One of YouTube’s first viral stars and the world’s most exciting young comedian, Bo Burnham, has always amazed critics and comedy aficionados alike. Often regarded as the Justin Bieber of comedy, thanks to his fresh looks, floppy blond hair and hoodies, he has a multi-faceted career bigger than many comedians twice his age. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to describe Burnham, who has produced shows that have a high-strung and smash-cut rhythm, as one of the futures of American comedy.
But, it took a lot of hard work for Bo Burnham to get to where he is now, which, along with being an internationally recognized comedian, includes having a sizeable net worth. A look at his journey to stardom and the projects that made him a household name would shed more light on how he achieved all that.
Growing Up Was Fun For Bo Burnham
A Hamilton native, Bo Burnham, was born on August 21, 1990, in Massachusetts, USA. He is the youngest of the three children born to his parents Scott Burnham, a construction company owner, and Patricia Burnham, a nurse. He grew up in his hometown Hamilton, a suburb of Boston, alongside his two older siblings, Pete and Samm, who both work in construction.
Bo attended St. John’s Preparatory School, Danvers, graduating in 2008. He always had a flair for the arts. In high school, he was involved in theatre and the campus ministry program. Bo’s comedy skits began in his early childhood when he started recording videos mimicking his family members on a camcorder.
As a little boy, he would perform in front of his family and they would cheer him. Also, in school, Bo would entertain his classmates with self-written political and social satire songs and they would urge him on.
He started making videos of his satirical songs from his bedroom and, at age 16, posted his first clip on YouTube. His first video was a song; My Whole Family Thinks I’m Gay, intended to be a comic message to his older brother who had just gone away to college. But in a surprising turn of events, it went viral, getting a million hits a day and positive reviews. This effort established Burnham as one of YouTube’s first viral stars.
The depth of his talent in high school got him admitted into New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Bo got admitted to study Experimental Theatre, but the comedian didn’t plan on achieving his comedic dreams the traditional way. So, he deferred his admission and set out in pursuit of a comedy career.
How Bo Burnham Became a Popular Figure
After completing high school and earning his first viral moment, he became a full-time standup comedian. His observational and satirical style of comedy grew especially popular with college kids. His burgeoning media career and performances featured increasingly complex and self-scrutinizing one-person shows.
At age 18, he became the youngest comedian to have his special on Comedy Central. By his mid-20s, Bo went on to perform standup comedy around the country, star on his TV show and film four comedy specials.
Music Also Contributed To His Fame
Asides his comedy career, Bo is also a singer and actor. He has several projects to his name. His debut project, the EP, Bo Fo Sho, was released in 2008. It peaked at #3 of U.S Billboard Top Comedy Albums and #2 on U.S Billboard Top Heatseekers.
His first major album, Bo Burnham, was released in 2009 to similar commercial success. It peaked at #1 on the U.S Billboard Comedy Albums and #12 on the Independent Albums chart. The album also defied expectations and reached #105 on the U.S Billboard 200. He released a sophomore album, Words Words Words in 2010.
Expanding His Presence As An Actor
Beyond comedy and music, one other way Bo Burnham became a household name is through movies and TV shows. He has expanded his fanbase and the film, Eighth Grade, is a defining work in the medium thus far.
His first feature film, Eighth Grade, is a coming-of-age drama that captures what it’s like to be a teenager in this digital age. Inspired by Burnham’s own experiences performing and growing up online, the movie chronicles the life of a 13-year-old wannabe YouTube star through her last week of middle school.
The film was a critical success, earning him multiple accolades, including the awards for Best Original Screenplay and Outstanding Directing First-Time Feature Film. Both awards came from the Writers Guild of America and Directors Guild of America, respectively.
As an actor, he has featured in the short-lived MTV sitcom Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous, and also starred in several movies, including American Virgin, Funny People, Parks, and Recreation, Rough Night, amongst others.
He Now Sits On A Sizeable Fortune
A renowned comedy star right from his teens, Bo Burnham’s successful career has earned him a modest financial portfolio. The veteran standup comedian, singer, actor, and producer has a net worth currently estimated at $4 million. Based on figures calculated by Celebrity Net Worth, the comedian/filmmaker has earned the bulk of his wealth from standup shows and filmmaking.
As a standup comedian, he has gone on at least five tours and released four albums. His last album what. sold more than 10,000 copies in its first week and peaked at #1 on the Billboard Comedy Albums chart.
Lucrative deals with Netflix for comedy specials have also boosted the Hamilton-born comedian’s net worth. Furthermore, although he would not call himself a YouTuber, Bo Burnham continues to make a substantial income from the platform. Thanks to having over 1.69 million subscribers and more than 269 million views, Bo makes up to $6.1k via YouTube per month and $72.7k a year.
Bo Burnham Has Been in a Relationship Since 2013
Bo Burnham has never been married and does not have a wife, at least for now. But given that Bo supports homosexuality, his sexuality has raised eyebrows. For instance, in his song, My Whole Family Thinks I’m Gay, though his lyrics relate with the gay community, he categorically ends by stressing that he is NOT gay.
More so, the former YouTube sensation loves to keep his private life under wraps. However, in recent years, as his fame grew, that has slightly changed. The comedian has admitted to a relationship with the filmmaker, Lorene Scafaria.
Lorene is 12 years older than him and is known for her work on films like Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, Hustlers, and Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. The two of them have been together since 2013, and although yet to be married, live together in Los Angeles.
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