Don't you think it's interesting that when he says "are you feeling nervous?" all whilst staring at us, makes us feel uncomfortable but imagine how he felt in person with thousands of people doing that exact same thing to him. Perspective.
I thought the same thing. When his eyes dart over in the beginning to make eye contact with the camera, it’s so close and personal that you wanna look away. But I never thought about the second part of the point you just made. Amazing insight!
One of my favorite things about reactions to this song is literally EVERYONE has a physical, instant reaction to the part where his eyes meet ours. It's very human and personal
You say things go over your head but many reactors miss that the "funny thing" that happened was the pandemic and having to go into quarantine after those 5 years he was out of the public eye. You were spot on. You get a "like" for that alone.
I was about to say the same. A lot of reactions were just confused when he said "and then the funniest thing happened." like they didn't get it. Like the entire pandemic just went straight over their head.
I disagree that that’s what happened. I mean it happened and I used to think this too, but I saw another perspective that on reflection, I think is right. What happened is that his panic and anxiety came back with the thought of performing. That he realized it was inextricably linked to his art. If you think about “Can’t Handle This” and how much he is desperate for the audience to love him it makes sense that he may never be able to avoid the anxiety. And she makes a good point that he was essentially quarantined for years already, so I honestly don’t know if it was the actual quarantine that broke him. I think it was the realization that he can’t be healthy and also have an actual audience.
@@bobloblaw7972 If he was in therapy for his panic attacks (since he said he was focusing on his mental health and did get better) that would have been precisely what they would have been addressing and why it took him 5 years to not only come to terms with that reality but also to build strategies that allow him to do what he wants with his art/career in the public eye. No, he will never be able to be completely free of that anxiety but it does not have to consume him or restrict him. In fact, he probably learned in therapy how to control it to a degree he was comfortable enough with that he thought he could start performing again.
@@Mreffs101 and the thing that happened was the realization that he wasn’t ready. Or that his mental health was good enough to perform but not to have to spend another year performing alone in his room like when he was 16.
You’re right. And most of the comments are wrong. You’re not paying attention to context and dramatic timing. The “funny thing that happened is 10000% a reference to the pandemic. It’s obvious when you consider comedic and dramatic timing.
"You say the ocean's rising like I give a shit; you say the whole world's ending, honey it already did. You're not gonna slow it, Heaven knows you tried... got it? Good, now get inside." This is probably the part of the special that hits me the hardest. This nihilistic feeling that everything's fucked and you've already done your best to fix it... it works so well.
«got it? Good, now get inside."» is like a shot in the head for me. so powerful, bringing us back to the title. i think this is the only place he actually said the word, to maximize the weight of it
I always thought "got it good, now get inside" was just going back inside your head. "we're going to go where everybody knows" inside your own head is where everyone can go. This song being a subtle guide into your head. He's almost lending a hand because he was there for so long. He was ready to come out of his head until the pandemic. Then he just went back to that safe place he built for so long. Trying to tell people it's not as bad as it seems. But subversively wanting to fight going back because of the amount of time that he previously spent there. Maybe I'm projecting or over thinking.
Pretty sure the laugh track is meant to be ironic… it’s intentionally sadistic, he’s talking about how the audience made him panic but by adding laughter to this clearly private performance he’s showing how he can’t live without it
Looking at videos of bo's live performances I feel like the laugh tracks are spot on, the audience is paying so little attention to the topic most of the time that they're just laughing when he says something is funny or when he says something serious in a joking way
"i'm sure that more things went over my head i'm sorry". Honey don't apologize, you're literally the first reaction I've watched that actually understood the meaning and depth to this song. Thank you for your reaction
I think the song is his depression finally getting a real voice. It's such a big part of his life and the special and it finally gets to really speak, inviting Bo into a warm embrace of sadness. Telling him there's nothing to be done, just accept that the world is ending, and his world as well.
Not gonna lie. his song called "Shit" is what hit me as his depression song, because I mean, if anyone else has it you know this is the most accurate thing ever. This song too of course, so much anxiety, I can just feel it - I think he's better but I think its always going to be a struggle. I just, I wanna give him a hug, and I want to get a hug its just so sad but also--- this song is dope
Anxiety probably more likely. Those gyrations and insane laughs at the end indicate a panic attack. Disorienting and inhuman. Like you’re losing your mind but the tornado won’t stop spinning.
A little late to the party, but I wanted to add that the voice effects are similar to what you hear from monsters in movies. But it's not scary, it's seductively inviting you to give up, you've done your best and now it's over. The monster is scary because it has a realistic chance of convincing you to let go.
I have never cared about reaction videos. Ever. But with this song, just this one, I've been desperately seeking people to relate to when hearing it. It's the only thing I've ever deliberately looked up reactions to because I felt somewhat alone in my emotional relation to the lyrics. So many people listen to this song and actually laugh along with the tracks. When he said "and then the funniest thing happened.." people go "what happened?" They don't understand and they're not emotionally paying attention. You got it. You understood. You paid attention and opened yourself up to the message he's really putting out. Thank you so much for being a person others can relate to in their grief over the state of the world.
You're the only reactor I've seen that referred to his reaching for the camera as "aggression." I agree completely. All of the rest of the songs are dark, deeply funny, disturbing... this is the only one that felt... violent, to me.
I agree. It startles me every time, and I find his tone of voice super unsettling. But I had an angry dad and later an angry spouse, so I will admit that I'm a little skittish in that respect.
@@levityoflonging22 I always read that as his response to the apathy of his audience. Like here he is telling you what he truly feels and yet you sit there and just watch.
@@colorfulgaming6596 that's really what I like about this song in particular. All the thoughts and ideas that come from the things he says and the "simple" changes in his voice are just insane. I really like the thought you had on that because I kept thinking similar things
You know I was thinking too about the glass divider he cleans during the intermission (maintaining the fourth wall) and how violent it felt to have him in this song basically reach through and shatter it and engage directly with us.
He wasn’t exactly sitting on his ass during his break from performing. Check out the film he wrote and directed in 2018 called Eighth Grade. It’s fantastic and got 99% on rotten tomatoes.
Yeh, i do wonder how much of this is just an on stage persona he is putting on. He was also nominated for his performance in 2020's Promising Young Woman. He acts in this song like he's been doing nothing for five years.
I would like to state that Bo's anxiety is mainly performing in front of 100's to thousands of eyes on him, funny, all eyes on me. Besides the point. He did direct Eighth Grade, but he was behind the camera for that. And starring in Promising Young Woman he was familiar with those actors for a while on shoot to open up with to perform. I think there was an interview from one of the actors about Bo and how he acted behind the scenes. He would "destress" by going to his trailer, but he seemed to do fine with shooting singular scenes with that specific actor, versus an entire stage of eyes staring back at you. I think him saying he spent 5 years working on his anxiety is mainly towards his comedy shows specifically since thats where he began. He has fun doing them, but at what cost. I hope that clarifies Bo a bit and how he manages/copes with his anxiety towards performing. I know I can be the same way with mine, only singularly less anxious with less people versus like thousands, I wouldn't be able to do that.
@@raylarone6722 he also lives with his girlfriend, the special was filmed in his guest house. i want a behind the scenes documentary on the special so bad...
