Notice the black bars on the side of the video. For most of it, the aspect ratio makes the image a square, like photos on Instagram. However, during the verse talking about the dead mother, the bars expand, showing a fuller picture of the room. You kind of noticed that that part was the most authentic part of the song. I think the changing aspect ratio is a brilliant way to subtly show that off. Absolutely brilliant filmmaking.
The last line of that sad part "Give a hug and kiss to dad" Makes me think that she just moved out on her own and worded it like her mother passed away and it was worded for attention. Obviously i could be wrong but that how that part hits me.
@@someguy1141 i mean it's most likely that the father is dead also, i mean how else would the mother give a kiss to dad for her they most likely just died in the same tragedy.
The way I interpreted this song and the section he put in with the deceased mother is that even the people who seem the most trivial and simple minded have something going on that doesnt go online. Instagram doesnt capture the full picture if were speaking in puns. This idea hit home with the aspect ratio he elected to use, and it widening out when he spoke of the stuff you dont see on this hypothetical white womans instagram. Clever song for satire and to make a point about social media.
There's also the fact that more stuff is when it changes to fullscreen. If there had been no things lying around on the ground it would've been even more perfect. Still genius!
He's talking about the tropes but also calling out the inauthenticity of it. When the aspect ratio widens as he's talking about the woman losing her mom, what he's doing is talking about the brief glimpses of true human vulnerability that sometimes slip through the noise. The widening view is meant to be a visual metaphor for gaining a broader understanding of them as a person, and the narrow view is representing the tightly focused and curated scope we typically see of a person on social media. S'pretty good.
Honestly this is his outline for basically every song. Where he's showing a topic like country songs or love songs, almost like it's showing a movie. At first everything is normal, but then the metaphorical lens widens and you see the entire 'set piece', exposing whatever underlying issue Bo is trying to highlight for his audience, and then it goes back to 'normal' but with the context of what you just heard or saw, plus the subtle emphasis on the tropes he's ridiculing, makes for a kind of realization moment. Not saying I don't like his songs or anything like that, but that's been the kind of pocket I think he's carved out for himself over the years, and I think it suits what he's trying to do well. The best examples of this I can think of rn is his Kanye Rant and Welcome to the Internet.
@@Itsant33 I'd love to know what you respect and admire, so I can criticize it with zero consideration for its artistic merit. Or, we could go our separate ways, and not bother each other. Live and let live. But that option sounds much less interesting after that comment you've made. I mean... It's the equivalent of: [Insert your favorite artist] is good... For me to poop on!
Many of the pictures hit harder on rewatch when you put them all in the context of her parents dying a decade ago. I think he uses it to show that what we view as superficial holds meaning for her. - Quote of "Couple holding hands" - Boyfriend she couldn't share with her parents. - Picture of Balloons showing 27 - Her parents died when she was 17 so a lot of experiences in life she had to do without anyone to rely on for guidance. - Quote of "Three little words, a couple of doves, and a ring on her finger from the person that she loves" - She's getting married. Her parents won't be around to witness it and her dad won't be there to walk her down the aisle. This suggests that while many pics/quotes might just be for fun, they may also have personal meaning to her that outside viewers may not realize. So, what we see as silly instagram pics/quotes may be personal for her.
This is a kind interpretation. I think it’s difficult to be kind to this sort of thing since literally every one of these images were recreated by a hundred thousand white women trying to be “creative” on social media. And I hate to be so cynical, but even the “vulnerable” post directed to a dead relative as if you’re talking to them is so commonly repeated it’s a trope.
@@satoristeve I definitely get why you'd feel that way. For me, I think the aspect ratio changing during that part is supposed to suggest she's being sincere in that moment.
@@HanneleKormano this isn't about sugar pumpkins though, but decorative minis smaller than an apple that are inedible but people go gaga for them in the autumn because they are cute seasonal decorations.
I am proud of you for understanding the middle where it got more serious. Some people actually think he's making fun of them posting about losing their mothers, and he's not. He's pulling back the veil and showing that there is a real person with real struggles behind all that nonsense they post.
It's absolutely brilliant. I've seen so many reactions awkwardly laugh through that part and thought, "why are you reacting to this? You don't even get it." Comedy is art and this song reflects that. And honestly, hits in on the nose in a way a lot of comedy doesn't.
There was another meaning to this song that I think you missed. It's not just that she gives us a curated experience to hide the sad reality of her life. It's also calling us out for assuming we know her. And calling us out for either mocking her or for being so on board with Bo mocking her. Up until Bo went out of his way humanize her, most people will be rolling their eyes and laughing at the rediculous superficiality of her social media presence. We feel as if we know her and are theirfore in a position to pass judgement. But we don't know her. We've literally just seen her through a screen. And we aren't actually right for complaining about how much she loves tint pumpkins. We just feel like it's ok, because again, we are mentally putting ourselves in a closer relationship to this woman than we actually have. We feel like it's ok to mock and bully a person online for the great crime of.... liking tiny pumpkins. And we as a society really need to examine why we feel as though that is alright. Why we don't even hesitate to do so. Before writing this show, Bo had quit comedy for a long time. It was for a lot of reasons, but one of them was that he had been on the wrong end of a toxic parasocial relationship with a lot of his audience. People were treating him more like an entertaining prop and any time he didn't give them exactly what they expected, they turned on him. And felt justified doing so, because he was just a man on the internet meant to entertain them. This treatment started giving him panic attacks and he eventually became unable to perform. He humanizes her because he understands that people, either in person or online, will put up a front to protect themselves. And that we should always remember that the person in front of us is a real human being. With wants, needs, fears, pain, joy, and sorrow. And we might not actually know or understand their experience. Nor are we entitled to.
