How Do You "Make Happy"?: The Odd But Briliant Work Of Bo Burnham
Start writing a post
Entertainment

How Do You "Make Happy"?: The Odd But Briliant Work Of Bo Burnham

Thanks for making me laugh, Bo.

94
How Do You "Make Happy"?: The Odd But Briliant Work Of Bo Burnham
Youtube Netflix

I started crying during a comedy song where there is a verse about a breakfast burrito and a Pringles can.

Let me explain.

Bo Burnham, a 25-year-old comedian and web star, has been performing and recording for almost a decade, creating irreverent, sometimes controversial, almost always funny comedy songs. Burnham created for Netflix “Make Happy,” perhaps the oddest and most brilliant piece of comedy you will watch this year.

Just listen to maybe my favorite line in the show (from the point-of-view of a “straight, white man”):“We used to have all the money and land / We still do, but it’s not as fun now.”

Burnham, before he launches into his last song, tells the audience that everything he writes ends up being about performing. The commentary throughout the show, about gender politics, privilege, and the music industry, really distills into this idea: What does it mean to be a performer?

Does he answer the question? Maybe. The commentary about stadium country, ‘inspirational’ pop ballads, hip-hop, and the flaws of “lip sync” ballad culture are all hilariously on-point, and at times poignant -- but the real magic comes when Burnham talks about his own generation, and his own relationship with performance and his audience.

We get glimpses of what Burnham really thinks of this odd celebrity culture throughout the show, but in this last song, you get his thesis. Somehow, intermingling between verses about not being able to fit his hand inside a Pringles can and having his tortilla break at Chipotle, Burnham gives us a messy answer to that impossible question:

“I can sit here and pretend like my biggest problems are Pringles cans and burritos. The truth is, my biggest problem's you. I want to please you, but I want to stay true to myself. I want to give you the night out that you deserve, but I want to say what I think, and not care what you think about it. Part of me loves you. Part of me hates you. Part of me needs you. Part of me fears you. And I don't think that I can handle this right now... Look at them, they're just staring at me. Like 'come and watch the skinny kid with a steadily declining mental health and laugh as he attempts to give you what he cannot give himself.'”

Great comedy often comes from pain, whether it’s Tig Notaro's brilliant, heartbreaking set at the Largo, discussing her mother's death and her own battle with breast cancer, or Chris Rock's sets discussing racism in America.

So should you watch “Make Happy”? Yes, and not just because it is smart, but because it is really funny. Before the last song, I was gut-achingly laughing out loud, and yes, with tears coming out of my face. What Notaro, Rock and Burnham exemplify is that we don’t have to gloss over the tough stuff to laugh -- maybe we need to laugh. Then we can move on from there.

Thanks for sharing your own pain with us, Bo Burnham, and thanks for making me laugh. I’ll try to “make happy.”


Watch "Make Happy" here.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

57958
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37329
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959006
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

192354
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments