Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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15 Minutes With: Bo Burnham, A&O’s spring comedian

How’d you get into comedy?

When I was little, I was a huge fan of it. I always wanted to do stand-up comedy. I ended up posting videos online. The videos were always one take with no editing, and it was very easily translated to the stage. So much of what is lost from YouTube is the editing. But my stuff was raw and might as well have been a live performance.Some might call your comedy politically incorrect.

I don’t think it’s a brand of comedy. You just need to be funny or not funny. I’m never trying to shock people or anything. It’s just more of what I find funny. A lot of stuff that is shock I wrote when I was younger. When I was 16, I thought shocking comedy was funny. Now I’ve kind of found it’s a little bit cheap. I still definitely don’t do appropriate stuff. I’ve never understood the concept of being offended. I think it’s funny when people are. You deferred admission to college. Think you’ll ever go back?

I don’t think I’ll go back to college. It was like, either I was going to be able to start a job or pay 40 grand. I could go to a theater conservatory and try to learn to maybe be able to do this, or I can just go and do it. Maybe I’ll go back to learn to keep my mind sharp. But right now I don’t know if I’ll need it. I’m learning a lot on the road.What does the future look like? Will you keep posting videos on YouTube?

I’ll post more videos. Maybe I’ll do some from my bedroom, but it’s important for me to move on. Not from YouTube itself. I think YouTube will always be a medium for me; it’s where I got my start. But I don’t want to drag out the persona of the kid in the bedroom when I’m no longer living there. It feels really disingenuous.What can NU expect on Sunday?

A little bit of music. A little bit of stand-up. Some poetry. It is pretty edgy, but it’s edgy with a point. There’s definite meaning behind it. I’ll be running my new hour that I’ll be recording for my special. So for people that have seen my stuff on YouTube, the first 45 to 50 minutes is completely new material.What’s something surprising about yourself?

I’m 6-foot-5. It’s true. Brace yourself for it.

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Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881
15 Minutes With: Bo Burnham, A&O’s spring comedian