You pray so badly for heaven
Knowing any day might be the day that you die
But maybe life on earth could be heaven
Doesn’t just the thought of it make it worth a try?
-Bo Burnham From God’s Perspective
We all know Bo Burnham from his hilarious musical YouTube videos. What started out as a silly act, got him famous at a very young age, and he’s started thinking about what all of this means. He’s publicly said that all of the fame hasn’t made him happy. I respect his level of introspection and honesty. I rediscovered his work through a video titled “Tragedy in Comedy: Unraveling the Genius of Bo Burnham” and then watched his Netflix special.
I’m blown away by how much purpose he’s infused in these “comedic” songs. He uses irony in a powerful way. I’m beginning to be convinced that his background enables him to talk about these larger existential problems in a unique way. The audience and fans expect comedy. We get comedy, but we also get a heavy dosage of honesty and deep meaning.
The quote above is a great example. The song is funny, but at the same time, you can sense that there’s something more going on behind what Bo is saying. It gets you thinking. It forces you to ask tough questions. His art blows me away and I think you might like it, too.