@@asdem5844 not really. He's obviously pointing out how people are just trying to post whatever they can for attention Wetherbee pictures of them, or correct political quotes, or sad stuff.
@@JNB0723 I mean yeah if you look at it head front, that is basically what it means but I will say its a possibility for the interpretation that bo burnham is trying to convey.
If you also notice. The whole video has black borders like you're viewing on a phone when he's talking about Instagram.. but when he gets real and talks about the person the borders slowly start fading out to show a full frame to show there's a real person behind the screen.
It's interesting how he created a narrative beginning with this song being about a single person and she specifically is posting nonsense to hide a tragic event in her life. It's more general than that. Social media doesn't accurately portray a person's real life and experience, simple as that.
This^^^ it's giving the ingrained social message we're taught to devalue women's interests and having hostility for women enjoying themselves some harmless fun
Beyond the points other folks have already mentioned, I feel like the song also touches on: - The fact that such superficial posts may actually be a source of comfort and healing for the person posting, by giving that person a way to escape into fun fantasies of a simpler life unmarred by tragedy, and social media then gives them validation and support in response. So the posts are more than just a smokescreen to hide their true feelings - they're kind of therapeutic. - The fact that there's a lot of underlying cultural appropriation and implicit racism in many "white woman" aesthetic trends (note the buddha lamp, the native american headpiece, the dreamcatcher, the misquoted MLK bit, even the "incredibly derivative political street art"). So the song's also offering both empathy and criticism on a deeper level than we initially notice.
This is much better in the special when the song just starts without context. Makes the first chorus a fantastic punchline, because we don’t know yet he’s singing about cliche Instagram accounts.
I loved when the third verse comes up and it changes the meaning of the song, and you got the message behind the song. "Inside" is this clinical dissection of the internet and how it's affecting us, was such an amazing special.
I don't know why but these Inside songs always get me. As soon as he gets to the part about the woman's mom I just start tearing up. I enjoy the music and the singing but the lyrics hit me pretty hard. Almost half of Inside's songs just make me cry.
A lot of Bo's work involves his feeling towards his own fame. He feels he doesn't deserve the success, or that his own position of power (Especially as a white guy) is actively harmful to the world, or at least Narcissistic. "Art is Dead" is probably the most explicit example of this, but it's also in "How The World Works" and even, "All Eyes On Me". White Women on Instagram may be guilty of a lot of, "Nonsense", self centered self aggrandization that shows a need to be the center of attention...But Bo does the same thing with his comedy. He is attention seeking, and curating an image of himself to market to an internet community. Bo knows that he isn't any different. When he makes fun of them, he may as well be making fun of himself. That's why he puts himself in their position, literally. We all have a need to feel recognized. And when Bo takes a detour in tone to reveal this hypothetical white woman instagrammer as a human being with her own real life problems, insecurities and pains from losing her parents, literally opening up the space in an act of vulnerability, I think he is asking for the same measure of grace to be applied to him. He can tease the Instagram tropes, and that's all part of the fun, but the important thing is the sense of empathy and solidarity he engender in other people, even strangers through an Instagram interface. Or a Netflix special.
I love that the video is shot in 1:1 ratio (Instagram's ratio) except for during the part with the mom when the video expands and you can see the room is actually messy
What's really amazing is he did all the set decoration, lighting and shots by himself in one room. I like to think about what Socko would have to say about all this.
Around here the big pumpkins are for carving etc. The small pumpkins are for baking into pies, pumpkin pie is boss. In general that song describes most Instagrams I've seen.
More than once, I've criticized you for missing subtext, so credit where it's due. You caught this one on the fly. The whole point of this song is that there's a real person with a real life, real feelings, and real problems behind every account. As "basic" and trendy as so many of them seem, we shouldn't forget that it's just the window display.
My theory is that this is the same song as All Eyes on Me. The big difference is that here we're supposed to be an outsider looking at the white woman's like in mockery, but in All Eyes on Me, we're an insider feeling compassion and empathy for the artist. It showcases how your mindset and assumptions about someone can really affect how you see them.
The middle part is definitely peaking past the superficiality to the person behind it. The aspect ratio even changes in that part from the 1:1 Instagram square to a full screen and back again. No Bo Burnham song is ever 100% what it seems on the tin.
just wanted to say I'm loving these bo burnham reactions! I've also been watching some of your other videos and I think you're super entertaining and thoughtful - thanks for the great content and keep it up!
Mrlboyd is the first reactor I’ve seen get it in real time. By giving a descriptive catalog of posts there is a subtle critique of the median “white woman’s instagram” but the section where he shows that this is a coping mechanism potentially for the lost the authors mother is an admonition that innocuous things on the internet, are likely more for the benefit of the poster. Even UA-cam comments provide some emotional release for the commenter. So if you receive a weird overly negative comment, out of nowhere remember it is likely more about the commenter than the video. We don’t really know what is going on in the lives we briefly encounter on social media, so have charity for strangers.
Yes, it is true that hurt often shows up hidden behind the innocuous, and perhaps that simultaneously shows how collectively injured society is, which seems to be more obvious every day.
See, to me, it's obvious he does research before his videos because there are just too many moments of insight that flow smoothly without any real reaction or time to think on it. Maybe I'm too skeptical of everything these days but his "This is America" reaction was too detailed with the subtle hints, while doing it live.
The message is simple: The people on Instagram we find "normie" have a greater depth of character than we give credit for. This is simply a great illustration of that fact 👌
What I don't hear people talk about is the line "give a hug and kiss to dad". She's lost both of her parents, and I think this person uses social media as a coping mechanism to fill the void of attention and validation no longer offered to her.
