As we all know, Bo introduces a new character in his acclaimed comedy special: an enthusiastic white sock puppet named Socko.
In How the World Works, the plain Gold Toe sock is a Marxist figure spitting facts about the state of the world—it's known as #comradesocko for a reason!
Indeed, a Medium article pointed out the fact that the sock is always on Bo's LEFT hand (how did I miss such an obvious connection? Ugh):
However, the sock puppet he introduces moments later — dubbed Socko and fitted onto Burnham’s left hand — has another story in mind.
It's possible that Bo chose a white sock based off of his love of Hans Teeuwen and Marc Maron's dislike of the comic's black sock on the Green Room.
So, you might think that Socko's agonizing scream at the end after being ripped off of Bo's hand is the last time that we see the sock...
But you'd be wrong!
Socko appears many more times as an Easter egg throughout Inside and #insideouttakes.
Let's dive in!
Inside
After HTWW, we next see Socko hanging out of the dresser in White Woman's Instagram when Bo is in his green striped shirt in front of the mirror.
We'll see it in that position MANY times throughout the special!
Next, Socko is still in a liminal state of being (not quite dead, not quite alive) when we see Bo watching his younger teen self projected on the wall (I had to brighten the pic, so apologies for the poor quality).
We then get a really nice shot of Socko, still hanging from the dresser drawer, when Bo spins his handheld light around in 30 (check out the disposable mask on the floor too!).
Finally, we get two Socko bits in Goodbye: the montage that includes HTWW and you can see Socko hanging out of the dresser drawer again when the camera zooms out (it's a two-for-one lol).
Post-Inside
After Inside premiered, Socko became a cultural icon of sorts—its appearance got some of the biggest cheers when I saw the special on the big screen last year!
Socko have even been translated into other languages. Here's his Portuguese (?) version, Meiloko!
The sock puppet has also appeared on lots of third-party merchandise...the one with the tongue is nightmare fuel. Yikes.
Socko is available on a t-shirt in the official Bo merch store as well (in pink or white—I have both!).
Fun fact: some lucky fans (including me) got their very own complimentary Socko sent with their order of Inside merch!
Socko also made an appearance in a display case during the Netflix Is a Joke festival this year (love the idea of someone just buying a cheap Gold Toe sock and encasing it in plastic lol).
ON LOAN FROM BO BURNHAM
"BO BURNHAM: INSIDE"
Inside Outtakes
Finally, the release of the #insideouttakes on 5/30/22 provided even more examples of the Marxist sock!
First, we can catch a quick glimpse of Socko (hanging from the dresser drawer) in the montage of Bo setting up the songs while Bezos III plays.
Next, we get a whole new Socko with bright orange, yellow, and pink colors and a floppier head in an earlier attempt at HTWW.
I'm glad Bo went with the simpler and cheaper version—MUCH easier for fans to replicate!
We can see OG Socko in Five Years as well, presumably in a liminal state of being, while Bo describes the banal arguments of a long-term couple.
In the Projection scene, it's too dark to tell, but Socko is hanging out again (I had to brighten the pic, so apologies for the poor quality).
Next, Socko is visible when Bo laments the fact that the future is ahead of now (right before the MH awareness decade ad lol).
This is a fun one—you can see Socko while Bo is figuring out the choreography and lighting for 30 (so weird having Goodbye's moon there!).
Speaking of Goodbye, Socko is there too, still hanging from the dresser drawer.
And finally, you can see the Marxist sock puppet at the end of The Chicken (as well as my beloved disco ball!).
But wait! Bo will be providing us with even MORE Socko content with the ICU.
I personally can't wait for Girl Socko in 2029!
And, similar to the official Socko shirt, the ICU merch store features Socko by having items with that list of upcoming films on the back, including a t-shirt, a long-sleeved shirt, and a hoodie.
Stay Inside indeed!
That's all for now. I hope you've enjoyed this discussion of everyone's favorite sock!
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