He also sang about this in his Can't Handle This song on his special Make Happy, there was a line in the song "You can tell them anything as long as you make it funny, make it rhyme and if they still don't get it then you run it one more time" essentially calling out the ignorance of the audience because they have no idea what the message of the song really is.
that was the game. ofc there are ignorant ppl. but i liked that feeling when mr. Burnham played well with my brain, making me feel good and uncomfortable, guilty, at the same time.
interesting you bring up "Can't Handle This"... at the end of that song he lets out 3 cries. Pay attention to cry number 3 and then circle back around to the lyric in this song about what happened on stage
Honestly, this was the best breakdown/reaction I've seen/heard/ You nailed alot of stuff that folks don't notice on the first time through, like the allusions to Covid. Thank you for sharing your time with us!
The laugh track is just a small comedic bit on the entirety of the song. If you look at the big picture, the song is essentially his depression singing
It’s also a call back to a song earlier in the special where he’s blatantly pressing a button for a laugh track. There’s lines throughout in fact that allude to how he’s having difficulty writing jokes without audience feedback.
This song makes me cry. For suicidal victims who survived, This will hit you hard. You made it. All the time off you need to change yourself and your mind and start over. All the emotions hit you. It is okay now... Don't be scare, I was too. Don't be embarrassed, I was too. You are really not alone... I was once one, like you... I am not giving up anymore. I will live on with my new family and have them acknowledge my existence by embracing my pain. Breathe.
Ya she seems to grasp this song better then most that react to it. Its always nice when they dont miss the point and just laugh or go on about the jokes
"He was quarantined for 5 years", that is shockingly insightfull in my oppinion. he locked himself away for so long, then when he tried to approach the world, the world locked him out through the quarantine, what does that do to a person desperate to go out? All he can do is do it from inside. it is such a subtile way to bring into words what it is actually like to suffer from depression and anxiety, and then when he is ready to get past it, the world shut him down in the most brutal way.. No wonder he portrayed aggression at the end when he realized the audience was not there to respond.
Yeah but he didn't. Dude wasn't doing comedy shows but he was still working. He was acting and directing movies the entire time. But no, you go on pretending you're insightful.
Yeah. As someone with agoraphobia... I was isolating years before COVID-19. My routine didn't change all that much. I wear a mask when I do leave the house. Which isn't often. So that's not a massive change just slightly more uncomfortable than usual. I'm sure Bo did something similar when he quit as he mentions hiding from the world a few times in his songs. Which is agoraphobia to a T in a lot of ways. Avoiding the outside world. But yeah, he has done small acting roles during his live comedy break so he wasn't completely isolating. Anxiety can be extremely isolating.
@@AnxietyRat He was hiding from the world in the sense that he stopped performing on stage, so in a way he was in quarantine, but in others he wasn't as he did off-stage stuff. But regardless of that it'd be terrible timing, when you just get to the point of wanting to reclaim an important part of your life and a pandemic just goes, 'nope!' Of course while I do believe he was truthful with, what he called a funny story, he's still a very good performer who could easily just have made that persona for the song.
One thing I just noticed upon watching this was that in the last chorus, as he's asking everyone to "put their hands down and pray for him", he has the audience begin to cheer louder and louder in the background. Just a further example of the whole "no one is really listening to what im saying" theme he has throughout the song.
You actually really nailed this song with your thoughts. There's lots more that someone *could* say about it for sure, but it would all be about deeper or specific meanings on the themes you talked about. As a side note, I also felt like crying in this song, and I also was hit *very* hard by that set of lines: "You say the ocean's rising like I give a shit, you say the whole world's ending, honey it already did".
This was actually such a really good reaction and analysis imo, I love how you got into it. I’ve seen others just listening to the music and singing along without really listening to the lyrics. Loved this video 💙
Yeah, that "Honey it already did" line really hit a lot of us hard enough to be brought to the point of tears. It's always good to see so many reactors feel this, it shows that so many are empathetic and caring of others. A valued trait to have especially in these times.
Just the fact that he breaks down sobbing right before this song in the special makes it so much tougher to watch. I just hope that all the attention and praise this special got can help him to get out of the mental rot he is in. Noone deserves depression but Bo that spent his life making others laugh really does deserve the best mental state there is.
Love your insight! That's a really great point about how the song feels calming if you're not paying attention to the lyrics and then suddenly it turns violent and chaotic. That strikes me as a metaphor for how people who are depressed can seem fine and calm, even though inside they're in turmoil and they may even talk about it openly with people, but then those around them are shocked when they have a breakdown / self-harm "out of nowhere."
I haven’t seen anyone mention this, but the part where he yells “get the f*ck up” is a direct reference to what Kanye said to a man in a wheelchair at his Sydney concert in 2014 (Kanye didn’t realize the guy was in a wheelchair). It was a thing. There were articles all over the internet about it. And Bo used to be (and perhaps still is) a big fan of Kanye.
interesting. and he'd be emulating the narcissistic neediness of Kanye acting like the biggest victim when a paraplegic doesn't stand up for him is him, because someone isn't standing up for him - like Bo lashing out at all of us in that instance to demand the attention he needs, like he's the only one whose been isolated. (I think much of the song is Bo acting out feelings and needs he has acknowledged in the past and takes a very dim view of - part of his whole, "I'm self aware and ill identify all my flaws for you lest you think I'm oblivious to them, but don't think I forgive myself for them because self awareness doesn't absolve anyone of anything", thing)
I don't think he's as self hating as all this, though. I like to think he's figured out that he's allowed to have imperfect feelings and needs like other people. but the character in this special is definitely very unforgiving of himself.
The sad, sympathetic head bopping is me every time I listen to this. Like it's a great jam but the meaning behind it and they way you can't help but to just want to hug Bo, is such a mixed bag of emotions. I hope Bo amd anyone else with these feelings finds peace...
Out of all your reactions to Bo, this was by far the best. You were spot on with this video on most of what you said, and im glad you were able to ride this emotional rollercoaster , the way Bo intended it. The only thing you might have missed is that you can also consider the fact that the song was being sung by the perspective of his Actual Anxiety, singing to Bo himself. Everything from "its almost over , its just begun" , "jump on in the waters fine", and his constant use of the word Inside, meaning inside of himself ("got it? Good, now get inside"). Meaning he was always retreating back into himself, but also literally meaning inside his home during quarantine. The song is quite sad and beautiful the more you rewatch it. Thanks for the content.
This was an excellent reaction. I've seen a fair few, because 'Inside' has been... one of the most powerful pieces I've seen in my life, and some reactions do a great job of analysis which is interesting, but your reaction and connection to the emotional content just felt very true.
Honestly almost every bo song has other meanings during it, no need to beat yourself up over missing something. An amazing artist sometimes you have to rewatch or re-listen to a few times in order to really get ut
@@awesomefacematt I respectfully disagree. If you watch the special that it's the finale to, that's enough. The technically mastery alone, especially at such a young age, is impressive as hell.
I know this reaction has been out for a while, but you're the first person I've seen who really nailed a lot of the messages Bo was trying to give, despite saying most of it would go over your head. I've always interpreted the song as being a message of his frustration of the quarantine - like you said, he quarantined himself for 5 years, and when he was finally ready to perform and interact with his fans again, the world literally shut down. This is the performance he would have wanted to give live, but he couldn't. He's talking to us, sitting at our computers and watching our televisions, and telling us to join him, like we'd be doing at a live concert.