I saw some discussion a while ago about the consistent themes of performance vs reality in this special. Basically, what is just part of the art piece, and what is real
No lie, the turn in this song from funny light mocking of tropes into a real hard look not at the women who post things like this but on the deeper person underneath and how WE improperly attribute "basic" describers to them hits me HARD every time.
i LOVE watching you continuously react to Bo's stuff, I've always been a huge fan of him so its super neat watching you experience all of his stuff. i personally reccomend Left Brain Right Brain, and Repeat Stuff
I love 'Inside' and have heard this song, and peole talk about this song, loads. The 'Superficial posts to mask real pain' is a great take I hadn't heard before. Mostly I've seen people getting angry about Bo making fun of people going through trauma, or think he's highlighting the ridiculousness of people using their trauma for social media clout. Thanks for opening my brain a lil' more.
I think you nailed the purpose when you were talking in the middle about posting superficial things to mask struggle or pain. I think it’s interesting that that’s a specific consequence of the digital era. But also it’s interesting that in the moment you were talking about it there’s a good visual in the video. Up until that point and again at the end, things are framed and shot nicely. Like an instagram. Even as that section starts, there’s the shot of the house made of lights. But during that section, as the lyrics make you think maybe there’s a mess under the facade, the camera slowly pans out to reveal all the cables and equipment and crap in the room, demonstrating that what we see on instagram or online is carefully curated to hide that underneath, there’s always a mess and we all have something going on. For me it’s why this song fits into the special and his body of work. Because it seems very superficial to the point where you almost don’t see his point other than being silly. But that theme of “there’s sadness in all of us but I’m going to smile and do my job because that’s what you want and you want celebrities to be like clowns and always happy or funny or whatever but that’s a facade both for celebrities and for everyone sometimes” basically describes Bo Burnham.
Yes!!people LOVE tiny pumpkins!!especially women...useful for crafts,decorations,and seasonal art😄it's a real thing.they don't taste better though,just better for decor...lol😂loving these reactions to Bo!! Love your reactions in general.thanks!✌
I know you go off of patreon requests for your videos, but it would be really cool if you watched some of his stand up. It’s a lot easier to watch those videos out of context. So much of Inside is dependent on understanding Bo’s message and humor. The thing in the middle with the deceased parents, the aspect ratio expands to show a glimpse of a deeper human behind all the vapid, shallow posts, but then contracts back to the Instagram ratio when the post becomes performative again.
Please, please, please watch Inside from beginning to end, in order. The context it provides in seeing Bo’s mental deterioration over the course of recording is vital to really understanding his work. These pieces It would be interesting to see you re-react to songs like All Eyes on Me with a broader understanding of where they came from.
I would also like to point out that she tells her dead mother to give a hug and kiss to dad as well... which means she's lost both parents. And I think that the posts are things she's taken pictures of while her life _is_ getting better. Sometimes it can seem trivial, but sometimes those "stupid" things are simple reminders of things someone's done while trying to find joy in life... especially after loss.
The aspect ratio widening is such a great subtle change when we get a peek behind the facade, the nonsense instagram posts is coming from something, an escape of sorts. The whole point of that part, I think, is that because of the anonymity we have in the internet, we almost always forget that we are interacting with actual people here. They have their lives, troubles, their ups and downs. So, even these "Shallow instagram white girls", they have their own battles they're fighting that is not usually shown, when the view widens we get to see the mess behind it and then the aspect ratio reverts back when he starts talking about nonsense again. Love this guy, one of, if not, my most favorite artist. LOL
I think this song is just a mirror. He never actually says anything positive or negative, just pointing out this is literally what you'll see looking at people's social media. A whole lot of meaningless stuff, with massively personal information slotted in. Does it make that personal stuff meaningless too? Or is it a reminder that we shouldn't judge so harshly? And if someone feels called out by this song, despite him not saying anything negative, what does that say about you?
This song is all about not judging what you see on Instagram, since every person behind all these stereotypical photos have their own stories and own problems. In this case you get a glimpse behind the scenes of a woman that lost her mom and her dad in the remembrance post.
Not only did she lose her mom, she asked her mom to give a hug and kiss to her dad, so she's lost them both. Plus, there were mylar birthday balloons for her 27th birthday in the video, so she presumably lost her mom when she was 16 or 17.
And seeing as she then gets "a ring on her finger from the person that she loves", accompanied by a couple of doves, it gets even sadder. At 17, she probably never even had the serious "married life" talk with her mom. She's going into married life blind. Without even a dad to walk her down the aisle and/or look threatening in that one and only "if you hurt my daughter, I'll do to you exactly what you did to her" sort of way many dads can do.
I like how the entire thing is in the instagram aspect ratio but it expands and shows the mess on the sides of the room once she starts talking about missing her mom. And it starts to close in again once she starts bragging about all the things she has. Really cool detail.
notice how the aspect ratio changes from the square "instagram" format to a wider screen when things get "real" in the part about the girl's parents... It then switches back into the instagram format when he continues talking about the superficial posts. genius.
Man, Bo is awesome artist! Wish him bright future. But when you, sir, will do the Six Shooter? I wanna see you reaction on "Cow, that catch wind" story)
Watch the frame when she talks about her mom. The frame widens when she's sharing real feelings removing the Instagram square. And as soon as it goes back into "social media highlight reel" (talking about her job and boyfriend) it closes back down to superficial insta post square.
It’s easy to make fun of/dismiss people based on the superficial crap we see on social media. But we have to remember that underneath all that, there is still a real person with real emotions and problems. That’s my take away from the song and the way it’s structured anyway.
Bravo! You Sir, I believe have nailed the meaning of the song. I hadn't thought of that until you brought it up and now I can't believe I missed it. Bo is an amazing artist and I love his talent and his sense of humor.
