Burnham brings music comedy to CMU Friday

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Nineteen-year-old Internet sensation Bo Burnham is performing Friday in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium, and the event’s sponsors could not be more optimistic.

“Oh my gosh, yes, I’m expecting a great turnout,” said New Boston junior Maria Leone, comedy chairwoman for On The Fly Productions.

On The Fly is presenting the music-based comedian with the Central Michigan University Program Board.

“We said, ‘We’d better get him now, before he’s too famous to come here,’” Leone said.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are free to students and faculty with a CMU identification card, and $5 for the general public, and are available at the CMU Box Office in the Bovee University Center.

Burnham first gained fame in early 2007 on YouTube.com, posting videos of off-color, politically-incorrect comedic songs he wrote himself. He recorded a “Comedy Central Presents” half-hour special earlier this year, and appeared in Judd Apatow’s film “Funny People” and the upcoming “American Virgin.”

Burnham’s YouTube videos garnered him a large following among college students.

“Over the course of last year, we had a lot of students come forward and say that he was funny…so we looked into it and sure enough he fit into our budget,” said Muskegon junior and Program Board president Dave Breed. “I could definitely see us selling out Plachta Auditorium for it.”

Leone said the Facebook.com event page for the concert already has 628 people confirmed attending.

“People are really excited, word is spreading pretty fast… so we’re expecting Plachta to fill up,” said Pinconning junior Crysta Heckman, comedy chairwoman for Program Board.

Breed said before the buzz began building for Burnham, he was unfamiliar with the comedian, but quickly became enthusiastic about bringing him to campus.

“At first I hadn’t heard of him… so I went on YouTube and looked up his videos, and I think he’s hilarious,” Breed said.

Opening for Burnham will be comedian Moshe Kasher.

“He’s opened for Bo Burnham before… and we thought it would be a good idea,” Heckman said. “He’s caught the eye of quite a few people and even though he’s not a big name, he should be a good opener.”