Robert Pickering "Bo" Burnham is a multi-talented American artist known for his unique blend of comedy, music, and filmmaking. His work often incorporates elements of sketch comedy, stand-up routines, and musical performances, frequently featuring unexpected dramatic or tragic turns that leave room for audience interpretation.
1965: Release of Tom Lehrer's "New Math"
Tom Lehrer, a musical comedian who has been cited as an influence on Bo Burnham, released a song titled "New Math" in 1965.
August 21, 1990: Birth of Bo Burnham
Bo Burnham was born on August 21, 1990 in Hamilton, Massachusetts.
December 2006: First YouTube Upload Goes Viral
In December 2006, Bo Burnham uploaded his song "My Whole Family..." to YouTube. The video quickly went viral, launching his career.
2006: Bo Burnham Starts YouTube Channel
In 2006, Bo Burnham created his YouTube channel and began uploading comedic songs.
January 2008: Youngest Comedian on "The World Stands Up"
Bo Burnham filmed his performance for Comedy Central's "The World Stands Up" in January 2008, becoming the youngest comedian to do so at age 17.
June 17, 2008: Comedy Central Records Releases "Bo fo Sho"
Bo Burnham's first EP, "Bo fo Sho," was released by Comedy Central Records on June 17, 2008.
September 2008: Collaboration with Judd Apatow Begins
Bo Burnham began working with Judd Apatow in September 2008 on a comedy film, writing the music and script.
2008: Graduation from St. John's Preparatory School
Bo Burnham graduated from St. John's Preparatory School in 2008.
2008: Release of "Bo fo Sho"
Bo Burnham released his first EP, "Bo fo Sho", in 2008.
March 3, 2009: Protest at Westminster College Performance
On March 3, 2009, students at Westminster College protested Bo Burnham's performance due to his use of controversial language in his act.
March 10, 2009: Release of Debut Album "Bo Burnham"
Bo Burnham's self-titled debut album was released on March 10, 2009.
March 2009: Writing Music and Script for Potential Film
Throughout March 2009, Bo Burnham dedicated his time to writing music and the script for a potential film with Judd Apatow.
May 2009: Appearance in "Funny People" Viral Marketing
Bo Burnham appeared in a promotional video for the film "Funny People" in May 2009, playing a role in a fictional sitcom called "Yo Teach!".
2009: Burnham Addresses Controversial Material
In 2009, Bo Burnham addressed the controversy surrounding his older material, characterizing it as "satire that's well-intentioned" and emphasizing that the intentions behind satire should not be overly explicit.
2009: Release of Bo Burnham's "New Math"
Bo Burnham wrote a song titled "New Math." Burnham's musical style has drawn comparisons to Tom Lehrer, and "New Math" is reported to have been written as an homage to Lehrer's 1965 song of the same name.
2009: Release of Self-Titled Album
Bo Burnham released his self-titled debut album in 2009.
May 21, 2010: Taping of "Words Words Words"
Bo Burnham taped his first one-hour stand-up special, "Words Words Words," on May 21, 2010, in Boston.
August 2010: Edinburgh Comedy Awards Nomination and Win
Bo Burnham was nominated for "Best Comedy Show" at the 2010 Edinburgh Comedy Awards and won the "Panel Prize".
October 2010: Uncertainty Surrounding Apatow Film
In October 2010, Bo Burnham expressed uncertainty about the future of the film project with Judd Apatow.
October 16, 2010: Premiere of "Words Words Words" on Comedy Central
"Words Words Words" premiered on Comedy Central on October 16, 2010.
2010: Awards and Recognition at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
At the 2010 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Bo Burnham was nominated for the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award, ultimately winning the panel prize and the Malcolm Hardee "Act Most Likely to Make a Million Quid" Award.
2010: Release of "Words Words Words"
Bo Burnham released his first stand-up comedy special, "Words Words Words", in 2010.
2011: Winner of Comedy Central Stand-up Showdown
Bo Burnham won the Comedy Central Stand-up Showdown in 2011.
December 17, 2013: Release of "what." on Netflix and YouTube
Bo Burnham's second comedy special, "what.", was released on December 17, 2013.
2013: "Zach Stone" and Poetry Release
In 2013, Bo Burnham's television series "Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous" aired, and he released his book of poetry, "Egghead: Or, You Can't Survive on Ideas Alone".
2013: "what." and Other Projects
Bo Burnham had a busy year in 2013: he released his second stand-up 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: Beginning of Relationship with Lorene Scafaria
Bo Burnham began dating filmmaker Lorene Scafaria in 2013.
2014: "This American Life" Features Bo Burnham's Mother
An episode of the radio show "This American Life" in 2014 featured a segment about the work of Patricia Burnham, Bo Burnham's mother, as a hospice nurse.
June 3, 2016: Netflix Releases "Make Happy"
"Make Happy", Bo Burnham's third comedy special, was released by Netflix on June 3, 2016.