The pain of losing a person that really loved you is undescribable I am still traumatized for losing my mom after a couple of weeks seeing her body connected to all this machines in the trauma unit watching her become in this fade of the magnificent memory of her. Been some years now the pain never fades but I know she wanted me to enjoy life so I am doing as good as I can even though some days I just take so much edibles that I get knocked out for a few hours. Take care of your parents if you love them.
I always took this song as a comment on how so much of what people put on their social media is just so much superficial rubbish, but you occasionally get something genuinely personal like the post about the mother. It's also kinda illustrated by the fact that, with all the superficial shit in this is filmed through the narrow little 'box' effect but when he hits the mother post it widens out like it's letting you further into that person's inner world
“A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day.” - Martin Luther King
When you were asking about the pumpkins, it reminded me of a great stand-up line: "I call my girlfriend 'Pumpkin' - because she always gets smashed around the holidays . . . "
Yes, it's about the tropes, but also about the person behind the account. When talking about the mom, the aspect ratio widens, literally asking the viewer to look at the bigger picture.
As a 26 year old white woman, this is literally 100% accurate. These are all the things we do and love. Down to the part about my mom. It's kind of eerie.
What I love about this song, is that it embodies what IG actually is: tons of pretentious garbage that you have to sift through to find someone's actually sincere post that they wanted to share with the world.
He's calling out how manufactured their image is. The editing is subtle but you can notice that the aspect ratio during the song is narrowed symbolizing how the "white woman" only shows you what she wants you to see but during the bridge she starts to open up and you can see the aspect ratio also opening up slowly symbolizing her letting you into her world just a little bit before she returns to vanity and the ratio narrows once again. It's the little things.
During the bit about the mother the aspect ratio shifts from Instagram's 1:1 ratio to 'normal' - but then at the end of that segment the bragging comes in talking about a boyfriend and having her own place and the ratio shifts back to 1:1.
Anything small is cute, but tiny pumpkins, called "munchkins" in some places are a food trend for the last few years. They're apparently very tasty and better for you than french fries, and often cause an increase in cutesy photos involving them when they're in season. I was so disappointed when I found out they weren't talking about doughnut holes.
If you noticed, the Instagram dark walls receded as this character is expressing real things, then they start closing in as she goes back to the superficial trappings. As a photographer, thought you'd appreciate that.
I’ve, not made it through yet, but I see you straight away trying to work out how to navigate this by agreeing to the accurate depictions without directly saying all white women do this 😂 respect bro love your videos
In the part about the mom the Format widens portraying how for a short time the person is actually genuine but as soon as the nonsense starts the format is again the same as an Instagram post
Did you notice the majority of the song was shot in the Instagram post size???? I wish you had noticed that the screen got larger when they were talking about the mom being gone to show something real.... And then it immediately bit smaller when it became superficial again
theres a video called "basic white girl reacts to bo burnham white womans instagram". and its hilarious because shes literally got 90% of the song, in frame, unironically. check it out, wouldnt make a whole vid out of it, but its a good laugh for sure.
Notice the black bars on the side of the video. For most of it, the aspect ratio makes the image a square, like photos on Instagram. However, during the verse talking about the dead mother, the bars expand, showing a fuller picture of the room. You kind of noticed that that part was the most authentic part of the song. I think the changing aspect ratio is a brilliant way to subtly show that off. Absolutely brilliant filmmaking.
Just made myself a $5 bet that this comment would be in the top 3 down here. Now I'm rich :D
The last line of that sad part "Give a hug and kiss to dad" Makes me think that she just moved out on her own and worded it like her mother passed away and it was worded for attention. Obviously i could be wrong but that how that part hits me.
@@someguy1141 No. Its implying that her father has passed away as well.
@@Formulemur yes entirely possible too. Just saying it's not definitive so it's open to interpretation.
@@someguy1141 i mean it's most likely that the father is dead also, i mean how else would the mother give a kiss to dad for her they most likely just died in the same tragedy.
The way I interpreted this song and the section he put in with the deceased mother is that even the people who seem the most trivial and simple minded have something going on that doesnt go online. Instagram doesnt capture the full picture if were speaking in puns. This idea hit home with the aspect ratio he elected to use, and it widening out when he spoke of the stuff you dont see on this hypothetical white womans instagram. Clever song for satire and to make a point about social media.
There's also the fact that more stuff is when it changes to fullscreen. If there had been no things lying around on the ground it would've been even more perfect. Still genius!
He's talking about the tropes but also calling out the inauthenticity of it. When the aspect ratio widens as he's talking about the woman losing her mom, what he's doing is talking about the brief glimpses of true human vulnerability that sometimes slip through the noise. The widening view is meant to be a visual metaphor for gaining a broader understanding of them as a person, and the narrow view is representing the tightly focused and curated scope we typically see of a person on social media. S'pretty good.
Honestly this is his outline for basically every song. Where he's showing a topic like country songs or love songs, almost like it's showing a movie. At first everything is normal, but then the metaphorical lens widens and you see the entire 'set piece', exposing whatever underlying issue Bo is trying to highlight for his audience, and then it goes back to 'normal' but with the context of what you just heard or saw, plus the subtle emphasis on the tropes he's ridiculing, makes for a kind of realization moment.
Not saying I don't like his songs or anything like that, but that's been the kind of pocket I think he's carved out for himself over the years, and I think it suits what he's trying to do well. The best examples of this I can think of rn is his Kanye Rant and Welcome to the Internet.
Unauthentic or disingenuous you mean
@@Itsant33 I'd love to know what you respect and admire, so I can criticize it with zero consideration for its artistic merit.
Or, we could go our separate ways, and not bother each other. Live and let live. But that option sounds much less interesting after that comment you've made.