I really like your takes with this one! The way I interpret the aggression near the end is that he's just become so frustrated pretending to perform in front of an audience of nobody, it's like his frustration erupts from him for just wanting someone to finally listen to him and his words. It's like he mentions in another song "try making a joke with no one laughing in the background" except in this one he's trying to confess his true feelings, yet it still feels like it's falling on deaf ears. Such a powerful and sad song...
"Got it? good, now get inside" was the first thing i noticed when i listened to it the first time and i replayed it like 5 times and once ithe meaning sunk in it almost ruined me. the way he can portray meaningful and important topics is just on another level. ive been listening to him since his first videos back in the day when i was still in middle and highshchool school iand to watch him evolve over the years has just been crazy.
I'm sure some other commenter has already mentioned it, but the laugh there after he talks about quitting because he was having panic attacks is right after he "tries to lighten the mood" (as it were) by putting in a joke about how on stage "isn't a great place to have [panic attacks]". It's definitely the kind of thing a lot of people would laugh kind of uncomfortably at if it were a live show, not entirely sure if it's cool to laugh or not.
i've been seeing a lot of reactions to this lately and your is one of the best, for sure... i think you relly got the message. This song is really fucking sad but i've seen so many people laughing while hearing his story... i think he put those laugh tracks for a couple of reasons, first to lighten the mood a little bit since this is a """""comedy special""""", but most importantly to mock the way people laugh at anything a comedian will say just because he's a comedian. Also, when he get's angry with the camera i view it as him trying to entertain the audience (get your fucking hands up, get on out of your seats) and getting frustrated that he's talking to literally no one because he's alone in that room. He wants us to feel good, to laugh, he wants to do comedy, but he can't because of the pandemic. He is trying to make us have a good time, but he can't because we are not there with him, so he gets frustrated and ends up mad, dancing with the camera and revealing to us that he is in fact in an empty room. It is really fucking sad and i just hope everyone who ever felt like he felt is ok.
In the song Goodbye from this special, he sings the line “Does anybody want to joke when no one’s laughing in the background?” I feel the laugh track he uses in this song and a few others is almost meant to represent this “safety blanket” of sorts, and how unsure and insecure he feels of himself when there’s no one there to laugh at his jokes. I think it’s also why he gets so aggressive when he picks the camera up. I think it’s an expression of the frustration he feels that there isn’t an actual audience there when he was FINALLY ready to start performing live again.
this is still, in my opinion, the best song he created for Inside. its a masterpiece. with the idea of this song basically trying to mimic to the idea of a live concert. all the stuff he did is stuff you see performers doing during concerts. with the background projector instead of a big screen for the audience to see him, the audience laughter and cheers, even grabbing the camera at the end is a very concert thing to do. but it also perfectly show that even the most serious topics a "comedy" show ends up being a joke cause if nobody laughed it would just be depressing but thats the point. it is all a depressing topic, its not supposed to be funny.
The algorithm suggested this video because of My love for this song…and you pretty well nailed it. Even the nuances like “are you feeling nervous” as locks eyes and makes you feel a little uncomfortable. And the laugh tracks being used to actually convey his panic/anxiety and sadness. Bravo.
every time i listen to the lines about the oceans rising and the world having already ended i start tearing up a bit, it feels like some kind of permission, to stop trying to fix things for a minute and just take a break for a bit, its incredible how well he commands our emotions
Yo you dont give yourself enough credit. I've watched a ton of these things for this video and you understood ALOT more than most. When you pointed out that he says dont be nervous as he looks into the camera is fucking brilliant, never even thought of that but its very true.
Bo put into words what so many of us feel, and haven't been able to express. I've felt like I was drowning in my depression, but I hid it for years. I can honestly share that I watched Inside 3 times in a row and sobbed the entire time. He is a very deep and caring human, and I truly hope he is at peace now. Thank you for doing this react.
I find it really telling that he said “Heads down, pray for me”. He knows he isn’t well, and he doesn’t know what to do. He’s begging somebody, anybody to help. Even asking them to pray to a God that he himself doesn’t believe in. That’s a real show of vulnerability. And you know what? I think I will be praying for him. He needs it.
loved this!! I’ll add to the other comments, would love to see you react to the full special (maybe cut it into segments for posting?). It’s truly amazing.
That ending reminds me so much of Heath Ledger's Joker when he films and ultimately murders the fake Batman. Same near hysterical laughter, same spinning camera.
You really nailed this. I think some people laugh when they are uncomfortable as well. So sometimes when he is talking about serious topics people don’t know whether to laugh or to stay quiet or what. Keep doing more reactions of him! Literally anything. He’s an incredible dude.
The way he just randomly throws “pray for me” in between the generic “get your fuckin hands up” is such a stark contrast. I didn’t know whether to laugh or just be like “wtf” the first time I watched it. This is such a cool concept for a song.
Normally I'm pretty negative about these reaction videos, but at 5:00 you actually make a really good point. Bo had already been under a kind of self-imposed quarantine for 5 years; I can't imagine how demoralizing it must have been to finally feel ready to get out and then to have the real quarantine drop down.
Video is a great example of going stir crazy as well. As you mentioned (and very few reactors do), he got out of self-quarantine only to have to be put back in a month later.
The humor was in him saying that having panic attacks on stage is not a good place to have panic attacks. Which is very true. He placed the laugh at the right spot.
I think you nailed this analysis, very perceptive. I would posit that the aggression at the end of the video is his frustration at having been isolated so long and, when finally strong enough, being told he must keep isolating. He is reaching through the screen trying to pull us to our feet and get us moving rather than sinking into the stupor so many succumbed to in the early pandemic days. Grabbing the camera the way he does suggests physical contact or at least his desire for physical contact, and that he ends that way is not insignificant, I think.
I take the line "You say the whole world's ending. Honey, it already did." as referring to the idea that the world ended 50 years ago when oil companies first figured out that climate change was happening and decided to do nothing about it. And in the face of that, how could WE ever expect to stop it?
I really appreciated your thoughtful analysis here. This is obviously a very emotional song for Bo. The "you say the whole world's ending, honey it already did" line always wrecks me. When he "picks us up", I saw him longing to have an audience again, doing his best to pretend he's on stage as he dances alone in his room with his camera.
I think the reason it's so emotionally resonant is because it's important. And it's important, because it's real. We get to see a real part of Bo, at least a sliver, through this song. He's so good at using his humour as a vehicle to deliver deep, serious topics. And dark humour is often a coping mechanism for people with real issues. I honestly think Bo is one of this generations great artists. Every generation, there's a bare handful of people who are able to just perfectly articulate their deep, human truth to others. Other examples of this off the top of my head would be Van Gogh, who shared his pain and mental anguish through his painting. Or Heath Ledger, who drew so much onto deep human dysfunction when he played the joker. Or Kurt Kobain, and the level of honestly he put into his work. Or Robin Williams, and how accurately and intimately he could connect with and communicate sadness. Unfortunately, what often goes hand in hand with these abilities is a deep emotional damage. All of these people were astounding artists, but all of them had horrible mental struggles they were dealing with. Same with Bo. And while we couldn't protect those other 3, we can still protect Bo.
this song hits esp hard during the special, the placement of it, tone of it compared to the other songs you would have seen till the point, it all just hits even harder i feel like
The first time I watched the special and this song was playing when he said ‘are you feeling nervous’ and made eye contact the first time I almost threw my phone lmao
He did write/direct a movie (8th Grade [2018]) during the five-year break so he wasn’t completely shut off from the world but yeah, to your point, if anyone really listens to the lyrics, this is definitely not a cheery song
I've seen insude 3 times in the last 6 months and saw countless reaction videos. I just realized that his special, with its trivial, funny and heartbreaking content is in some ways like a "White Woman's Instagram"
I feel that his line 'Get the F*ck Up' is him talking to himself...his literal fight with his own demons. Bo Burnham is brilliant...and I enjoyed your reaction to his video, thank you.
