History Film / BoBurnhamInside

'''Socko:''' Why do you rich fucking white people insist on seeing every socio-political conflict through the myopic lens of your own self-actualization? This isn't about you. So either get with it, or get out of the fucking way.

[[caption-width-right:350:''"It's a beautiful day to stay inside."'']]

!!''Troping with my mom tonight'':

-->'''Bo''': I got better. I got so much better, in fact, [[DramaticIrony that in January of 2020,]] I thought, "You know what, I should... start performing again. I've been hiding from the world, and I need to... reenter." And then... ''the funniest thing happened.''

* NakedPeopleAreFunny: Bo briefly appears nude at the end of "Goodbye" and twice in the outtakes: once during a montage of him walking into a shot after setting up the camera (with his backside pixelated), and again in a separate bit of him opening and closing his bathroom door while on the toilet.

** The ending of ''Inside'' has Bo [[spoiler:step outside for the first time in months under a large spotlight, only to find upon trying to get back inside the house that his front door is locked, after which an audience starts incessantly laughing at him. It then cuts to Bo sitting in a blue-lit room watching this scene unfold on a projector and subtly smiling. The use of blue in the special reflect his existential crisis and mental health, indicating that this part of the ending is all in his head.]]

* {{Leitmotif}}: Much like in the finished film. "Content" is used in a different style during the "Be Yourself" commercial and "Welcome To The Internet"/"All Eyes On Me" (among several others) being used during the "ICU" trailer.

** "Five Years" is one for the modern R&B sound popularized by artists like Music/{{Drake}}, and takes overt influence from several of his songs. Bo's voicemail at the start (which includes a lengthy section where he tries to explain to the voicemail's recipient how to download the voicemail and send it back to him so he can use it in the song) has been compared to the similar use of an opening voicemail in "Marvins Room," numerous vocal melodies and cadences are lifted straight from "Controlla," and the set lighting for most of the song is reminiscent of the video for "Hotline Bling."

* TextlessAlbumCover: The cover for the outtakes is Bo Burnham with the Inside house in the background similar to the ending of Inside.

* SayMyName: "Bezos III" and "Bezos IV" mostly consist of repeating Jeff Bezos' name over and over again.

** "Five Years" is one for the modern R&B sound popularized by artists like Music/{{Drake}}, and takes overt influence from several of his songs. Bo's voicemail at the start has been compared to the similar use of an opening voicemail in "Marvins Room," numerous vocal melodies and cadences are lifted straight from "Controlla," and the set lighting for most of the song is reminiscent of the video for "Hotline Bling."
** "Microwave Popcorn" is one for modern {{trap|Sound}}, with points of parody including Bo getting frustrated by his own ad-libs for continuously interjecting his verses with unhelpful asides.

* TheManIsStickingItToTheMan: Socko's segment in "How the World Works" begins with him espousing leftist revolutionary rhetoric, which Bo responds to with bemused sympathy. When Socko makes it clear that rich, white people like Bo can't expect to save the world just by vocally supporting some underdog cause, Bo grows fed up with the criticism and threatens to take Socko off his hand. Socko is successfully cowed into obedience and reluctantly apologizes only for Bo to rip him off his hand regardless, symbolizing how the lower classes rely on the upper classes who actually own a majority of communication platforms to allow them a place to speak without censorship and are quick to de-platform those who dare actually pose a threat to the established hierchy.

I booked a haircut but it got rescheduled\\

Due to its structure (a considerable amount of which is dedicated to the production of the special itself) and the vast array of tones in its subject matter, many have found it reductive to label ''Inside'' as a comedy special. In fact, [[GenreBusting many have found difficulty labeling it anything at all]], and it has been said to incorporate elements of comedy, drama, documentary, theater, music, stand-up, meta-commentary, a psychological character study and {{postmodernism}}.

** Just before "How The World Works", the [[{{Foreshadowing}} streamer Bo]] briefly flashes in the bottom right corner.

* RepriseMedley: The last verse of "Goodbye," the closing number of ''Inside'', features lyrics and melodies from the special's earlier songs, "All Eyes On Me," "Comedy," "Welcome to the Internet" and "Look Who's Inside Again."

* CallBack: The entirety of "The Future" uses cinematography very similar to the opening shot of "All Eyes On Me" -- a close-up on Bo's face cutting off below his nose as he holds a microphone, the shot filled with one color (green instead of blue). The similarity is hammered home in the edit of the sequence itself, with Bo's eyes turning to the camera in "All Eyes On Me" being spliced in just as he does the same in "The Future," creating one fluid motion.

* FailedASpotCheck: In "Microwave Popcorn," Bo burns a bag of popcorn and resorts to eating Skinny Pop before realizing there's a button on the microwave designated for popcorn.

* {{Pastiche}}: "Five Years" is one for the modern R&B sound popularized by artists like Music/{{Drake}}, and takes overt influence from several of his songs. Bo's voicemail at the start has been compared to the similar use of an opening voicemail in "Marvins Room," numerous vocal melodies and cadences are lifted straight from "Controlla," and the set lighting for most of the song is reminiscent of the video for "Hotline Bling."