I mean... It's the equivalent of:
[Insert your favorite artist] is good... For me to poop on!
@@Itsant33 Nah. Pretty sure I used the right word.
@@Itsant33 inauthentic is a word...
Many of the pictures hit harder on rewatch when you put them all in the context of her parents dying a decade ago. I think he uses it to show that what we view as superficial holds meaning for her.
- Quote of "Couple holding hands"
- Boyfriend she couldn't share with her parents.
- Picture of Balloons showing 27
- Her parents died when she was 17 so a lot of experiences in life she had to do without anyone to rely on for guidance.
- Quote of "Three little words, a couple of doves, and a ring on her finger from the person that she loves"
- She's getting married. Her parents won't be around to witness it and her dad won't be there to walk her down the aisle.
This suggests that while many pics/quotes might just be for fun, they may also have personal meaning to her that outside viewers may not realize. So, what we see as silly instagram pics/quotes may be personal for her.
This is a very good way to interpert it. Thanks for sharing it
Don't forget the dream catcher. She's having nightmares.
This is a kind interpretation. I think it’s difficult to be kind to this sort of thing since literally every one of these images were recreated by a hundred thousand white women trying to be “creative” on social media. And I hate to be so cynical, but even the “vulnerable” post directed to a dead relative as if you’re talking to them is so commonly repeated it’s a trope.
@@satoristeve I definitely get why you'd feel that way. For me, I think the aspect ratio changing during that part is supposed to suggest she's being sincere in that moment.
"Art is Dead" is a good song by Bo Burnham which is ridiculous and also deep at the same time. You'd like it.
Specifically him doing it live from the Green Room. It hits different when he's singing it AT other comedians.
I really like that one
if you want a deep song he literally wrote a song called #deep
@@haghendowdy4750 what a banger #deep is
The tiny pumpkins is really straight forward. Tiny versions of things are cute. That's it, that's the whole thing with tiny pumpkins :D
Usually you want the smaller pumpkins for making pies also, normal Halloween size are too watery
I know, right? NO ONE SHOULD MAKE FUN OF SMALL THINGS!!! THEY STILL CAN FUNCTION NORMALLY!!
@@HanneleKormano this isn't about sugar pumpkins though, but decorative minis smaller than an apple that are inedible but people go gaga for them in the autumn because they are cute seasonal decorations.
"Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger." - W.E.B. Du Bois
PO TA TOES! Boilem mashem stickem in a stew! -Malcolm X
I am proud of you for understanding the middle where it got more serious. Some people actually think he's making fun of them posting about losing their mothers, and he's not. He's pulling back the veil and showing that there is a real person with real struggles behind all that nonsense they post.
Oh good. I had to go through the comments a bit before watching this cause I'm tired of seeing people completely miss the point.
It's absolutely brilliant. I've seen so many reactions awkwardly laugh through that part and thought, "why are you reacting to this? You don't even get it." Comedy is art and this song reflects that. And honestly, hits in on the nose in a way a lot of comedy doesn't.
There was another meaning to this song that I think you missed. It's not just that she gives us a curated experience to hide the sad reality of her life.
It's also calling us out for assuming we know her. And calling us out for either mocking her or for being so on board with Bo mocking her. Up until Bo went out of his way humanize her, most people will be rolling their eyes and laughing at the rediculous superficiality of her social media presence. We feel as if we know her and are theirfore in a position to pass judgement. But we don't know her. We've literally just seen her through a screen. And we aren't actually right for complaining about how much she loves tint pumpkins. We just feel like it's ok, because again, we are mentally putting ourselves in a closer relationship to this woman than we actually have. We feel like it's ok to mock and bully a person online for the great crime of.... liking tiny pumpkins. And we as a society really need to examine why we feel as though that is alright. Why we don't even hesitate to do so.
Before writing this show, Bo had quit comedy for a long time. It was for a lot of reasons, but one of them was that he had been on the wrong end of a toxic parasocial relationship with a lot of his audience. People were treating him more like an entertaining prop and any time he didn't give them exactly what they expected, they turned on him. And felt justified doing so, because he was just a man on the internet meant to entertain them. This treatment started giving him panic attacks and he eventually became unable to perform.
He humanizes her because he understands that people, either in person or online, will put up a front to protect themselves. And that we should always remember that the person in front of us is a real human being. With wants, needs, fears, pain, joy, and sorrow. And we might not actually know or understand their experience. Nor are we entitled to.
Thats definetely a nother meaning to this song.
This is a really good interpretation
@@asdem5844 not really. He's obviously pointing out how people are just trying to post whatever they can for attention Wetherbee pictures of them, or correct political quotes, or sad stuff.
@@JNB0723 I mean yeah if you look at it head front, that is basically what it means but I will say its a possibility for the interpretation that bo burnham is trying to convey.
If you also notice. The whole video has black borders like you're viewing on a phone when he's talking about Instagram.. but when he gets real and talks about the person the borders slowly start fading out to show a full frame to show there's a real person behind the screen.
It's interesting how he created a narrative beginning with this song being about a single person and she specifically is posting nonsense to hide a tragic event in her life. It's more general than that. Social media doesn't accurately portray a person's real life and experience, simple as that.
This^^^ it's giving the ingrained social message we're taught to devalue women's interests and having hostility for women enjoying themselves some harmless fun
Beyond the points other folks have already mentioned, I feel like the song also touches on:
- The fact that such superficial posts may actually be a source of comfort and healing for the person posting, by giving that person a way to escape into fun fantasies of a simpler life unmarred by tragedy, and social media then gives them validation and support in response. So the posts are more than just a smokescreen to hide their true feelings - they're kind of therapeutic.