I don't know your channel terribly well but I've watched literally every reaction to some songs and your reaction to all eyes on my by bo burnham is the absolute best. Noone else got it in the way you did so quickly and I really respect your opinion and I subscribe. Thanks dude hope you blow up.
You're totally right on the laugh track usage. And I see people saying the same thing in the comments in different ways for some reason. LOL That special came out in an extraordinarily right time for me particularly. I just get goosebumps from that song.
You did a nice job with this video. The best thing to understand this song i would say is to watch the whole special. It comes together and kind of gives a reason for why the violence towards the end of this song. It's worth a full consideration.
I like this. I've been watching your Bo reactions for a few weeks, and I truly do feel that with this song, you are in a way really discovering what this special is all about. Who cares how long it takes, you got there, and I applaud you for it.
My impression of that aggressive "Get the fuck up!" at the end before he picks up the camera is that we (the collective "we") have a tendency to be able to hear calls to action in songs, whether it's something as simple as to "get your fuckin' hands up," etc., or something more meaningful, and to agree with those calls to action in our heads, but then not actually heed those calls to action. How many protest songs or environmental songs have we listened to, agreed with their calls to action, but then moved on to the next track and not done any of the things we just agreed with doing? I think that "get the fuck up" is a way of kind of breaking the trance that we get into as we hear these songs by breaking the rhythm and running up, saying, "No, actually, fucking DO THIS!" Even if it's something as simple as getting up and putting your hands up. You can't be a part of something just by agreeing with it -- you have to actually do it. I dunno, that's what I take from it. And I gotta say, the first time I watched "Inside" and saw that part, when he said, "Get up. Get up! I'm talkin' to you -- get the FUCK UP!" I almost jumped out of my chair. It actually startled me, and I felt for just a split second like he was actually gonna reach out and grab me.
I struggle with anxiety and this song hits me like a brick to the head. I can't listen to this song without crying and yet I want to rip my lungs out screaming it to the whole world.
I loved your reaction. I enjoy it way more when someone is emotionally affected by a song than someone analyzing every single thing in detail so don’t apologize if you miss some points! A reaction is just what reaction it causes you to have in that moment and not supposed to be an analysis. Also I think the points you made make a lot of sense!
In a lot of Bo’s work that deep auto tuned voice is his subconscious or maybe even mental health kinda checking in. For the WHOLE song to be in that voice to me feels like he’s stuck. Rutted in a deep anxiety or depression that will never end. But then it does.
3:30 yeah you're spot on. He's done interviews before where he's clearly uncomfortable because people are laughing at what he's saying even though he's talking about some heavy stuff. People are just so used to him being "the funny guy". The laugh tracks is there because he knows that this is exactly how a lot of the audience would respond.
This is my first video of yours and you caught a few points of the song that not many other reactors did, I hope it wasn't serious when you said you don't normally pause cause you did a great job
This was a really good reaction video. Almost no one gets the idea that HE put the laugh track in where he knew shallow, self-centered people would laugh. You did. Congrats.
You got everything spot on this was a great reaction video when I listened to this song (92627822 times) I always think all of those things especially where you said he is showing he is in an empty room and showing the truth behind the illusion of a crowd. Anyway this was great 👍
I've seen a handful of people react to this, but somehow you're the first one to recognize him staring at the camera in an interactive way "Are you feeling nervous"; the look into the camera was meant to entice that feeling :) good stuff
To everyone suggesting highlights or people watching highlights to see what the hype is about: Just a crazy thought... Watch the freakin special - not just random highlights of it :D I'm sort of annoyed that people think that you can get a good idea of how good the special is by just watching some of the more popular songs from it. It's not just the songs that makes the special what it is, it's the context in which they're played etc. Sure, the songs are brilliant, but it's just one of the ingredients to this masterpiece.. It's like if you wanna introduce someone to the best cake you've ever had, and you go "here, try this sugar, it's amazing" - "this cream is the best thing ever" - "these berries are to die for".. Sure, everything is fine on their own, but it's the whole thing together that makes it what it is.
I think it reached you guys a little more quickly than it did in the US. We were fine in January 2020, and COVID didn't really hit us until March. By April, everything was shut down.
Don't you think it's interesting that when he says "are you feeling nervous?" all whilst staring at us, makes us feel uncomfortable but imagine how he felt in person with thousands of people doing that exact same thing to him. Perspective.
i just got chills
Fantastic point. Thank you for that.
Nothing more could be said, nail on the head
I thought the same thing. When his eyes dart over in the beginning to make eye contact with the camera, it’s so close and personal that you wanna look away. But I never thought about the second part of the point you just made. Amazing insight!
One of my favorite things about reactions to this song is literally EVERYONE has a physical, instant reaction to the part where his eyes meet ours. It's very human and personal
You say things go over your head but many reactors miss that the "funny thing" that happened was the pandemic and having to go into quarantine after those 5 years he was out of the public eye. You were spot on. You get a "like" for that alone.
I was about to say the same. A lot of reactions were just confused when he said "and then the funniest thing happened." like they didn't get it. Like the entire pandemic just went straight over their head.
I disagree that that’s what happened. I mean it happened and I used to think this too, but I saw another perspective that on reflection, I think is right. What happened is that his panic and anxiety came back with the thought of performing. That he realized it was inextricably linked to his art. If you think about “Can’t Handle This” and how much he is desperate for the audience to love him it makes sense that he may never be able to avoid the anxiety.
And she makes a good point that he was essentially quarantined for years already, so I honestly don’t know if it was the actual quarantine that broke him. I think it was the realization that he can’t be healthy and also have an actual audience.
@@bobloblaw7972 If he was in therapy for his panic attacks (since he said he was focusing on his mental health and did get better) that would have been precisely what they would have been addressing and why it took him 5 years to not only come to terms with that reality but also to build strategies that allow him to do what he wants with his art/career in the public eye. No, he will never be able to be completely free of that anxiety but it does not have to consume him or restrict him. In fact, he probably learned in therapy how to control it to a degree he was comfortable enough with that he thought he could start performing again.
@@Mreffs101 and the thing that happened was the realization that he wasn’t ready. Or that his mental health was good enough to perform but not to have to spend another year performing alone in his room like when he was 16.
You’re right. And most of the comments are wrong. You’re not paying attention to context and dramatic timing. The “funny thing that happened is 10000% a reference to the pandemic. It’s obvious when you consider comedic and dramatic timing.
"You say the ocean's rising like I give a shit; you say the whole world's ending, honey it already did.
