I am a 20 year-old comedian and redditor. My name is Bo Burnham. AMA

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If you come to my performance at UT in a week or so, can you pretend like we're old friends so I can pretend like I have friends when I'm on the road?

/foreveralone

I just wanted to say, Art Is Dead is one of the truest songs I've ever heard.

Also, you're funny as fuck.

Thanks a lot! After that song, it's difficult to segue back to dick jokes.

Do you pull a ton of ass, or do you pull a ton of ass? Because I watch girls watch your shit, and... I think you could pull a ton of ass.

I've had the same girlfriend for four years.

HEY LOOK EVERYB--but yeah, girlfriend. Who also likes reddit. Shame on you.

1.) I pirated your music and burnt many cds to distribute to friends. How do you feel about music piracy?

2.) I assume that in high school you had a lot of friends, but also some people who may have made fun of you and belittled you. Since your rise to stardom, have any of the nay-sayers tried to contact you in an attempt to be pretend to be a friend?

3.) A lot of people have compared you to, and even accused you of stealing from, other musical comedians (stephen lynch, john lejoule[?], etc.). Do you feel that this is completely incorrect? Or do you feel that the other comedians have simply inspired you in the way that certain bands take after their inspirations?

4.) There are many different flavors of ice cream in the world. What's your favorite ice cream and how does that preference affect your work?

5.) Did your parents influence your choice to pursue music and how do they feel about the music you've chosen to create?

1.) I'm all for piracy. My whole career came from the free distribution of material. And I think it forces comedians and musicians to create more material as the sales go down -- which is good for both the audience and the arts themselves.

2.) Not really. What I hear a lot is, "my friend went to high school with you and said you were an asshole" or something of that nature. I did drama and hung out with the same four kids. So that confuses me.

3.) I think, with my earlier stuff, that those claims are valid. But I was 16 -- and doing what I had seen other people do. I think I've started to create my own style and will hopefully continue to do so. But it was my own thoughts of "Am I just being Stephen Lynch?" that forced me to find an original voice.

4.) Cookie Dough. Which is why I'm so raw on stage.

5.) My mom is a nurse and my dad own's a small construction company. Neither every played an instrument or did anything having to do with "entertainment." But they have been very supportive of me. And it would not be close to where I am now without their support.

Can you please write some dinosaur jokes for your shows?

too soon.

write a song about reddit

I've tried, but not much rhymes with "circlejerk."

"reddit's just a great big circlejerk, a bunch of nerdy virgins doing Urkel work."

It's garbage.

When you came to BU you stopped your show and told my friend she had huge boobs. We still laugh at her about that.

Yes! Long-term emotional damage!

What is the worst heckle you ever got, and how did you deal with it?

I was heckled once by a very, very drunk woman. For fifteen minutes she wouldn't stop yelling nonsense. Which is way worse than any pointed insult. I ended up screaming at her and getting security to throw her out.

I later found out that she was related to me and that my mom had reserved at ticket for her.

here's a clip of it

Forget the worst heckle, what was the best? What's the single greatest heckle ever heckled at you?

Not really a heckle, but one of the first comments I ever read on one of my videos was, "go go gadget faggot."

Incredible.

Dude your special was on Comedy Central tonight, nice

woo!

Woo is my last name. I find this very offensive. ಠ_ಠ

EDIT: I don't actually feel that offended. I just didn't have anything to say.

That seemed like a sad, defeated edit. Keep your head up!

Thank you sensei. I will follow your words of wisdom.

That is an incredible picture. And a disgustingly "milky" tear.

you give me boners. and i'm a girl.

no...no, you're not.

It's Bo, yo! The greatest rapper ever!

The Quiche, Niche! The greatest exclaimer ever!

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Meet me in the Arby's parking lot. Only one of us will leave breathing.

Cyanide & Happiness collab?

[ ] yes [ ] maybe

hey man! YES!

What's your opinion on zebras?

That's a grey area.

