TCB
By Christopher Gray, Fri., Aug. 27, 2004
Nobody Weird Like Al
Laugh at "Weird Al" Yankovic all you want, because he's laughing all the way to the bank. Spoofing Star Wars characters, lunch meats, reality TV, and everything in between, the 44-year-old has sold millions of albums and become a top pop-culture pundit on VH1 fare like I Love the 80s. "TCB" found him pushing his Grammy-winning Poodle Hat in Maryleville, Ind. Where? "It's a little outside Chicago," he explains.
TCB: When's the last time you played Austin?
Weird Al: I couldn't tell you exactly when that was. I think it might have been a Thursday.
TCB: Is there a secret to a good parody?
WA: It's kind of hard to describe. Obviously, a good parody should be funny, it should be well thought out, and it should be funny even if you're not familiar with the original song you're doing a parody of.
TCB: How do your targets react?
WA: Generally, they're quite flattered. Certainly these days, I've been doing it long enough that people realize it's all done in good fun, and in fact people view it as a badge of honor. It's kind of a rite of passage. It's a sign that they've "made it" in the music industry to get a "Weird Al" parody.
TCB: Is America's obsession with pop culture out of control?
WA: That's a hard thing to answer. Certainly I'm obsessed with pop culture, and it's kind of a hobby of mine to study and analyze it. I think people are too focused on the wrong things. Let me just put it that way. I think there are more important things we can be thinking about and discussing than, say, Britney Spears' love life.
TCB: What's been the highlight of your career so far?
WA: Probably my appearance on The Simpsons. That was a huge deal for me.
TCB: You're the No. 1 most-requested artist on the Dr. Demento show. Did you get any kind of plaque for that?
WA: [Laughs] No, Dr. Demento never made me a plaque, but just knowing that is enough.
Weird Al dares to be stupid at the Paramount Theatre Friday.