You're not gonna slow it, Heaven knows you tried... got it? Good, now get inside."
This is probably the part of the special that hits me the hardest. This nihilistic feeling that everything's fucked and you've already done your best to fix it... it works so well.
«got it? Good, now get inside."» is like a shot in the head for me. so powerful, bringing us back to the title. i think this is the only place he actually said the word, to maximize the weight of it
@@TiMonsor No, it's in a few other places. But that doesn't take away from the weight of that lyric.
@@jacksongreen4107 yeah, i realized that later. its in content as well. beautiful day to stay inside.
I always thought "got it good, now get inside" was just going back inside your head. "we're going to go where everybody knows" inside your own head is where everyone can go. This song being a subtle guide into your head. He's almost lending a hand because he was there for so long. He was ready to come out of his head until the pandemic. Then he just went back to that safe place he built for so long. Trying to tell people it's not as bad as it seems. But subversively wanting to fight going back because of the amount of time that he previously spent there. Maybe I'm projecting or over thinking.
Absolutely! That part, and in ‘that funny feeling’
“20,000 years of this, 7 more to go”
Oof…
Brilliant.
Bo is the modern definition of a “Sad clown” it’s honestly so upsetting
"But doctor, I am Pagliacci..."
@@kix4635 Excactly
@@kix4635 " Good joke. Everybody laugh. Roll on snare drum. Curtains."
Pretty sure the laugh track is meant to be ironic… it’s intentionally sadistic, he’s talking about how the audience made him panic but by adding laughter to this clearly private performance he’s showing how he can’t live without it
Yes
Everything Bo does in his performances has a purpose. His ability to make it look random is his genius.
That's one of many interpretations. Could be him saying that what we find funny can get messed up. Could be both
Looking at videos of bo's live performances I feel like the laugh tracks are spot on, the audience is paying so little attention to the topic most of the time that they're just laughing when he says something is funny or when he says something serious in a joking way
Yeah. . . Pretty much spot on imo
"i'm sure that more things went over my head i'm sorry". Honey don't apologize, you're literally the first reaction I've watched that actually understood the meaning and depth to this song. Thank you for your reaction
facts
I think the song is his depression finally getting a real voice. It's such a big part of his life and the special and it finally gets to really speak, inviting Bo into a warm embrace of sadness. Telling him there's nothing to be done, just accept that the world is ending, and his world as well.
I think this is spot on!
It's his anxiety and him screaming *GET THE FUCK UP!* is him telling himself to stop and get up and move on.
Not gonna lie. his song called "Shit" is what hit me as his depression song, because I mean, if anyone else has it you know this is the most accurate thing ever. This song too of course, so much anxiety, I can just feel it - I think he's better but I think its always going to be a struggle. I just, I wanna give him a hug, and I want to get a hug its just so sad but also--- this song is dope
Anxiety probably more likely. Those gyrations and insane laughs at the end indicate a panic attack. Disorienting and inhuman. Like you’re losing your mind but the tornado won’t stop spinning.
A little late to the party, but I wanted to add that the voice effects are similar to what you hear from monsters in movies. But it's not scary, it's seductively inviting you to give up, you've done your best and now it's over. The monster is scary because it has a realistic chance of convincing you to let go.
I have never cared about reaction videos. Ever.
But with this song, just this one, I've been desperately seeking people to relate to when hearing it. It's the only thing I've ever deliberately looked up reactions to because I felt somewhat alone in my emotional relation to the lyrics. So many people listen to this song and actually laugh along with the tracks. When he said "and then the funniest thing happened.." people go "what happened?" They don't understand and they're not emotionally paying attention.
You got it. You understood. You paid attention and opened yourself up to the message he's really putting out.
Thank you so much for being a person others can relate to in their grief over the state of the world.
You're the only reactor I've seen that referred to his reaching for the camera as "aggression." I agree completely. All of the rest of the songs are dark, deeply funny, disturbing... this is the only one that felt... violent, to me.
I agree. It startles me every time, and I find his tone of voice super unsettling. But I had an angry dad and later an angry spouse, so I will admit that I'm a little skittish in that respect.
@@levityoflonging22 I always read that as his response to the apathy of his audience. Like here he is telling you what he truly feels and yet you sit there and just watch.
@@colorfulgaming6596 damn, that's an excellent point i hadn't thought of
@@colorfulgaming6596 that's really what I like about this song in particular. All the thoughts and ideas that come from the things he says and the "simple" changes in his voice are just insane. I really like the thought you had on that because I kept thinking similar things
You know I was thinking too about the glass divider he cleans during the intermission (maintaining the fourth wall) and how violent it felt to have him in this song basically reach through and shatter it and engage directly with us.
He wasn’t exactly sitting on his ass during his break from performing. Check out the film he wrote and directed in 2018 called Eighth Grade. It’s fantastic and got 99% on rotten tomatoes.
He also directed other comedian's specials and had a few acting roles
Yeh, i do wonder how much of this is just an on stage persona he is putting on. He was also nominated for his performance in 2020's Promising Young Woman. He acts in this song like he's been doing nothing for five years.
I would like to state that Bo's anxiety is mainly performing in front of 100's to thousands of eyes on him, funny, all eyes on me. Besides the point. He did direct Eighth Grade, but he was behind the camera for that. And starring in Promising Young Woman he was familiar with those actors for a while on shoot to open up with to perform. I think there was an interview from one of the actors about Bo and how he acted behind the scenes. He would "destress" by going to his trailer, but he seemed to do fine with shooting singular scenes with that specific actor, versus an entire stage of eyes staring back at you. I think him saying he spent 5 years working on his anxiety is mainly towards his comedy shows specifically since thats where he began. He has fun doing them, but at what cost. I hope that clarifies Bo a bit and how he manages/copes with his anxiety towards performing. I know I can be the same way with mine, only singularly less anxious with less people versus like thousands, I wouldn't be able to do that.
@@raylarone6722 he also lives with his girlfriend, the special was filmed in his guest house. i want a behind the scenes documentary on the special so bad...
He also sang about this in his Can't Handle This song on his special Make Happy, there was a line in the song "You can tell them anything as long as you make it funny, make it rhyme and if they still don't get it then you run it one more time" essentially calling out the ignorance of the audience because they have no idea what the message of the song really is.
that was the game. ofc there are ignorant ppl. but i liked that feeling when mr. Burnham played well with my brain, making me feel good and uncomfortable, guilty, at the same time.
"Can't Handle This" was recorded from the last song of the last tour he did before that 5-year brak.
interesting you bring up "Can't Handle This"... at the end of that song he lets out 3 cries. Pay attention to cry number 3 and then circle back around to the lyric in this song about what happened on stage
Honestly, this was the best breakdown/reaction I've seen/heard/ You nailed alot of stuff that folks don't notice on the first time through, like the allusions to Covid.
Thank you for sharing your time with us!
The lyrics, the music, the tone, the lighting... Goddamn.
The laugh track is just a small comedic bit on the entirety of the song. If you look at the big picture, the song is essentially his depression singing
Thank you, so many people look over this
It’s also a call back to a song earlier in the special where he’s blatantly pressing a button for a laugh track. There’s lines throughout in fact that allude to how he’s having difficulty writing jokes without audience feedback.