Bo Burnham, what the hell goes through your head that you are able to assemble lines like "Oedipus is the first motherfucker"

edit: Fixed spelling on Oedipus. I knew that, honest!

I'd say that's way more simple than the Third whirled cunt-tree joke.

That joke came about when I was in high school. I drew three spinning vagina trees on my friend's binder and had him decipher it. He wasn't interested.

I thought your catholic rap was fucking brilliant. I saw it on youtube and just recently watched your comedy central special because of it. Here's some questions:

• Lyrically you're amazingly talented, how long does it take you to get the basic flow down of something like the Catholic rap or Shakespeare bit?

• Was your family very religious growing up? How are they responding to you now?

• (This one feel free to pass on) I've always wondered what a comedy central special nets the comedian money wise. Is it mostly done for exposure/fame or is there a pretty big paycheck behind it?

• Can you relate to Justin Bieber in the sense that youtube helped both your careers immensely? Do you think he would be fun to hang out with? Do you have Bieber fever?

1. Both the catholic and the shakespeare bit took so long to write, that by the time I was finished, I had a good control over the flow. This tends to happen with most of my stuff.

2. Religious, but not very religious. My mom, who is christian, cried out of happiness the first time she heard my catholic bit because she was so proud of how I was was articulating my beliefs. So my mom is awesome. And religious.

3. Definitely exposure. For a comic, it's a great way to find a new audience, and for comedy central, I assume that for every ten comedians they invest in with a special, they will create one Daniel Tosh/Sarah Silverman cashcow for themselves.

4. As far as Bieber, I believe that 15 year-old boys are the only people who should be singing about loving girls and dancing like an idiot. Justin Bieber seems far more normal to me than, say, Usher. But I don't relate to Bieber at all.

HEY BO.

I WAS ADDICTED TO SHOWERING, BUT I'M 6 HOURS CLEAN

I love dirty jokes!

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I was really worried about that going in, but I've found other comedians to be very supportive and kind. And even do believe that I haven't paid my dues, I wouldn't blame them -- because I haven't. I see myself as a comedian still finding his voice. Even if I'm not stuck struggling in the clubs, I try to work like I am.

When you do the taking the B A T out of BASEMENT line, has there ever been a time where the audience was quick enough and you didn't have to elaborate?

I don't get it. Can you explain that question?

How long does it take you to compile a lot of the witty one-liners that end up being a song?

Anywhere from one to six months. I can write songs that are more thematic in a week. But the songs that are nothing more than a montage of puns and one-liners take a lot more time. Hopefully, in the future, I can get better at achieving both dense jokes and a strong theme/story.

Honestly, came here thinking you'd just be some youtube asshole that I didn't care for, but I've been listening and actually respect your music; some of it makes me a laugh, some of it makes me think, which is nice nowadays. Thanks a lot, asshole.

Thanks, man. If I can make just one delicious taco happy, then I've done my job.

Do you smoke a lot of weed?

define "a lot." and "weed"....and "smoke." sorry [7].

Seriously, did you use to just lurk Reddit without an account or do you have another account you used to post with? No way you learned about all these in a day.

I have another account.

Let me start off by saying that I first discovered you when schmoyoho favorited Words Words Words -- I loved it! I thought you were hilarious, the video was awesome, the lyrics were witty as well as fast-paced, and the entire thing was very well put together.

Watching your stand-up, however, is a completely different thing. I know that this sounds like a terrible thing to say, and I understand that stand-up is much harder than it looks, but I feel like your comedy does much better in music-video form and distributed over the internet, rather than live. Over the internet you can read along with lyrics, rewind to listen over to a favorite segment, and videos are often entertaining enough to watch multiple times. When I watch your show live you talk too fast, a lot of words are missed as people are laughing and not listening, and the fast-paced nature of it doesn't allow time for the classic pause that gives the audience the space to laugh.

Understand that I am a fan, and if I were in your shoes I would definitely be doing stand-up because I could, but I suppose the question is: Do you think that your style of comedy comes off better in Video/Album form rather than live stand-up comedy?

PS: Oedipus truly was the first motherfucker.

This is definitely something I struggle with. I want the show to work in the moment, yet I also want it to have a density that allows for multiple listens. I think I'm still finding that balance. I really appreciate you articulating this, because it reminds me of what I have to work on.

Take care.

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Too many things to mention. A lot of comedians say that "comedy comes from pain," which is true, in part, for me, but I also think comedy comes from love, anger, fear...Comedy has no moral or emotional constant. I think it's my job to allow as many things as possible to "inspire" my comedy. This can lead to a clusterfuck of a show, though.

You say lots of complicated words very quickly all in a row. How do you do that?

How many times do you have to practice a song before you're confident that you won't mess up while doing it live?

www.rhymezone.com

And I don't really practice too much. I just write it and then put it onstage. The writing process itself is usually pretty tedious, so I end up knowing the song very well by the time it's finished.

who was your biggest inspiration as a stand up comedian? who's your favorite?

Too many to count. Big ones: George Carlin, Steve Martin. Then there's: Tim Minchin, Hans Teeuwen, Zach Galifianakis, Maria Bamford, Anthony Jeselnik, Mitch Hedburg, Patton Oswalt, Mike Birbiglia, Bill Bailey, Tim Key, Flight of the Conchords. There's a few.

Bill Bailey is so under-appreciated. Glad you appreciate him.

He's a fucking genius.

I just wanted to say that my friends and I have been following you ever since "My Whole Family Thinks I'm Gay" came out; we think you are amazing.

Creeper story, I was in the front row for Stevie Wonder at Bonnaroo last year and you were standing like 10 feet behind me. I wanted to come up and say something, but it was Stevie Wonder, so I had to settle with an awkward stalker picture. I'm sure you understand. Well since this is an AMA, what was the best act you saw at the roo?

Thanks for the kind words.

Stevie Wonder may have been my highlight. When he came out shredding on that keytar, I lost my shit. I also the comedian Reggie Watts. If you don't know of him, please check him out.

Bo, I gotta say it's impressive that you find your way onto Reddit at three in the morning just to answer our questions. You do good work and I hope to see a show of yours some time.

That said, what were you hoping for when you started the youtube videos? Were you expecting it to get this big or were you just dicking around for a few friends?

Of course. I really have nothing better to do. And I fucking love this site. The pleasure is all mine.

I posted my videos for my brother to see. This is before people knew that Youtube could actually get you anywhere. It's been insane.

How freakin' awesome was it to have Katy Perry pose on your piano when you played on youtube live?

That actually looked pretty freaking awkward. She clearly had no idea about YouTube and was just talking shit the entire time.

I would be interested in hearing some more YouTube live stories.

Yeah it was a bit awkward. I had no idea the camera was on me -- but it zooms out as she's talking and I'm just hanging my head in shame. The whole Youtube Live thing seemed to betray the heart of Youtube IMO.

Gandalf or Dumbledore?

Gandalf. No contest.

Do you feel like your life has changed dramatically with your relatively decent fame? Or has it stayed pretty much the same so far?

Absolutely the same. Really. The shows are surreal and different and unfathomable. But most of the time, I'm living in the same house I grew up in, going to quiznos, and being a 20 year-old piece of shit.

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Was this when the chick was in the fountain getting her tits licked by that old dude? Cause if so, yes, I remember talking to few kids there. But I think approached you being like, "Do you believe that that girl is getting tits licked by that old dude?" I'm being honest. But if you were tripping, you may not have noticed it.

What did you start on first, the keyboard or the comedy? Also, have you ever thought about a serious career in music, or is it just a vessel for your comedy?

Definitely was writing jokes before I was writing songs.

I'm working on a full-length studio, rap album. It's been very freeing being able to write songs without worrying about getting a laugh every ten seconds. Not sure what I'm going to do with it when I finish it. At the very least, I think making some more serious stuff will challenge me and make me a better writer.

