“I’m healing the world with comedy,” Bo Burnham sings at the beginning of his latest comedy special, “Inside,” a hilarious and harrowing glimpse into the mind of an artist in quarantine.
While the assertion is clearly said in jest, poking fun at his egoistic urge to be heard amid a deadly pandemic, Burnham’s songs — which span from absurdist parodies to emotional confessionals — have positively impacted the lives of many.
Burnham, who recently sang, “Oh, fuck, how am I 30?” began his career on YouTube at age 16 and has released four comedy specials since then. In 2018, Burnham wrote and directed A24’s “Eighth Grade,” and in 2020 he starred in the Oscar-winning film “Promising Young Woman.” In March, he was cast to play Larry Bird in HBO’s upcoming Lakers series.
In honor of Thursday’s release of “Inside (The Songs),” an album of music from the special, Variety ranked Burnham’s best 10 songs, ranging from potty-humor to profound.