I think its about how people take serious stuff as a joke when you are a comedian
This song makes me cry.
For suicidal victims who survived,
This will hit you hard.
You made it.
All the time off you need to change yourself and your mind and start over.
All the emotions hit you.
It is okay now...
Don't be scare,
I was too.
Don't be embarrassed,
I was too.
You are really not alone...
I was once one, like you...
I am not giving up anymore.
I will live on with my new family and have them acknowledge my existence by embracing my pain.
Breathe.
you´re the first one I´ve seen reacting to this who actually got the message and I thank you very much for that
Yeah, I teared up at the "Honey, It already did" part.
Ya she seems to grasp this song better then most that react to it. Its always nice when they dont miss the point and just laugh or go on about the jokes
If you watch the Special on Netflix this song hits different
When he's crying and the camera zooms into the camera behind him and then this plays... holy shit. That hit hard.
When he says “I am not well” and starts crying then this plays hits way different
YES when i watched it just like this as a single song it didnt give me the feeling that the special did. It made me cry in the special, it hurt man
"He was quarantined for 5 years", that is shockingly insightfull in my oppinion. he locked himself away for so long, then when he tried to approach the world, the world locked him out through the quarantine, what does that do to a person desperate to go out? All he can do is do it from inside.
it is such a subtile way to bring into words what it is actually like to suffer from depression and anxiety, and then when he is ready to get past it, the world shut him down in the most brutal way.. No wonder he portrayed aggression at the end when he realized the audience was not there to respond.
Yeah but he didn't. Dude wasn't doing comedy shows but he was still working. He was acting and directing movies the entire time.
But no, you go on pretending you're insightful.
Yeah. As someone with agoraphobia... I was isolating years before COVID-19. My routine didn't change all that much. I wear a mask when I do leave the house. Which isn't often. So that's not a massive change just slightly more uncomfortable than usual. I'm sure Bo did something similar when he quit as he mentions hiding from the world a few times in his songs. Which is agoraphobia to a T in a lot of ways. Avoiding the outside world.
But yeah, he has done small acting roles during his live comedy break so he wasn't completely isolating. Anxiety can be extremely isolating.
It's also about the creative experience being lonely. He creates by himself in a room and it's painful, but in the end it's worth it
@@AnxietyRat He was hiding from the world in the sense that he stopped performing on stage, so in a way he was in quarantine, but in others he wasn't as he did off-stage stuff. But regardless of that it'd be terrible timing, when you just get to the point of wanting to reclaim an important part of your life and a pandemic just goes, 'nope!'
Of course while I do believe he was truthful with, what he called a funny story, he's still a very good performer who could easily just have made that persona for the song.
One thing I just noticed upon watching this was that in the last chorus, as he's asking everyone to "put their hands down and pray for him", he has the audience begin to cheer louder and louder in the background. Just a further example of the whole "no one is really listening to what im saying" theme he has throughout the song.
100 percent
Definitely
"You can tell them anything if you just make it funny make it rhyme. And if they still don't understand you then you run it one more time"
Yes one if my favorites from him glad you reacted to it
I think you nailed it. Great reaction! Brings a tear to my eye every time.
You actually really nailed this song with your thoughts. There's lots more that someone *could* say about it for sure, but it would all be about deeper or specific meanings on the themes you talked about.
As a side note, I also felt like crying in this song, and I also was hit *very* hard by that set of lines: "You say the ocean's rising like I give a shit, you say the whole world's ending, honey it already did".
This was actually such a really good reaction and analysis imo, I love how you got into it. I’ve seen others just listening to the music and singing along without really listening to the lyrics. Loved this video 💙
I appreciate that! :)
Yeah, that "Honey it already did" line really hit a lot of us hard enough to be brought to the point of tears. It's always good to see so many reactors feel this, it shows that so many are empathetic and caring of others. A valued trait to have especially in these times.
Please explain i dont get the crying part
@@dareal5401 Covid + Humans ruining the planet with our idiotic choices.
@@Foogi9000 the world ended a long long time ago. And it will keep ending.
Just the fact that he breaks down sobbing right before this song in the special makes it so much tougher to watch.
I just hope that all the attention and praise this special got can help him to get out of the mental rot he is in.
Noone deserves depression but Bo that spent his life making others laugh really does deserve the best mental state there is.
Love your insight! That's a really great point about how the song feels calming if you're not paying attention to the lyrics and then suddenly it turns violent and chaotic. That strikes me as a metaphor for how people who are depressed can seem fine and calm, even though inside they're in turmoil and they may even talk about it openly with people, but then those around them are shocked when they have a breakdown / self-harm "out of nowhere."
You should do “that funny feeling”
This song breaks me every time.
YES.
Depressión
I haven’t seen anyone mention this, but the part where he yells “get the f*ck up” is a direct reference to what Kanye said to a man in a wheelchair at his Sydney concert in 2014 (Kanye didn’t realize the guy was in a wheelchair). It was a thing. There were articles all over the internet about it. And Bo used to be (and perhaps still is) a big fan of Kanye.
interesting. and he'd be emulating the narcissistic neediness of Kanye acting like the biggest victim when a paraplegic doesn't stand up for him is him, because someone isn't standing up for him - like Bo lashing out at all of us in that instance to demand the attention he needs, like he's the only one whose been isolated.
(I think much of the song is Bo acting out feelings and needs he has acknowledged in the past and takes a very dim view of - part of his whole, "I'm self aware and ill identify all my flaws for you lest you think I'm oblivious to them, but don't think I forgive myself for them because self awareness doesn't absolve anyone of anything", thing)
I don't think he's as self hating as all this, though. I like to think he's figured out that he's allowed to have imperfect feelings and needs like other people. but the character in this special is definitely very unforgiving of himself.
The sad, sympathetic head bopping is me every time I listen to this. Like it's a great jam but the meaning behind it and they way you can't help but to just want to hug Bo, is such a mixed bag of emotions.
I hope Bo amd anyone else with these feelings finds peace...
This was one of the most empathetic and insightful reactions I've seen to this song.
You truly got it. Bravo.
Out of all your reactions to Bo, this was by far the best. You were spot on with this video on most of what you said, and im glad you were able to ride this emotional rollercoaster , the way Bo intended it. The only thing you might have missed is that you can also consider the fact that the song was being sung by the perspective of his Actual Anxiety, singing to Bo himself. Everything from "its almost over , its just begun" , "jump on in the waters fine", and his constant use of the word Inside, meaning inside of himself ("got it? Good, now get inside"). Meaning he was always retreating back into himself, but also literally meaning inside his home during quarantine. The song is quite sad and beautiful the more you rewatch it. Thanks for the content.
This was an excellent reaction. I've seen a fair few, because 'Inside' has been... one of the most powerful pieces I've seen in my life, and some reactions do a great job of analysis which is interesting, but your reaction and connection to the emotional content just felt very true.
Honestly almost every bo song has other meanings during it, no need to beat yourself up over missing something. An amazing artist sometimes you have to rewatch or re-listen to a few times in order to really get ut
His “We think we know you” bit is a blast and really well done. You’d like it
While very impressive I don't think its good until you're more familiar with Bo since it really isn't a song
@@awesomefacematt I respectfully disagree. If you watch the special that it's the finale to, that's enough. The technically mastery alone, especially at such a young age, is impressive as hell.