-->"I got better. I got so much better, in fact, that in January of 2020, I thought, 'You know what, I should… start performing again. I’ve been hiding from the world, and I need to… reenter.' And then…''the funniest thing happened.''"

* TheScottishTrope: Throughout the run of ''Inside'', Bo never actually refers to the pandemic by name, at most referring to "the funniest thing [happening]" that forced him to stay isolated just when he was getting out of his depressive funk and planning a return to comedy.

* BreadEggsMilkSquick: "Welcome to the Internet" says that the internet has "movies, and doctors, and fantasy sports, and a bunch of colored pencil drawings of all the different characters in ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' fucking each other." The faster part of the song also jumps around between light-hearted things people would search for and Internet conspiracy theories.

The special was released on May 30, 2021 on Creator/{{Netflix}}, and had a limited US theatrical release in the summer of the same year[[note]]It was initially announced that showings would only be held on July 22 as a "one night only" event, but between the high demand that grew and the rapid rate of show sellouts, many theaters extended the run across the weekend, with some even adding additional showings afterwards[[/note]], making it the first Netflix "comedy" special to ever receive theatrical distribution. The accompanying soundtrack, ''Inside (The Songs)'', was released on various platforms on June 10 [[note]]A physical CD and vinyl release was later announced in September[[/note]] by Republic Records, with label executive Tyler Arnold personally reaching out to Burnham, having been a fan of his for years and being a huge fan of the special [[note]]This marked the first instance of a simultaneous film/album release for one of Burnham's specials since ''what.'' in 2013, following legal complications obstructing the process for ''Make Happy'' -- and potentially in part a result of heavy online fan campaigning for ''Inside'' to avoid a similar fate[[/note]].

The special was released on May 30, 2021 on Creator/{{Netflix}}, and had a limited US theatrical release in the summer of the same year[[note]]It was initially announced that showings would only be held on July 22 as a "one night only" event, but between the high demand that grew and the rapid rate of show sellouts, many theaters extended the run across the weekend, with some even adding additional showings afterwards[[/note]], making it the first Netflix "comedy" special to ever receive theatrical distribution. The accompanying soundtrack, ''Inside (The Songs)'', was released on various platforms on June 10 [[note]]A physical CD and vinyl release was later announced in September[[/note]] by Republic Records, with label executive Tyler Arnold personally reaching out to Burnham, having been a fan of his for years and being a huge fan of the special [[note]]This marked the first instance of a simultaneous film/album release for one of Bo's specials since ''what.'' in 2013, following legal complications obstructing the process for ''Make Happy'' -- and potentially in part a result of heavy online fan campaigning for ''Inside'' to avoid a similar fate[[/note]].

Not to be confused with [[Film/Inside2023 a thriller movie starring]] Creator/WillemDafoe.

** Pausing during "Comedy" allows you to enjoy all of the bizarre contents on the whiteboards, like a [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E4Jk7tzXoAI2Y_a?format=jpg&name=900x900 flowchart of whether or not a joke is funny]] and a [[https://preview.redd.it/ys2jn49m8v271.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=3bab391c66dc55e726497e3d01e45072a13a8b64 guide to comedy in media.]]

* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: In the first verse of "Problematic," Bo says that he was a sheltered kid who wrote offensive things and said them, not realizing back then how much he'd eventually regret it. The second verse denounces the first, where Bo states that he shouldn't use his childhood as an excuse, and that he accepts his actions as his own without trying to justify them away.

** At one point during "Comedy," Bo can be seen typing on an adding machine. The next shot shows he is repeatedly typing in "69" and [[FourTwentyBlazeIt "420."]]

* ChickenJoke: Deconstructed with "The Chicken". [[spoiler:Rather than focus on the punchline, the song instead focuses more on the build-up -- [[DrivingQuestion exactly]] ''[[DrivingQuestion why]]'' [[DrivingQuestion was the chicken at the road in the first place?]] The song creates its own answer to the question by giving the chicken a sympathetic backstory of yearning to escape from a stifling life situation and turning the road into a symbolic divide between her old life and the new life she desires, which makes it a WhamLine reveal when it's incorporated into the song. This also makes it all the more tragic when we last hear of the chicken starting to cross but being "frozen in place by a pair of headlights", although Bo chooses to leave her fate ambiguous.]]

* UnfortunateSearchResults: PlayedForDrama in "That Funny Feeling," which features "Googling derealization [and] hating what you find" among the list of scenarios that generate the namesake feeling of existential dread.

** In ''The Inside Outtakes'', "The Chicken" (a secret {{deconstruction}} of the ChickenJoke) ends with [[spoiler:the chicken beginning its fateful crossing of the road before stopping in the middle, "frozen in place by a pair of headlights". This is the last we hear of the chicken, and while tragedy is implied, Bo deliberately chooses to leave her fate ambiguous]].

