Review of Bo Burnham: Make Happy

Bo Burnham's second hour-long special, "Make Happy", is a true culmination of his comedic experience, and his swan song in the stand-up field. It is the epitome of a comedy show with meaning. Burnham weaves, even the seemingly meaningless and lighthearted, bits of this show, into an interconnected and meaningful tapestry of comedy and messaging. Burnham explores what it means to be an entertainer in the internet age, and always has full control of his audience, both live and streaming, as he subtly dips his toes into the deeper topics throughout the show, referencing the deeper meaning in much of his material. This comes to a head in his final act in the show, set up as a Kanye West-type rant about problems that are surface-level and meaningless. It starts with complaints about Pringle can diameters, then an overstuffed burrito at chipotle, the latter of which he later reveals to be a metaphor for his own life and experiences as an entertainer. The special wraps up with one question, which connects to the meaning of the entire show: "Are you happy?" Bo Burnham's excellent pacing and edge towards the deeper meaning of his show throughout are the perfect example of modern comedy with true, deeper meaning. All in all, a work of genius that I loved watching from start to finish.