Robert Pickering Burnham (born August 21, 1990) is an American comedian, actor, musician, and filmmaker. His work combines elements of filmmaking, music, sketch, and stand-up comedy, often incorporating dramatic, satirical, or ambiguous themes. In 2006, Burnham created a YouTube channel, where he uploaded videos of himself performing comedic songs he had written, often featuring wordplay and addressing taboo or dark subject matter. The videos gained widespread popularity, making him one of the earliest widely recognized creators on the platform. He subsequently released music projects including "Bo fo Sho" (2008) and the self-titled album "Bo Burnham" (2009). Burnham later shifted his focus toward live stand-up performances, which combined his musical material with traditional comedy. He released three comedy specials: "Words Words Words" (2010), "what." (2013), and "Make Happy" (2016). He also worked on the music and script for a planned comedy film that was ultimately not produced. In 2013, he created and starred in the MTV mockumentary series "Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous". The same year, he published the poetry book "Egghead: Or, You Can't Survive on Ideas Alone". In 2016, Burnham announced that he would step away from live performance; he later attributed this decision to anxiety and panic attacks experienced on stage. He subsequently made his feature film debut as writer and director of the drama film "Eighth Grade" (2018) and began directing comedy specials for other performers. He also appeared in the film "Promising Young Woman" (2020). Burnham returned to performing with his fourth comedy special "Inside" (2021), which he created alone in his home without a crew or audience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The special received widespread critical acclaim and was awarded a Peabody Award. It was nominated in six categories at the 73rd Emmy Awards, winning three. At the 64th Grammy Awards, "Inside" was nominated for Best Music Film and Best Song Written for Visual Media, winning the latter for "All Eyes on Me". Several songs from the special appeared on music charts, and both the songs and the accompanying album "Inside (The Songs)" received platinum certifications in the United States. Burnham was born on August 21, 1990, in Hamilton, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, to hospice nurse Patricia Burnham and construction company owner Scott Burnham. He has two older siblings, both of whom work for their father's construction company. He was raised Presbyterian and attended St. John's Preparatory School, a Catholic school in Danvers, Massachusetts, where he received free tuition due to his mother's employment at the school. He was involved in theatre and school activities and graduated in 2008. He was accepted to the New York University Tisch School of the Arts to study experimental theatre, but deferred his admission and ultimately did not attend. Burnham began his career on YouTube in 2006, initially recording and uploading performances of songs he had written in his bedroom. His video for "My Whole Family..." gained attention after being shared on multiple websites. Accompanying himself on guitar or keyboard, he continued to release musical comedy content online as his audience grew. His early work was recorded primarily in and around his family home and was characterized by a deliberately low-production, do-it-yourself style. His material frequently addresses topics such as class, race, gender, sexuality, and religion. Burnham has described his stage persona as an exaggerated and more arrogant version of himself. In 2008, he recorded a performance in London for "The World Stands Up", becoming one of the youngest performers featured on the program. He later signed a four-album deal with Comedy Central Records, which released his debut EP "Bo fo Sho" in 2008 and his first full-length album "Bo Burnham" in 2009. Burnham has performed internationally, including appearances in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. In 2010, he was nominated for Best Comedy Show at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards and received the Panel Prize. During this period, he also met producer Judd Apatow and worked on a proposed film project that was ultimately not completed. In 2009, a performance at Westminster College prompted protests from student groups regarding the use of language in his material. Burnham responded by describing his work as satirical in intent. The event generated discussion on campus about comedy and its boundaries. In 2010, he recorded his first one-hour stand-up special "Words Words Words", which aired on Comedy Central. In 2011, he won the Comedy Central Stand-up Showdown. In 2013, he co-created and starred in the television series "Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous", which was cancelled after one season. That same year, he released the poetry collection "Egghead: Or, You Can't Survive on Ideas Alone". His second and third specials, "what." (2013) and "Make Happy" (2016), were released on streaming platforms. Burnham wrote and directed the film "Eighth Grade" (2018), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and received critical acclaim, including awards for its screenplay and direction. He subsequently directed comedy specials for other performers, including "8" (2017) and "Tamborine" (2018). In 2020, he appeared in the film "Promising Young Woman", which received critical acclaim and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 2021, he announced and released "Inside", created during the COVID-19 pandemic without a production crew. The special received multiple awards and nominations, including Emmy and Grammy recognition. Several songs from the project charted internationally and received certification in the United States. In 2022, Burnham released additional material related to "Inside", including "The Inside Outtakes" and accompanying music releases. He also directed the comedy special "Rothaniel" (2022), which received critical acclaim and awards recognition. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Burnham Studio albums Bo Burnham (2009) Words, Words, Words (2010) what. (2013) Inside (The Songs) (2021)