- The fact that there's a lot of underlying cultural appropriation and implicit racism in many "white woman" aesthetic trends (note the buddha lamp, the native american headpiece, the dreamcatcher, the misquoted MLK bit, even the "incredibly derivative political street art").
So the song's also offering both empathy and criticism on a deeper level than we initially notice.
This is much better in the special when the song just starts without context. Makes the first chorus a fantastic punchline, because we don’t know yet he’s singing about cliche Instagram accounts.
Art is Dead, From God's Perspective, That Funny Feeling, and Sad would be my recommendations for songs by Bo to check out next.
I loved when the third verse comes up and it changes the meaning of the song, and you got the message behind the song. "Inside" is this clinical dissection of the internet and how it's affecting us, was such an amazing special.
I don't know why but these Inside songs always get me. As soon as he gets to the part about the woman's mom I just start tearing up.
I enjoy the music and the singing but the lyrics hit me pretty hard. Almost half of Inside's songs just make me cry.
A lot of Bo's work involves his feeling towards his own fame. He feels he doesn't deserve the success, or that his own position of power (Especially as a white guy) is actively harmful to the world, or at least Narcissistic. "Art is Dead" is probably the most explicit example of this, but it's also in "How The World Works" and even, "All Eyes On Me".
White Women on Instagram may be guilty of a lot of, "Nonsense", self centered self aggrandization that shows a need to be the center of attention...But Bo does the same thing with his comedy. He is attention seeking, and curating an image of himself to market to an internet community. Bo knows that he isn't any different. When he makes fun of them, he may as well be making fun of himself. That's why he puts himself in their position, literally. We all have a need to feel recognized.
And when Bo takes a detour in tone to reveal this hypothetical white woman instagrammer as a human being with her own real life problems, insecurities and pains from losing her parents, literally opening up the space in an act of vulnerability, I think he is asking for the same measure of grace to be applied to him. He can tease the Instagram tropes, and that's all part of the fun, but the important thing is the sense of empathy and solidarity he engender in other people, even strangers through an Instagram interface. Or a Netflix special.
I love that the video is shot in 1:1 ratio (Instagram's ratio) except for during the part with the mom when the video expands and you can see the room is actually messy
What's really amazing is he did all the set decoration, lighting and shots by himself in one room.
I like to think about what Socko would have to say about all this.
Around here the big pumpkins are for carving etc. The small pumpkins are for baking into pies, pumpkin pie is boss.
In general that song describes most Instagrams I've seen.
I like the fact the screen widens widens when hes being authentic. Then narrows again when being superficial.
More than once, I've criticized you for missing subtext, so credit where it's due. You caught this one on the fly. The whole point of this song is that there's a real person with a real life, real feelings, and real problems behind every account. As "basic" and trendy as so many of them seem, we shouldn't forget that it's just the window display.
My theory is that this is the same song as All Eyes on Me. The big difference is that here we're supposed to be an outsider looking at the white woman's like in mockery, but in All Eyes on Me, we're an insider feeling compassion and empathy for the artist. It showcases how your mindset and assumptions about someone can really affect how you see them.
The middle part is definitely peaking past the superficiality to the person behind it. The aspect ratio even changes in that part from the 1:1 Instagram square to a full screen and back again. No Bo Burnham song is ever 100% what it seems on the tin.
just wanted to say I'm loving these bo burnham reactions! I've also been watching some of your other videos and I think you're super entertaining and thoughtful - thanks for the great content and keep it up!
Mrlboyd is the first reactor I’ve seen get it in real time. By giving a descriptive catalog of posts there is a subtle critique of the median “white woman’s instagram” but the section where he shows that this is a coping mechanism potentially for the lost the authors mother is an admonition that innocuous things on the internet, are likely more for the benefit of the poster.
Even UA-cam comments provide some emotional release for the commenter. So if you receive a weird overly negative comment, out of nowhere remember it is likely more about the commenter than the video. We don’t really know what is going on in the lives we briefly encounter on social media, so have charity for strangers.
Yes, it is true that hurt often shows up hidden behind the innocuous, and perhaps that simultaneously shows how collectively injured society is, which seems to be more obvious every day.
See, to me, it's obvious he does research before his videos because there are just too many moments of insight that flow smoothly without any real reaction or time to think on it. Maybe I'm too skeptical of everything these days but his "This is America" reaction was too detailed with the subtle hints, while doing it live.
The message is simple: The people on Instagram we find "normie" have a greater depth of character than we give credit for. This is simply a great illustration of that fact 👌
What I don't hear people talk about is the line "give a hug and kiss to dad". She's lost both of her parents, and I think this person uses social media as a coping mechanism to fill the void of attention and validation no longer offered to her.
Agree so much!
Sometimes I really wish you would dig deeper than just the surface of a song. But then again I keep coming back and watching.
I know right. I get frustrated every time I watch his bo reactions, like he reacts only because somebody requested through patreon
I saw some discussion a while ago about the consistent themes of performance vs reality in this special. Basically, what is just part of the art piece, and what is real
Big pumpkins are for Halloween, little pumpkins are for the rest of the year
"He went back to the nonsense, bro"
Everyone, crying after the Momma Verse: "gaaah, what a jokey guy, good jokes!"
It BROKE me and both my parents are alive.
@@carlalussini honestly, same. It feels like a flash-forward to the sadness we'll feel on those days, years from now, and I do not handle it well.
No lie, the turn in this song from funny light mocking of tropes into a real hard look not at the women who post things like this but on the deeper person underneath and how WE improperly attribute "basic" describers to them hits me HARD every time.
im glad you are starting to understand in real time what hes trying to say. keep puttin out bo!
"Tropes" is the biggest understatement of the year. Every female I've shown this to has had at least 5 of the photos he described/showed.
I really want to see MrLboyd do "Oh Bo". would really fit in his hiphop mindset.
