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Bo Burnham: what.

  • TV Special
  • 2013
  • TV-MA
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
8.3/10
13K
YOUR RATING
Bo Burnham: what. (2013)
Stand-UpComedyMusic

A musical stand-up comedy show by Bo Burnham, the famous internet musician.A musical stand-up comedy show by Bo Burnham, the famous internet musician.A musical stand-up comedy show by Bo Burnham, the famous internet musician.

  • Directors
    • Bo Burnham
    • Christopher Storer
  • Writer
    • Bo Burnham
  • Star
    • Bo Burnham
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.3/10
    13K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Bo Burnham
      • Christopher Storer
    • Writer
      • Bo Burnham
    • Star
      • Bo Burnham
    • 14User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos18

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    Top cast1

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    Bo Burnham
    Bo Burnham
    • Self
    • Directors
      • Bo Burnham
      • Christopher Storer
    • Writer
      • Bo Burnham
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews14

    8.313.4K
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    Featured reviews

    8TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews

    This

    Bo returns to the stage, and delivers on his multiple talents - playing instruments(mostly "air" ones) and comedy - musical(including making it largely out of sampled sounds), verbal and physical. He goes for wordplay, the clever, and the silly, with universal jokes, rather than ones that will date this.

    As usual, he prioritizes being consistently funny and challenging over having one specific focus - with that said, he does get rather introspective(such as the "two halves of the brain" bit), and one can tell that he has grown since he launched on the internet. Of course, this doesn't mean that he is unrecognizable, far from it. His brand and identity remain intact, and in-between, sometimes even in, the intellectual parts, he gets just as immature as we want him to.

    Awkwardness is embraced, not shied away from. That of himself, and some of the things that go into shaping a show like this - yes, he does go as meta and self-referential as usual(a child of YouTube, that much is clear). We can follow his line of thinking, and yet he throws curve-balls our way. Plain and simple, we never, for a second, know exactly what he's going to do next, and whenever he jumps tracks in his train of thought, the audience(including the live ones for the video recording of this) loves it. It is simply that carefully crafted.

    Among his material are social problems(with an indictment of himself and other artists, making this simultaneously the illness and the cure, the reason for needing, and the actual pursuing of, therapy), integrity, religion, sexuality, etc. At the time of writing this, the entire well-paced 60-minute presentation is up on, and thus endorsed by, his own channel, so legally free to watch.

    There is brutal and disturbing imagery in this. I recommend this to any fan of Burnham. 8/10
    10granthidy

    A masterpiece

    This wasn't just a comedy show. In fact, I think the comedy was secondary to what was an introspective, artistic masterpiece of debatably unmatched proportions. Every second of this special was incredible, even when the jokes weren't - which wasn't often. I get that comedy is subjective, but this was more than comedy. Bloody brilliant!
    7gavin6942

    Bo Burnham Is Back... But Maybe Not Better

    After seeing Bo Burnham's "Words Words Words" I became a bit hooked on his style and musical taste. And then seeing another person call this new special a "masterpiece", I had to see if he could pull it off again. My initial opinion is no.

    With a voice that sounds more like Weird Al every day, the show featured a large amount of pre-recorded material. While the bits surrounding that material was funny at times, it stretched on a bit long and really took away from the natural spontaneity of stand up comedy.

    Burnham has also become more obscene. While his misogyny is clearly ironic, he pushes the sexual humor to a new level. Funny? Yes. But also a sad thing, because he is smarter than this and going for a laugh with a sex joke is the easy way out.

    The "God song" (title unknown) was a high point, and he still has plenty of musical creativity in him. I would gladly see Burnham live and look forward to the next special. This was not perfect, but it shows he has not run the well dry just yet.
    9trevtokos

    what makes this special so good.

    I enjoy stand up. very much. but whenever i watch a stand up performance or a comedy special, i look for something not as usual of what in use to seeing. bo burnham exceeds this greatly. out of this world creative and different from just watching someone do stand up. it's more then stand up honestly. this special and his other are very good. another comedy special with this type of boy the usual stand up performance is the middleton and shwartz improv on netflix.
    10scoobz_93

    what?!

    Bo Burnham found accidental fame after posting a couple comedy songs on YouTube. His first special "words, words, words" was a collection of pun heavy comedic songs which would have you laughing instantly and than hours later after the puns finally caught up with you. This special 'what' follows in his trade make style of quick and quirky comedic songs while this time being accompanied by an arrangement of lights and backing tracks. Burnham talks about religion, modern 'pop stars' and ask's questions we never knew we needed answers too.

    This musical style of comedy is very quickly becoming my favourite genre. 10/10 glittery dick jokes.

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    Related interests

    John Mulaney in John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City (2018)
    Stand-Up
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
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    Music

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Bo Burnham told the video editors joke in the live show, he paused after it and said to the audience 'this joke isn't for you, so move on.'
    • Quotes

      Bo Burnham: That was called "Beating Off in A Minor", 'A Minor' the key not the felony.

    • Connections
      Followed by Bo Burnham: Make Happy (2016)
    • Soundtracks
      Intro
      Written and Performed by Bo Burnham

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 18, 2013 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • what.
    • Filming locations
      • Regency Ball Room, San Francisco, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Attic Bedroom
      • New Wave Entertainment Television
      • 3 Arts Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h(60 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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