Bo Burnham: podcast appearances and interviews

Robert Pickering Burnham, born August 21, 1990, is an American comedian, actor, musician, and filmmaker known for blending elements of filmmaking with music, sketch, and stand-up comedy. His work often features dramatic, satirical, or tragic twists that invite interpretation. Burnham first gained prominence on YouTube, where he posted videos of comedic songs he wrote, incorporating wordplay and dark or taboo subjects. These videos quickly went viral, establishing him as one of the earliest YouTube stars. He subsequently released albums such as Bo fo Sho in 2008 and a self-titled album in 2009, which included his comedic songs. Transitioning from online content to live performance, Burnham developed stand-up routines that integrated his musical work. He produced three comedy specials, Words Words Words in 2010, what. in 2013, and Make Happy in 2016. In addition, Burnham created and starred in the MTV mockumentary series Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous and authored a poetry book titled Egghead: Or, You Can't Survive on Ideas Alone in 2013. In 2016, Burnham announced a hiatus from performing live, citing anxiety and panic attacks as reasons. He made his filmmaking debut with the drama Eighth Grade in 2018 and directed comedy specials for other comedians. He also appeared in the film Promising Young Woman in 2020. Burnham returned to performance with Inside in 2021, a special produced in his home during the COVID-19 pandemic that received critical acclaim, multiple awards, and included songs that charted in the Billboard top 100.