Tiny pumpkins are cute during the fall. That's really all it is. Tiny versions of things are generally inherently cuter.
12seconds, this is a record.
I honestly think you might like words words words by Bo. Its a bit older but its got a lot of neat stuff in it.
Agreed with this^^ Lot of clever word play that I think you'd have fun with
i LOVE watching you continuously react to Bo's stuff, I've always been a huge fan of him so its super neat watching you experience all of his stuff. i personally reccomend Left Brain Right Brain, and Repeat Stuff
It's almost like when she monologues to her mother, we see the BIGGER PICTURE.
I love 'Inside' and have heard this song, and peole talk about this song, loads. The 'Superficial posts to mask real pain' is a great take I hadn't heard before. Mostly I've seen people getting angry about Bo making fun of people going through trauma, or think he's highlighting the ridiculousness of people using their trauma for social media clout.
Thanks for opening my brain a lil' more.
I just want to know how insane his amazon cart looked when buying all the props for this song
As a white woman... I find tiny pumpkins the cutest and when I do groceries and find them... I buy it. Cos it's so cute.
Many white American women are obsessed with pumpkins during fall. I catch myself calling it Pumpkin Spice season.
I think you nailed the purpose when you were talking in the middle about posting superficial things to mask struggle or pain. I think it’s interesting that that’s a specific consequence of the digital era. But also it’s interesting that in the moment you were talking about it there’s a good visual in the video. Up until that point and again at the end, things are framed and shot nicely. Like an instagram. Even as that section starts, there’s the shot of the house made of lights. But during that section, as the lyrics make you think maybe there’s a mess under the facade, the camera slowly pans out to reveal all the cables and equipment and crap in the room, demonstrating that what we see on instagram or online is carefully curated to hide that underneath, there’s always a mess and we all have something going on.
For me it’s why this song fits into the special and his body of work. Because it seems very superficial to the point where you almost don’t see his point other than being silly. But that theme of “there’s sadness in all of us but I’m going to smile and do my job because that’s what you want and you want celebrities to be like clowns and always happy or funny or whatever but that’s a facade both for celebrities and for everyone sometimes” basically describes Bo Burnham.
Yes!!people LOVE tiny pumpkins!!especially women...useful for crafts,decorations,and seasonal art😄it's a real thing.they don't taste better though,just better for decor...lol😂loving these reactions to Bo!! Love your reactions in general.thanks!✌
Any time you miniaturize something it automatically makes it cuter. And there is no worse kryptonite for a white woman than cuteness!
I know you go off of patreon requests for your videos, but it would be really cool if you watched some of his stand up. It’s a lot easier to watch those videos out of context. So much of Inside is dependent on understanding Bo’s message and humor.
The thing in the middle with the deceased parents, the aspect ratio expands to show a glimpse of a deeper human behind all the vapid, shallow posts, but then contracts back to the Instagram ratio when the post becomes performative again.
As a white woman, i was DYING OF LAUGHTER when i first saw this. I had it stuck in my head for days.
It's hilarious how on point this is
Please, please, please watch Inside from beginning to end, in order. The context it provides in seeing Bo’s mental deterioration over the course of recording is vital to really understanding his work. These pieces It would be interesting to see you re-react to songs like All Eyes on Me with a broader understanding of where they came from.
I would also like to point out that she tells her dead mother to give a hug and kiss to dad as well... which means she's lost both parents. And I think that the posts are things she's taken pictures of while her life _is_ getting better. Sometimes it can seem trivial, but sometimes those "stupid" things are simple reminders of things someone's done while trying to find joy in life... especially after loss.
The aspect ratio widening is such a great subtle change when we get a peek behind the facade, the nonsense instagram posts is coming from something, an escape of sorts. The whole point of that part, I think, is that because of the anonymity we have in the internet, we almost always forget that we are interacting with actual people here. They have their lives, troubles, their ups and downs. So, even these "Shallow instagram white girls", they have their own battles they're fighting that is not usually shown, when the view widens we get to see the mess behind it and then the aspect ratio reverts back when he starts talking about nonsense again. Love this guy, one of, if not, my most favorite artist. LOL
Thanks for this. I appreciate what you do
I think this song is just a mirror. He never actually says anything positive or negative, just pointing out this is literally what you'll see looking at people's social media. A whole lot of meaningless stuff, with massively personal information slotted in. Does it make that personal stuff meaningless too? Or is it a reminder that we shouldn't judge so harshly? And if someone feels called out by this song, despite him not saying anything negative, what does that say about you?
Excellent point!
This song is all about not judging what you see on Instagram, since every person behind all these stereotypical photos have their own stories and own problems. In this case you get a glimpse behind the scenes of a woman that lost her mom and her dad in the remembrance post.
Not only did she lose her mom, she asked her mom to give a hug and kiss to her dad, so she's lost them both. Plus, there were mylar birthday balloons for her 27th birthday in the video, so she presumably lost her mom when she was 16 or 17.
And seeing as she then gets "a ring on her finger from the person that she loves", accompanied by a couple of doves, it gets even sadder. At 17, she probably never even had the serious "married life" talk with her mom. She's going into married life blind. Without even a dad to walk her down the aisle and/or look threatening in that one and only "if you hurt my daughter, I'll do to you exactly what you did to her" sort of way many dads can do.
I like how the entire thing is in the instagram aspect ratio but it expands and shows the mess on the sides of the room once she starts talking about missing her mom. And it starts to close in again once she starts bragging about all the things she has. Really cool detail.
notice how the aspect ratio changes from the square "instagram" format to a wider screen when things get "real" in the part about the girl's parents... It then switches back into the instagram format when he continues talking about the superficial posts. genius.