I think by far my favorite bit of yours is your "catholic rant". It's hilarious, but rings so true, and I think has a certain sting that really drives your point home. I feel like I would be very interested in something serious written by you. Keep up the good work, I've been a fan from your humble beginnings on youtube. You haven't lost a bit!

Thanks, dude! I'm working on a short book of poetry. Some of it serious. That's awesome that you've been following me for a while. Hearing that stuff blows my mind. That people I've never met have known me for a while. That's really cool. Thanks for the comment!

Has internet/musical fame changed the way your friends talk to you? Is it weird probably being the center of attention wherever you go now?

I have the same four close friends that I've had since high school. And they treat me the same as they always have. In my hometown, where I still live, people really don't give a shit about me (in a good way).

And I'm really not the center of attention wherever I go. I have mild, isolated fame. Which is the best kind, I think.

How do you do your hair?

Don't wash it too often. Pass off uncleanliness for style.

What the fuck is a g-spot? On a serious note how do you feel about being in films? I noticed you were in Funny People, what was it like working with Seth Rogan on the film? Thanks for providing the laughs and keep up the good work. I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future.

Funny People was great. I met Seth and Adam briefly and they were both incredibly kind and humble. Though it was a wonderful experience, I am in no rush to be in movies. From the few films I've done, it seems that actors are the people least involved in the creative process. Almost like cattle, being moved and prodded. Writing and performing my own stuff is much more exciting.

What went through your mind the moment you realized you had your own page on wikipedia?

"How soon will it be until my high school friend's replace every other word with 'buttpirate."

1. A while ago I heard you were writing a movie for judd apatow, is that going down?

2. What is the approximate moral proportion of the probable problem of a pro-life abortion?

3. You've said you were always into theater so i assume this is a non-issue, but have you ever had to deal with anxiety about live performances?

4. Working with other comedians what do you consider to be the biggest "hack" joke topic, or most overused trope of stand-up.

5. What do you think about morning radio shows as an outlet for stand up comedians? Are they all trash, what would improve them?

6. How bad do you wanna suck Larry the cable guys dick?

7. What do you find a more rewarding; a well thought out bit, or a solid one liner? Also, What's your favorite one liner?

8. Any tips for getting around writer's block?

9. Thanks for doing this

1. It's been a slow process. If it were to be made, it wouldn't be for a while.

2. That's one of those lyrics where I sacrifice meaning for alliteration. I'm stumped.

3. Definitely! I performed at FSU, during their homecoming, as Pitbull's replacement. I almost vomited backstage I was so terrified.

4. I tend to over-simplified political humor and the whole "my wife is so irritating..." thing. One leads to a misinformed public and the other encourages passive-aggressive sexism. I do believe comedy can be morally wrong if the comedian does not understand how his or her audience is reacting to the material.

5. I think they're great! A lot of it is trash and shock jock crap, but occasionally there's some brilliant stuff. Check out Doug Benson or Marc Maron's podcasts (i love movies and WTFpodcast, respectively).

6. Badly.

7. It's hard to say. I try to love all my jokes equally. And if I don't find one rewarding, I should just get rid of it. "I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." Mitch Hedburg.

8. Watch something or read something. Get inspired and excited about comedy or literature or whatever you're looking to write about. I think having that desire to serve this form that's so much greater than you, leads to a lot of free-thinking and good ideas.

9. No problem!

So, out of curiosity, do you browse (or contribute to) reddit often?

Yeah, pretty often. I have another account for all of that.

If you could be one of the ninja turles, which one would you choose and why?

there is only one turles.

Why are you doing this at 3 AM EST? Where do you live?

Also, if this is you (which it seems like because of the picture) you're fucking hilarious. I remember watching you freshman year of college.

Question: If you weren't successful as a comedian, what do you think you would have ended up doing? What were you on track to do with your life, if anything?

And do you stand or sit when you wipe <--- It is pertinent that you answer this with accuracy

I live in Boston. I sleep late.

I was planning on going to school for theatre. Not sure what that would've turned into. Panhandler?

And I sit to wipe. Stand up is for comedy not for wiping.