I know this reaction has been out for a while, but you're the first person I've seen who really nailed a lot of the messages Bo was trying to give, despite saying most of it would go over your head. I've always interpreted the song as being a message of his frustration of the quarantine - like you said, he quarantined himself for 5 years, and when he was finally ready to perform and interact with his fans again, the world literally shut down. This is the performance he would have wanted to give live, but he couldn't.
He's talking to us, sitting at our computers and watching our televisions, and telling us to join him, like we'd be doing at a live concert.
I really like your takes with this one! The way I interpret the aggression near the end is that he's just become so frustrated pretending to perform in front of an audience of nobody, it's like his frustration erupts from him for just wanting someone to finally listen to him and his words. It's like he mentions in another song "try making a joke with no one laughing in the background" except in this one he's trying to confess his true feelings, yet it still feels like it's falling on deaf ears. Such a powerful and sad song...
"Got it? good, now get inside" was the first thing i noticed when i listened to it the first time and i replayed it like 5 times and once ithe meaning sunk in it almost ruined me. the way he can portray meaningful and important topics is just on another level. ive been listening to him since his first videos back in the day when i was still in middle and highshchool school iand to watch him evolve over the years has just been crazy.
Eye contact doesn’t make me uncomfortable, I actually LOVE it
Yes, this, I dive right in there
I'm sure some other commenter has already mentioned it, but the laugh there after he talks about quitting because he was having panic attacks is right after he "tries to lighten the mood" (as it were) by putting in a joke about how on stage "isn't a great place to have [panic attacks]". It's definitely the kind of thing a lot of people would laugh kind of uncomfortably at if it were a live show, not entirely sure if it's cool to laugh or not.
Finally! Someone who understands the song even without watching the full special. Love your reaction!
Honestly a great reaction. Haven’t seen many people notice or mention the purposefully awkwardly placed laugh track
You should watch “can’t handle this” again after seeing all eyes on me. I think you’ll understand it a bit better
ELLIEROSE MY GIRL
i've been seeing a lot of reactions to this lately and your is one of the best, for sure... i think you relly got the message. This song is really fucking sad but i've seen so many people laughing while hearing his story... i think he put those laugh tracks for a couple of reasons, first to lighten the mood a little bit since this is a """""comedy special""""", but most importantly to mock the way people laugh at anything a comedian will say just because he's a comedian. Also, when he get's angry with the camera i view it as him trying to entertain the audience (get your fucking hands up, get on out of your seats) and getting frustrated that he's talking to literally no one because he's alone in that room. He wants us to feel good, to laugh, he wants to do comedy, but he can't because of the pandemic. He is trying to make us have a good time, but he can't because we are not there with him, so he gets frustrated and ends up mad, dancing with the camera and revealing to us that he is in fact in an empty room. It is really fucking sad and i just hope everyone who ever felt like he felt is ok.
In the song Goodbye from this special, he sings the line “Does anybody want to joke when no one’s laughing in the background?” I feel the laugh track he uses in this song and a few others is almost meant to represent this “safety blanket” of sorts, and how unsure and insecure he feels of himself when there’s no one there to laugh at his jokes. I think it’s also why he gets so aggressive when he picks the camera up. I think it’s an expression of the frustration he feels that there isn’t an actual audience there when he was FINALLY ready to start performing live again.
the laugh at the very end of the song is stuffed with so many different emotions..
sums up in part of a second what the last 3 years have felt like
fuck this song
makes me fucking cry
every goddamn time
this is still, in my opinion, the best song he created for Inside. its a masterpiece. with the idea of this song basically trying to mimic to the idea of a live concert. all the stuff he did is stuff you see performers doing during concerts. with the background projector instead of a big screen for the audience to see him, the audience laughter and cheers, even grabbing the camera at the end is a very concert thing to do. but it also perfectly show that even the most serious topics a "comedy" show ends up being a joke cause if nobody laughed it would just be depressing but thats the point. it is all a depressing topic, its not supposed to be funny.
It won him a Grammy so you're not the only one who sees it that way :)
The algorithm suggested this video because of My love for this song…and you pretty well nailed it. Even the nuances like “are you feeling nervous” as locks eyes and makes you feel a little uncomfortable. And the laugh tracks being used to actually convey his panic/anxiety and sadness. Bravo.
In all honesty, this was probably the most genuine, and spot on reaction I’ve seen to this song so far.
every time i listen to the lines about the oceans rising and the world having already ended i start tearing up a bit, it feels like some kind of permission, to stop trying to fix things for a minute and just take a break for a bit, its incredible how well he commands our emotions
Yo you dont give yourself enough credit. I've watched a ton of these things for this video and you understood ALOT more than most. When you pointed out that he says dont be nervous as he looks into the camera is fucking brilliant, never even thought of that but its very true.
Bo put into words what so many of us feel, and haven't been able to express. I've felt like I was drowning in my depression, but I hid it for years. I can honestly share that I watched Inside 3 times in a row and sobbed the entire time. He is a very deep and caring human, and I truly hope he is at peace now. Thank you for doing this react.
I find it really telling that he said “Heads down, pray for me”. He knows he isn’t well, and he doesn’t know what to do. He’s begging somebody, anybody to help. Even asking them to pray to a God that he himself doesn’t believe in. That’s a real show of vulnerability. And you know what? I think I will be praying for him. He needs it.
loved this!! I’ll add to the other comments, would love to see you react to the full special (maybe cut it into segments for posting?). It’s truly amazing.
You are one of the people that sat down and actually listen to him pour his heart out and, for that, I have respect.
That ending reminds me so much of Heath Ledger's Joker when he films and ultimately murders the fake Batman. Same near hysterical laughter, same spinning camera.
You really nailed this. I think some people laugh when they are uncomfortable as well. So sometimes when he is talking about serious topics people don’t know whether to laugh or to stay quiet or what. Keep doing more reactions of him! Literally anything. He’s an incredible dude.
The way he just randomly throws “pray for me” in between the generic “get your fuckin hands up” is such a stark contrast. I didn’t know whether to laugh or just be like “wtf” the first time I watched it. This is such a cool concept for a song.
Normally I'm pretty negative about these reaction videos, but at 5:00 you actually make a really good point. Bo had already been under a kind of self-imposed quarantine for 5 years; I can't imagine how demoralizing it must have been to finally feel ready to get out and then to have the real quarantine drop down.
Your reaction was spot on and accurate. I agree with many commenters that you got it a lot more than many others. Great job!
Video is a great example of going stir crazy as well. As you mentioned (and very few reactors do), he got out of self-quarantine only to have to be put back in a month later.
The humor was in him saying that having panic attacks on stage is not a good place to have panic attacks. Which is very true. He placed the laugh at the right spot.
I think you nailed this analysis, very perceptive. I would posit that the aggression at the end of the video is his frustration at having been isolated so long and, when finally strong enough, being told he must keep isolating. He is reaching through the screen trying to pull us to our feet and get us moving rather than sinking into the stupor so many succumbed to in the early pandemic days. Grabbing the camera the way he does suggests physical contact or at least his desire for physical contact, and that he ends that way is not insignificant, I think.
I take the line "You say the whole world's ending. Honey, it already did." as referring to the idea that the world ended 50 years ago when oil companies first figured out that climate change was happening and decided to do nothing about it. And in the face of that, how could WE ever expect to stop it?