[[ChickenJoke The chicken must first... cross... the road.]]''

* ChickenJoke: Deconstructed with "The Chicken". Rather than focus on the punchline, the song instead focuses more on the build-up -- [[DrivingQuestion exactly]] ''[[DrivingQuestion why]]'' [[DrivingQuestion was the chicken at the road in the first place?]] The song creates its own answer to the question by giving the chicken a sympathetic backstory of yearning to escape from a stifling life situation and turning the road into a symbolic divide between her old life and the new life she desires, which makes it a WhamLine reveal when it's incorporated into the song. [[spoiler:This also makes it all the more tragic when we last hear of the chicken starting to cross but being "frozen in place by a pair of headlights", although Bo chooses to leave her fate ambiguous.]]

''Bo Burnham: Inside'' (oftentimes referred to as just ''Inside'') is a 2021 musical special written, directed, shot, edited and performed by comedian Creator/BoBurnham. The special was his first in five years following a hiatus from stage work that he took following 2016's ''Make Happy''.

''Inside'' consists of a variety of satirical songs and sketches, and was filmed by Burnham without a crew or audience in the guest house of his Los Angeles home during the first year of the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic. While the pandemic is never explicitly referenced, feelings that became universal in its wake are central to the special -- namely those of isolation, depression, nihilism and increasing frustration with the state of the world, all juxtaposed with topics of modern culture such as social activism and online personas. The indefinite seclusion also leads to Burnham reflecting on his career up to the point of producing the special; as a result, further explored themes include performativity, a creator's relationship with the Internet and their audience, and generation gaps (the lattermost spurred by Burnham turning 30 while making the special).

Due to its structure (a considerable amount of which is dedicated to the production of the special itself), and the vast array of tones in its subject matter, many have found it reductive to label ''Inside'' as a comedy special. In fact, [[GenreBusting many have found difficulty labeling it anything at all]], and it has been said to incorporate elements of comedy, drama, documentary, theater, music, stand-up, meta-commentary, a psychological character study and {{postmodernism}}.

* AllegoricalCharacter: In ''Welcome to the Internet'', Burnham represents the Internet. Initially, he appears alluring as he sings about the entertainment and information he has available for them but as he draws in the viewer, he starts dropping his flattery and charm as he starts to sing about the more morbid side of the internet. In the end, he drops all pretenses and sings about the horrors of the internet after laughing evilly.

* AmbiguousEnding: The ending has Bo [[spoiler:step outside for the first time in months under a large spotlight, only to find upon trying to get back inside the house that his front door is locked, after which an audience starts incessantly laughing at him. It then cuts to Bo sitting in a blue-lit room watching this scene unfold on a projector and subtly smiling. The use of blue in the special reflect his existential crisis and mental health, indicating that this part of the ending is all in his head.]]
** [[spoiler:An optimist would say that this ending is about Bo expecting to be scared when he can finally start performing on stage again, but ultimately communicating through the smile that he's going to be alright once that part is done.]]
** [[spoiler:A pessimist would say that this is Bo becoming too adjusted to being home alone such that him returning to the stage would be so overwhelming that it's only a matter of time until his mental health deteriorates again.]]

--->''Her future is waiting, right there for the taking''
--->''[[TemptingFate There's just... one thing:]]''
--->''[[ChickenJoke The chicken must first... cross... the road.]]''

** Just before "How The World Works," the [[{{Foreshadowing}} streamer Bo]] briefly flashes in the bottom right corner.

--->"It's giving me sort of, like, ''VideoGame/DeathStranding'' vibes, you know, ’cause it’s, like, it’s fucking boring, but that’s, like, the point, I think."

* ChickenJoke: Deconstructed with "The Chicken". Rather than focus on the punchline, the song instead focuses more on the build-up -- [[DrivingQuestion exactly]] ''[[DrivingQuestion why]]'' [[DrivingQuestion was the chicken at the road in the first place?]] The song creates its own answer to the question by giving the chicken a sympathetic backstory of yearning to escape from a stifling life situation and turning the road into a symbolic divide between her old life and the new life she desires, which makes it a WhamLine reveal when it's incorporated into the song. [[spoiler:This also makes it all the more tragic when we last hear of the chicken starting to cross but being "frozen in place by a pair of headlights", although Bo chooses to leave her fate ambiguous]].

* ChickenJoke: Deconstructed. "The Chicken", rather than focus on the punchline portion, instead focuses more on the build-up -- [[DrivingQuestion exactly]] ''[[DrivingQuestion why]]'' [[DrivingQuestion was the chicken at the road in the first place?]] The song creates its own answer to that question by giving the chicken a sympathetic backstory of yearning to escape from a stifling life situation and turning the road into a symbolic divide between her old life and her new life, [[spoiler:making it all the more tragic when we last hear of the chicken being "frozen in place by a pair of headlights", although Bo chooses to leave her fate ambiguous]].