Hi Bo, I'm a fan so please don't take this the wrong way :) I've watched your progress from youtuber to your Comedy Central feature and noticed your confidence rise exponentially. Some of your skits tend to rely on your social awkwardness however; I think it is one of the things that makes you so funny. Did you find it difficult to somewhat fake the unease and real-to-faux anxiety as you got more sure of yourself? Or am I way off track, you're still nervous as hell, and you just happen to be one of those people whose lack of self-esteem is really bloody hilarious? Also, can you send me an autographed picture so that I may recreate this in your likeness?

Both of those personas -- the socially awkward kid and the self-assured "artist" -- were choices. I was very bored with the first when I started to do the latter. I'm almost never myself on stage. I've always favored theatrical comedy over personal comedy. I love a lot of personal, honest comedians (Louis Ck, Mike Birbiglia), but I don't think it works for me.

Have you ever totally bombed on stage? The more uncomfortable the moment the better

I talked about Jesus and "don't ask, don't tell" at a military academy. That was a napalming.

What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever done/said? What do your old friends/parents think of your fame (and lyrics)? What is your favorite subreddit?

A once signed a guy's prosthetic leg, which isn't really that weird as it is fucking awesome. He took it off for me to sign it.

My parents are very supportive. They're happy if I'm happy.

I do love /r/atheism. Haters gon' hate. /r/science is great. /r/trees makes me smile.

hey bo, saw you in Madison, it was fucking hilarious.

What is the biggest difference between Bo the now hit Comedy Central Comedian we see on stage and Bo the regular guy who goes on reddit and is bored all the time and just likes to hang out?

I hope I'm less of a douche. People tend to think that I act the same way offstage that I do on. I'm consciously acting arrogant onstage because I find it really funny to present ridiculous, silly jokes from a very self-assured perspective. I tend to keep to myself in real life.

whats the worst and best part about being a 20 year old comedian.

the best part is free snacks backstage.

the worst part is feeling like a spoiled gimmick.

Bo, I was at your show at UVM. You made one joke I found particularly funny that almost no one laughed at. You said something about a man in the audience being covered in leaves, he was a 'plant'. Just wanted you to know it wasn't lost on everyone. Keep up the clever jokes that make you think for a second to get them.

hahaha thanks! That joke never seems to work like I want it to. Thanks for coming to the show.

What does a comedian do in his daily life and for his routine?

I just play piano, eat, read, nap -- nothing extraordinary.

Musically, who are your influences?

Radiohead -- I'm very inspired by their desire to keep re-inventing themselves. They've actually inspired my approach to comedy as well as music.

Eminem -- such a clear understanding of perspective and phonetics. I really do believe him to be a genius and a poet.

Janelle Monae -- I want to touch her boobs.

What percentage of your current success would you say was personal drive, luck, family support, etc? I'm a young performer as well, and at the moment I'm daunted by the roadblocks that seem to be beyond my control. Your thoughts?

I had a lot of luck and a lot of family support. I have been way too fortunate to give an honest "guide to success." But as far as becoming a good comic, which I think is more important, I'd say just research as much as you can. Pick favorite comics, study them, realize why they are funny and how they are funny. I think an understanding of the mechanics of comedy is incredibly important. AND DON'T TAKE A COMEDY CLASS!

How do you usually spend your Saturday nights at this hour? Are you a fellow gamer, or do you prefer to go out clubbin' with your ladyfriend?

Also: What do you think of the Lonely Island crew? I could imagine some serious business crossovers occurring.

My girlfriend goes to school in NYC and I'm in Boston. So usually I'm just home on the computer or on the piano.

I real like Lonely Island. I think a lot of their stuff is really creative and funny. I fucking hated that "I Had Sex" song. It was so cheap and dumb and repetitive, but not in a self-aware, so-bad-it's-good kind of way. It's like, "oh, they're talking about sex and trying to sound cool but just end up sounding hilariously literal" - I don't know, I've just seen them do so many daring/crazy/weird shit, that I was disappointed when I saw them go for something that easy. I still really like them though.