful that he keeps sharing it with us because he is brilliant!
I love the way you're breaking this down while watching! It shows that you're listening and getting the point. Every time you stated an observation, it was cracked down right in the next line. Great job. This was enjoyable to watch.
I always see people saying "left brain is to blame and is evil" or something along those lines (obviously less direct) and trying to shift the blame onto LB. Now don't get me wrong, LB has an ego problem believing himself to be more important then RB as he is the one doing most of the work but that doesn't mean he is fully to blame for Bo's emotional state being out of place.
The only problem is how LB went about confronting RB, he was mad 'cause RB sudenly started playing the victim during a small argument, over RB being too direct, LB wasn't stoping RB from doing his job he was focusing on Bo's work instead of emotion's as that is his job.
The fact is, LB is the one to call out RB for not doing his job and LB is right in this situation, Bo's emotional state is under RB so if it's failing it is not on him, it is and always will be RB's fault but he also doesn't see why RB isn't doing his job.
RB had to take control for a bit to get some emotion out but he wasn't, he was just sulking that he didn't have control because LB was focusing on work, basically, RB had to be more forceful than he was being, it is not only on LB but it's not only on RB despite how this comment sounds they are both in the wrong in their own ways, for example, LB could have offered control to RB for awhile but he saw emotions as useless so he didn't and because RB wouldn't take control this left Bo stuck in a cycle of working and sadness because RB wasn't in control, he got out of it for awhile with comedy before it stopped working and he quit and now he's trying again so yeah basically I'm saying there isn't one side to blame their both at fault but LB is right in what he's actually saying.
And he even felt bad after calling RB out, trying to comfort him once he started crying. I think people are unfair to LB when talking about this performance, they never mention that he was logically right which makes sense obviously he doesn't understand everything since he is the logical side. IDK, at least that's how I see it have a good day.
Since you asked: the voice calls him "Patient 24602" and the number is totally not-random: it's a reference to the musical Les Miserables, where the protagonist Jean Valjean was famously 24601. Bo is to me a mix between a comedian and a musical actor (and more of a filosopher as the shows get more mature later on).
It hit somewhat hard originally, but nowhere near as hard as after Can't Handle This and Inside.
I'm pretty sure the 24602 is just reference to Les Mis. Bo was a theater kid in school so it's probably just a nod to that.
I've felt this way, like my right and left were at war with each other. My brain making logical and rational decisions and my heart sort of... not doing that. I had to put both in time out because the stress was insufferable. No brain gang. I don't recommend it.
Oh no it’s the song I accidentally spoiled
I dont know if its been mentioned. But 24602 could possibly be a reference to Les Misérables. Who's main character was prisoner 24601. Pretty sure that's what he was eluding to there. And im definitely more left brain dominant than right. A balance would be nice, but life is such as it is.
It’s so creepy how you change facial expressions at 4:23 holy sh.. 😳
This Act Left Brain Right Brain was another brilliant Bo Burnham act,
Bo does an amazing job explaining what to some people is obvious, the traits Bo shows us are fairly common, Bo is just showing us what we all know but never actually think about in our daily lives, but we all share very similar traits.
If we take a deeper dive into better understanding we could come up with a few different words to describe what many of us experience on a daily basis, some people are more sensitive then others
The first word (Cognitive dissonance):
Cognitive dissonance is a term for the state of discomfort felt when two or more modes of thought contradict each other. The clashing cognitions may include ideas, beliefs, or the knowledge that one has behaved in a certain way.
The second word (Duality)
Duality is the difference between two opposite things : a division into two opposite groups : DICHOTOMY
A great movie by Godfrey Reggio the Movie (Koyaanisqatsi) witch in the Indian Hopi Language means “Life Out of Balance” it’s a silent film that came out in 1982, music by Phillip Glass, this movie perfectly depicts how life can be so out of balance and on a day to day basis, we keep ourselves so busy with mundane things that we hardly pay attention to this drama we each have within ourselves.
Bo Burnham while he suffers with these same traits as almost every other human on the face of the planet simply shows us in comedic/musical form what appears to him, obvious, these traits however are not obvious to many people and so when we see it, it tends to grab our attention.
Many people I believe are misdiagnosing Bo Burnham because of this and that because he is the one showing us what many of us are having difficulty with, many people think that Bo is showing us his dark side when in truth, he is simply pointing out some obvious common human behaviors.
People react in some bad or wrong ways thinking Bo is all depressed and just sitting around basking in his sorrows that only Bo is suffering from when in fact, we all share in very similar ways some of the same traits, it’s just that some people handles it all different and show signs of these traits differently. I think, believe when people react and feel badly for Bo, their actually feeling their own sadness that Bo is simply bringing out to the surface. I think is creating a lot of confusion and people end up taking it all wrong.
Now, this is just my opinion, but this is what I see going on here with a lot of people’s reactions to the whole Bo Phenomena. There is no doubt Bo is a brilliant performer and I think ironically, the simple fact that people are constantly misdiagnosing Bo might very well be why he makes these types of acts in the first place. Perhaps we need to “Think Mirror” humans tend to project on to others what they themselves are feeling thus becoming a mirror image of themselves.
Always remember this one very important fact; Nothing is as it appears to be on the surface. There are always many layers and levels to virtually everything including Bo Burnham and his performances. This is life.
There is nothing new under the sun other than the history we do not yet know…
Please watch bo's official music video of "repeat stuff" on his channel - such a great performance
Harrison Ford improved Han Solo reference at the end. Also hey you picked it up. (Curiously most havent.) There's quite a few references to theater, a few movies and to other comedians (before mentioning them).
Yeah the fact that you are watching it all in reverse is probably tearing up your emotions. His stuff has always been introspective and emotional but adding hindsight to it is probably a one way ticket to tearsville. I will say tho I don't appreciate the older specials as much as I used to just because he keeps getting better and better. Don't get me wrong they are still great, but they feel less fully formed in comparison to Inside. It's a good problem to have tho.
Chris, you should react to Phoebe Bridger’s cover of That Funny Feeling. It is breathtaking!
24601 is Jean Valjean prisoner number in Les Mis
Nice to see you back in the saddle, homie!
I've thought quite a bit about the "cry=brave" comment. I hope it's mostly a generational thing, and that we are moving away from the "strong, silent, stoic man".
I watched this before Inside came out. And also Make Happy. This definitely didn't hit the same way, and I even got only a fraction of Make Happy's import. Without Inside to give it context, it's easier to hear him say "because sometimes people don't realize it's an act up here," instead seeing how real the honest, painful moments are.
My favorite thing from this special
Fun fact, George Carlin and Steve Martin were actually both jugglers as well as comedians, so Right Brain’s guess wasn’t off the wall at all!
love this song.