2016: Release of "Make Happy" and Break from Performing
Bo Burnham released his third stand-up special, "Make Happy", in 2016. He also announced he would be taking a break from performing live due to anxiety and panic attacks.
2017: Director of Jerrod Carmichael's Comedy Special "8"
Bo Burnham directed Jerrod Carmichael's comedy special titled "8" in 2017. The special aired on HBO.
January 2018: Premiere of Eighth Grade at Sundance Film Festival
In January 2018, Bo Burnham's directorial debut, "Eighth Grade," premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The film, produced and distributed by A24, garnered significant critical acclaim and received numerous awards and nominations.
2018: Directorial Debut with "Eighth Grade"
Bo Burnham made his feature film directorial debut with the critically acclaimed drama "Eighth Grade" in 2018.
2018: Burnham Expresses Regret for Early Material
During the promotion of his 2018 film "Eighth Grade," Bo Burnham articulated his regret for some of his earlier comedic material. He described it as "shock-jock offensive comedy done by a 16-year-old without any tact." This reflection on his past work extended to a broader concern about the lasting impact of online mistakes made by young people. He expressed worry that contemporary teenagers do not have the same freedom to make mistakes and evolve that he believes he had.
2018: Director of Chris Rock's Comedy Special "Tamborine"
In 2018, Bo Burnham directed Chris Rock's comedy special "Tamborine" for Netflix. In an interview, Burnham discussed his approach to directing comedy specials, emphasizing his focus on capturing and conveying the performer's energy and vision.
2019: Contribution to Upcoming Sesame Street Film Announced
In 2019, it was announced that Bo Burnham would contribute songs to an upcoming Sesame Street film.
2020: Role in "Promising Young Woman"
Bo Burnham played Ryan Cooper, the protagonist's love interest, in the 2020 black comedy thriller "Promising Young Woman." The film, which premiered at Sundance, received critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Burnham has acknowledged that the film's story and perspective are not his own, highlighting his desire to contribute to someone else's creative vision.
2020: Acting in "Promising Young Woman"
Bo Burnham co-starred in the dark comedy thriller film "Promising Young Woman" in 2020.
March 2021: Casting as Larry Bird in "Winning Time"
In March 2021, Bo Burnham was cast to play Larry Bird in HBO's series "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty."
April 2021: Announcement of "Inside"
In April 2021, Bo Burnham ended his break from social media to announce the release of his fourth special, "Inside," on May 30th. "Inside" was created entirely by Burnham during the COVID-19 pandemic, without a crew or audience, in his home's guest house.
May 2021: Burnham Retreats from Public Life
Since the May 2021 release of "Inside," Burnham, known for his private nature, has chosen not to discuss his work publicly or participate in interviews.
August 2021: Departure from "Winning Time"
In August 2021, Bo Burnham left the HBO series "Winning Time" due to scheduling conflicts.
2021: Release of "Inside" and Critical Acclaim
Bo Burnham returned to performing with his fourth comedy special, "Inside", in 2021, which he created during the COVID-19 pandemic. The special was met with critical acclaim, winning a Peabody Award and three Emmy Awards. The accompanying album also earned him a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media.
2021: Release of "Problematic" in "Inside"
In 2021, Bo Burnham released "Inside," which included the song "Problematic," further addressing controversies surrounding his past material and expressing regret for content he now deems offensive and unhelpful.
May 30, 2022: Release of "The Inside Outtakes"
On May 30, 2022, the first anniversary of "Inside," Burnham released "The Inside Outtakes," 63 minutes of unseen footage from the special, on YouTube.
June 2022: Release of "The Inside Outtakes" Album and "Inside (Deluxe)"
In June 2022, Bo Burnham released an album titled "The Inside Outtakes," featuring songs from the video release of the same name, including two new tracks. He also released "Inside (Deluxe)", which includes all the songs from "Inside" and its outtakes, along with ambient and instrumental pieces from the special and outtakes.
December 2022: Burnham Abandons Social Media
By December 2022, Bo Burnham had abandoned his social media profiles, having previously spoken about his struggles with anxiety and panic attacks, particularly in relation to his creative work and performances. In "Inside," he confirmed that these struggles led him to step away from live performance.
2022: Director of Jerrod Carmichael's Comedy Special "Rothaniel"
Bo Burnham directed, edited, and executive produced Jerrod Carmichael's acclaimed comedy special "Rothaniel" in 2022, which won an Emmy for best writing for a variety special.
2022: End of Relationship with Lorene Scafaria
Bo Burnham's relationship with Lorene Scafaria ended in 2022.
January 2023: Rumors of Relationship with Phoebe Bridgers
In January 2023, rumors began to circulate that Bo Burnham was dating musician Phoebe Bridgers following an alleged split from Lorene Scafaria.