I really appreciated your thoughtful analysis here. This is obviously a very emotional song for Bo. The "you say the whole world's ending, honey it already did" line always wrecks me.
When he "picks us up", I saw him longing to have an audience again, doing his best to pretend he's on stage as he dances alone in his room with his camera.
I think the reason it's so emotionally resonant is because it's important.
And it's important, because it's real.
We get to see a real part of Bo, at least a sliver, through this song.
He's so good at using his humour as a vehicle to deliver deep, serious topics. And dark humour is often a coping mechanism for people with real issues.
I honestly think Bo is one of this generations great artists.
Every generation, there's a bare handful of people who are able to just perfectly articulate their deep, human truth to others.
Other examples of this off the top of my head would be Van Gogh, who shared his pain and mental anguish through his painting.
Or Heath Ledger, who drew so much onto deep human dysfunction when he played the joker.
Or Kurt Kobain, and the level of honestly he put into his work.
Or Robin Williams, and how accurately and intimately he could connect with and communicate sadness.
Unfortunately, what often goes hand in hand with these abilities is a deep emotional damage.
All of these people were astounding artists, but all of them had horrible mental struggles they were dealing with.
Same with Bo.
And while we couldn't protect those other 3, we can still protect Bo.
Great reaction, always enjoyable to see people who actually feel the song and for the message.
this song hits esp hard during the special, the placement of it, tone of it compared to the other songs you would have seen till the point, it all just hits even harder i feel like
The first time I watched the special and this song was playing when he said ‘are you feeling nervous’ and made eye contact the first time I almost threw my phone lmao
I think you actually did a great job analyzing this. I haven't seen many people make the point with the laugh track. It's a great point.
The end there is Bo actually getting another panic attack.The maniacal laughter followed by the abrupt ending. Really hits it home.
He did write/direct a movie (8th Grade [2018]) during the five-year break so he wasn’t completely shut off from the world but yeah, to your point, if anyone really listens to the lyrics, this is definitely not a cheery song
I've seen insude 3 times in the last 6 months and saw countless reaction videos.
I just realized that his special, with its trivial, funny and heartbreaking content is in some ways like a "White Woman's Instagram"
I feel that his line 'Get the F*ck Up' is him talking to himself...his literal fight with his own demons. Bo Burnham is brilliant...and I enjoyed your reaction to his video, thank you.
I don't know your channel terribly well but I've watched literally every reaction to some songs and your reaction to all eyes on my by bo burnham is the absolute best. Noone else got it in the way you did so quickly and I really respect your opinion and I subscribe. Thanks dude hope you blow up.
Means a lot
He wasn't quarantining for 5 years. He was still out. He made a movie. He stopped live preforming
You're totally right on the laugh track usage.
And I see people saying the same thing in the comments in different ways for some reason. LOL
That special came out in an extraordinarily right time for me particularly. I just get goosebumps from that song.
You did a nice job with this video. The best thing to understand this song i would say is to watch the whole special. It comes together and kind of gives a reason for why the violence towards the end of this song. It's worth a full consideration.
I like this. I've been watching your Bo reactions for a few weeks, and I truly do feel that with this song, you are in a way really discovering what this special is all about. Who cares how long it takes, you got there, and I applaud you for it.
nailed this reaction
My impression of that aggressive "Get the fuck up!" at the end before he picks up the camera is that we (the collective "we") have a tendency to be able to hear calls to action in songs, whether it's something as simple as to "get your fuckin' hands up," etc., or something more meaningful, and to agree with those calls to action in our heads, but then not actually heed those calls to action. How many protest songs or environmental songs have we listened to, agreed with their calls to action, but then moved on to the next track and not done any of the things we just agreed with doing? I think that "get the fuck up" is a way of kind of breaking the trance that we get into as we hear these songs by breaking the rhythm and running up, saying, "No, actually, fucking DO THIS!" Even if it's something as simple as getting up and putting your hands up. You can't be a part of something just by agreeing with it -- you have to actually do it.
I dunno, that's what I take from it.
And I gotta say, the first time I watched "Inside" and saw that part, when he said, "Get up. Get up! I'm talkin' to you -- get the FUCK UP!" I almost jumped out of my chair. It actually startled me, and I felt for just a split second like he was actually gonna reach out and grab me.
Love your growth. I almost always cry when I'm watching Bo. Sometimes a small laugh.. But he is so fn real, it hurts. #giveboahug
I struggle with anxiety and this song hits me like a brick to the head. I can't listen to this song without crying and yet I want to rip my lungs out screaming it to the whole world.
I loved your reaction.
I enjoy it way more when someone is emotionally affected by a song than someone analyzing every single thing in detail so don’t apologize if you miss some points! A reaction is just what reaction it causes you to have in that moment and not supposed to be an analysis.
Also I think the points you made make a lot of sense!
“Ending the illusion” was a perfect description. That line about the world ending kills me every single time.
It’s lovely to see someone emotionally affected by this song similarly to way I feel I was. Cheers Ellie
The thing is I really love that he talks about his life and what he went through
what is amazing is he did everything himself, from the music to the videography/editing
In a lot of Bo’s work that deep auto tuned voice is his subconscious or maybe even mental health kinda checking in. For the WHOLE song to be in that voice to me feels like he’s stuck. Rutted in a deep anxiety or depression that will never end. But then it does.
3:30 yeah you're spot on. He's done interviews before where he's clearly uncomfortable because people are laughing at what he's saying even though he's talking about some heavy stuff. People are just so used to him being "the funny guy". The laugh tracks is there because he knows that this is exactly how a lot of the audience would respond.
This is my first video of yours and you caught a few points of the song that not many other reactors did, I hope it wasn't serious when you said you don't normally pause cause you did a great job
This was a really good reaction video. Almost no one gets the idea that HE put the laugh track in where he knew shallow, self-centered people would laugh. You did. Congrats.
Heart you, too.
You got everything spot on this was a great reaction video when I listened to this song (92627822 times) I always think all of those things especially where you said he is showing he is in an empty room and showing the truth behind the illusion of a crowd. Anyway this was great 👍
I've seen a handful of people react to this, but somehow you're the first one to recognize him staring at the camera in an interactive way
"Are you feeling nervous"; the look into the camera was meant to entice that feeling :) good stuff
You pretty much nailed it, first listen! I encourage you to react to the whole special.
“The laugh tracks are put in after…right?”
Man nothing gets past you!
To everyone suggesting highlights or people watching highlights to see what the hype is about:
Just a crazy thought... Watch the freakin special - not just random highlights of it :D I'm sort of annoyed that people think that you can get a good idea of how good the special is by just watching some of the more popular songs from it. It's not just the songs that makes the special what it is, it's the context in which they're played etc. Sure, the songs are brilliant, but it's just one of the ingredients to this masterpiece.. It's like if you wanna introduce someone to the best cake you've ever had, and you go "here, try this sugar, it's amazing" - "this cream is the best thing ever" - "these berries are to die for".. Sure, everything is fine on their own, but it's the whole thing together that makes it what it is.
I think it reached you guys a little more quickly than it did in the US. We were fine in January 2020, and COVID didn't really hit us until March. By April, everything was shut down.