Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Bo Burnham

Discover the career path of Bo Burnham, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Bo Burnham is an American comedian, musician, actor, filmmaker, and YouTuber known for his unique blend of stand-up comedy, music, and filmmaking. His performances often incorporate elements of sketch comedy and satire, frequently with dramatic or tragic undertones. Burnham's work often leaves the audience to interpret the meaning behind his performances, adding layers of depth and complexity.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1965: Tom Lehrer's "New Math" Release

In 1965, Tom Lehrer released his song "New Math", which Bo Burnham's 2009 song of the same name was written as a tribute to.

December 2006: YouTube Debut and Viral Success

In December 2006, Bo Burnham posted his songs to YouTube, including "My Whole Family...", which quickly went viral after being shared on Break.com.

2006: Bo Burnham's YouTube Debut

In 2006, Bo Burnham began his career by creating a YouTube channel and uploading comedic songs, quickly gaining popularity as one of the platform's earliest stars.

January 2008: Comedy Central Performance

In January 2008, Bo Burnham recorded a performance for Comedy Central's "The World Stands Up" in London.

June 17, 2008: "Bo fo Sho" EP Release

On June 17, 2008, Bo Burnham's first EP, "Bo fo Sho", was released as an online-only album by Comedy Central Records.

September 2008: Negotiations for Apatow-Produced Comedy Film

In September 2008, Bo Burnham negotiated with Universal Pictures to write and create the music for an Apatow-produced comedy film.

2008: Release of "Bo fo Sho"

In 2008, Bo Burnham released his album "Bo fo Sho", featuring his comedic songs.

March 10, 2009: Release of Self-Titled Album

On March 10, 2009, Bo Burnham released his first full album, the self-titled "Bo Burnham".

March 2009: Writing Music and Script for Apatow Film

In March 2009, Bo Burnham was dedicated to writing music and the script for the Apatow-produced comedy film.

May 2009: Viral Marketing for "Funny People" and "Yo Teach!"

In May 2009, viral marketing began appearing for the film "Funny People", in which Bo Burnham starred in an NBC sitcom called "Yo Teach!".

2009: Release of "Bo Burnham" Album

In 2009, Bo Burnham released his self-titled album, "Bo Burnham", showcasing his musical comedy.

2009: "New Math" Tribute to Tom Lehrer

In 2009, Bo Burnham wrote his song "New Math" as a tribute to Tom Lehrer's 1965 song of the same name.

May 21, 2010: Taping of "Words Words Words" Special

On May 21, 2010, Bo Burnham taped his first one-hour stand-up special, "Words Words Words", for Comedy Central.

October 2010: Uncertainty Regarding Apatow Film Project

In October 2010, Bo Burnham admitted uncertainty about the future of the Apatow-produced comedy film project.

October 16, 2010: "Words Words Words" Airs on Comedy Central

On October 16, 2010, Bo Burnham's stand-up special "Words Words Words" aired on Comedy Central.

2010: Edinburgh Comedy Awards

At the 2010 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Bo Burnham was nominated for the main Edinburgh Comedy Award and won both the Edinburgh Comedy Awards' panel prize and the Malcolm Hardee "Act Most Likely to Make a Million Quid" Award.

2010: Stand-up Special "Words Words Words" Release

In 2010, Bo Burnham released his first stand-up comedy special, "Words Words Words", which combined his musical comedy with traditional stand-up.

December 17, 2013: "what." Special Released

On December 17, 2013, Bo Burnham's second special, "what.", was released on both Netflix and YouTube.

2013: "what." Special, Zach Stone, and "Egghead" Publication

In 2013, Bo Burnham released his second comedy special, "what.", created and starred in the MTV mockumentary series "Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous", and published his poetry book "Egghead: Or, You Can't Survive on Ideas Alone".

2013: "Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous" and "Egghead" Release

In 2013, Bo Burnham wrote, executive-produced, and starred in "Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous", and released his book of poetry, "Egghead: Or, You Can't Survive on Ideas Alone".

June 3, 2016: "Make Happy" Special Released

On June 3, 2016, Bo Burnham's third special, "Make Happy", was produced by Netflix and released.

2016: "Make Happy" Release and Hiatus Announcement

In 2016, Bo Burnham released his third comedy special, "Make Happy", and announced his decision to step away from performing live due to anxiety and panic attacks.

2017: Directed "8" comedy special for HBO

In 2017, Bo Burnham directed Jerrod Carmichael's comedy special "8" for HBO.

January 2018: "Eighth Grade" Premieres at Sundance

In January 2018, Bo Burnham's film "Eighth Grade" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, receiving universal acclaim.

2018: Directed Chris Rock's "Tamborine"

In 2018, Bo Burnham directed Chris Rock's comedy special "Tamborine" for Netflix.

2018: Directorial Debut with "Eighth Grade"

In 2018, Bo Burnham made his directorial debut with the release of the critically acclaimed drama film "Eighth Grade".

2018: Awards for Eighth Grade

In 2018, Bo Burnham received several awards and nominations for his writing and directing of the film Eighth Grade.

2019: Contribution to Sesame Street film

In 2019, it was announced Bo Burnham would contribute songs to an upcoming Sesame Street film.

2020: Co-starring in "Promising Young Woman"

In 2020, Bo Burnham co-starred in the dark comedy thriller film "Promising Young Woman".

March 2021: Cast as Larry Bird in "Winning Time"

In March 2021, Bo Burnham was cast as Larry Bird in HBO's "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty".

April 2021: Announcement of "Inside" Release

In April 2021, Bo Burnham ended his social media hiatus to announce the release of his fourth special, "Inside", which was created alone during the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 2021: Departure from "Winning Time" Series

In August 2021, Bo Burnham left the "Winning Time" series due to scheduling conflicts.

2021: Awards for Inside

In 2021, Bo Burnham received several awards and nominations for his writing and directing of the comedy special Inside.

2021: "Inside" Release and Acclaim

In 2021, Bo Burnham released his fourth comedy special, "Inside", created during the COVID-19 pandemic, which received widespread acclaim and numerous awards, including a Peabody Award and Grammy Award.

May 30, 2022: "The Inside Outtakes" Release

On May 30, 2022, Bo Burnham released 63 minutes of unseen footage from "Inside" on YouTube, titled "The Inside Outtakes".

June 2022: "The Inside Outtakes" Album Release

In June 2022, Bo Burnham released "The Inside Outtakes" album, containing songs from the video, and "Inside (Deluxe)", an album containing the entire "Inside" discography.

2022: Directed Carmichael's "Rothaniel"

In 2022, Bo Burnham directed, edited, and executive produced Jerrod Carmichael's comedy special "Rothaniel", which received critical acclaim and an Emmy award.