At just 30, Bo Burnham has amassed a list of unprecedented achievements nearly as lengthy as his 6’5” frame. After racking up 250,000 YouTube views in a single day with “My Whole Family” — the first video he uploaded to the platform when it was still in its nascent stages — he became the youngest performer to record his own Comedy Central special in 2009 at the age of 18. Two Netflix comedy specials followed in 2013 and 2016. Then, Burnham made his feature-writing and directing debut with 2018’s Eighth Grade, a film which earned the Massachusetts native top prizes from the W.G.A., the D.G.A., and the Independent Spirit Awards. He wowed audiences again with his thrilling acting performance in 2020’s Oscar-winning Promising Young Woman.
When Covid-19 struck, Los Angeles-based Burnham did what many of us did — he stayed home. During this time, he produced, wrote, directed, shot, and edited Bo Burnham: Inside, a 90-minute exploration of his mental health told through searing stand-up, self-savaging monologues, and decidedly dark pop songs. The special netted him six Emmy noms — placing him behind only Louis C.K. and Tina Fey’s all-time record-setting nine and seven individual nominations in a single year. To cap off Burnham’s list of firsts, the special’s standout track, the unexpectedly comforting “All Eyes on Me,” became the first comedy song in history to break the Billboard Global 200.
Here are some of the lyrics that had all ears on Burnham this summer:
Get your fuckin’ hands up
Get on out of your seats
All eyes on me, all eyes on me
Get your fuckin’ hands up
Get on out of your seats
All eyes on me, all eyes on me
Are you feeling nervous?
Are you having fun?
It’s almost over
It’s just begun
Don’t overthink this
Look in my eye
Don’t be scared, don’t be shy
Come on in, the water’s fine
“All Eyes On Me” From Inside