We specifically would like to see more of this specific type of content.
Man, Bo is awesome artist! Wish him bright future. But when you, sir, will do the Six Shooter? I wanna see you reaction on "Cow, that catch wind" story)
"Fly, you fools!" - MLK
Bo Burnham : can't handle this (Kayne rant) thanks so much for the content you're great :)
Little pumpkins and gourds are just for decorating in the fall. Hugely popular in the Midwest.
Watch the frame when she talks about her mom. The frame widens when she's sharing real feelings removing the Instagram square. And as soon as it goes back into "social media highlight reel" (talking about her job and boyfriend) it closes back down to superficial insta post square.
I looked at your Twitter and didn’t know you were Dominican. I lived there for a year. A wonderful place :)
It’s easy to make fun of/dismiss people based on the superficial crap we see on social media. But we have to remember that underneath all that, there is still a real person with real emotions and problems. That’s my take away from the song and the way it’s structured anyway.
Bravo! You Sir, I believe have nailed the meaning of the song. I hadn't thought of that until you brought it up and now I can't believe I missed it. Bo is an amazing artist and I love his talent and his sense of humor.
The pain of losing a person that really loved you is undescribable I am still traumatized for losing my mom after a couple of weeks seeing her body connected to all this machines in the trauma unit watching her become in this fade of the magnificent memory of her. Been some years now the pain never fades but I know she wanted me to enjoy life so I am doing as good as I can even though some days I just take so much edibles that I get knocked out for a few hours. Take care of your parents if you love them.
I always took this song as a comment on how so much of what people put on their social media is just so much superficial rubbish, but you occasionally get something genuinely personal like the post about the mother. It's also kinda illustrated by the fact that, with all the superficial shit in this is filmed through the narrow little 'box' effect but when he hits the mother post it widens out like it's letting you further into that person's inner world
6:26 "Don't you put that evil on me Ricky Bobby!"
“A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day.” - Martin Luther King
It's the "I'm so unique and a little crazy, suck it bitches" face
When you were asking about the pumpkins, it reminded me of a great stand-up line: "I call my girlfriend 'Pumpkin' - because she always gets smashed around the holidays . . . "
Yes, it's about the tropes, but also about the person behind the account. When talking about the mom, the aspect ratio widens, literally asking the viewer to look at the bigger picture.
I need to catch up on my Instagram. Thanks for letting me know Bo!
The moment when MrLboyd asks Bo Burnham, "What is the purpose of your face?" (One of my favorite lines from an animated movie ever ;) lol)
As a 26 year old white woman, this is literally 100% accurate. These are all the things we do and love. Down to the part about my mom. It's kind of eerie.
The way you reacted to the face he was making immediately made me think you should react to Watsky-Ugly Faces. Love the videos man keep it up!
You hit the nail on the head with this analysis!
As a white woman, we go apeshit over fall. And tiny things are cute. So tiny pumpkins are just *chef's kiss*
I live in an elderly complex and people in here place them on their outdoor tables around Halloween
There was a trend on tiktok when this came out of women syncing up there Instagram to this song, its hilarious how accurate Bo was.
What I love about this song, is that it embodies what IG actually is: tons of pretentious garbage that you have to sift through to find someone's actually sincere post that they wanted to share with the world.
Always on time
"I love this song." - Abraham Lincoln
He's calling out how manufactured their image is. The editing is subtle but you can notice that the aspect ratio during the song is narrowed symbolizing how the "white woman" only shows you what she wants you to see but during the bridge she starts to open up and you can see the aspect ratio also opening up slowly symbolizing her letting you into her world just a little bit before she returns to vanity and the ratio narrows once again. It's the little things.
During the bit about the mother the aspect ratio shifts from Instagram's 1:1 ratio to 'normal' - but then at the end of that segment the bragging comes in talking about a boyfriend and having her own place and the ratio shifts back to 1:1.
oooooh been waiting for this one
Anything small is cute, but tiny pumpkins, called "munchkins" in some places are a food trend for the last few years. They're apparently very tasty and better for you than french fries, and often cause an increase in cutesy photos involving them when they're in season. I was so disappointed when I found out they weren't talking about doughnut holes.
If you noticed, the Instagram dark walls receded as this character is expressing real things, then they start closing in as she goes back to the superficial trappings. As a photographer, thought you'd appreciate that.
You just got a sub and I have to say. If you ever come to Finland I will by you a beer.
I’ve, not made it through yet, but I see you straight away trying to work out how to navigate this by agreeing to the accurate depictions without directly saying all white women do this 😂 respect bro love your videos
Interesting that you were told that. My Mom told me that. When I was little, I tried not to have ANY expression that might be awful if it stuck!😊❤️
Reminds me of the song Ugly Faces by George Watsky
In the part about the mom the Format widens portraying how for a short time the person is actually genuine but as soon as the nonsense starts the format is again the same as an Instagram post
"You Shall Not Pass"-Martin Luther King Jr.
Nope, they have done every single shot in this video on IG 😂
Edit: 6:08 😜
Did you notice the majority of the song was shot in the Instagram post size????
I wish you had noticed that the screen got larger when they were talking about the mom being gone to show something real.... And then it immediately bit smaller when it became superficial again
I take his style as 'holding up a mirror' rather than 'aggressively targeting a group'.
theres a video called "basic white girl reacts to bo burnham white womans instagram".
and its hilarious because shes literally got 90% of the song, in frame, unironically.
check it out, wouldnt make a whole vid out of it, but its a good laugh for sure.
your facial expressions are gold. yes, people are absolutely doing this.
Wot sure if you've done it yet but you should do , Art is Dead , also by Bo Burnham. It's one of his more serious songs and my favorite from him.
Tiny pumpkins are life 😜