He’s back in town! On September 8, 2015, Weird Al Yankovic brought his delightful, fast-paced musical comedy show to Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and I was there to laugh through it all. Though I grew up listening to his wild and hilarious parodies (and often heard his versions before the originals), I realized that I didn’t know much about the man behind the music. This is what I’ve learned:
1. He was High School Valedictorian at Age 16
Most people who listen to Weird Al’s music will agree that he’s undeniably clever. Parodies are notoriously difficult to do well, and through his mastery of the English language (“Word Crimes” anyone?) in addition to incisive yet sensitive humour, he’s made a long and successful career out of doing just that. But Weird Al is more than just “clever,” he’s very intelligent. He started attending Kindergarten earlier than his peers, and skipped the second grade. Unsurprisingly, he was labeled a nerd during his school years, but had the last laugh when he graduated from high school at age 16 as the class valedictorian, and went on to become a famous and well-loved pillar of the music industry.
2. The Birth of “Weird Al” and Food Music
Yankovic has been known as Weird Al for so long, that it’s hard to believe that his parents weren’t seized by the trend of “speshul snowflayke” naming that seems to be prevalent among parents today. He actually began life as the relatively normal Alfred Matthew Yankovic, and didn’t earn his iconic moniker until college. Reportedly, he was given this nickname by students in his dorm, but adopted it professionally when he started hosting a radio show on the campus radio station. His days at Cal Poly would set the stage for later success as well. In 1979, Yankovic recorded “My Bologna,” a parody of The Knack’s “My Sharona,” in the men’s room across the hall from the campus radio station. He sent the recording to Dr. Demento, where it gained a good response from listeners. The Knack’s lead singer, Doug Fieger, said he enjoyed the song, and suggested Capitol Records release the song as a single. It was released on December 25, 1979, and Yankovic was given a six-month recording contract. And thus, the food music genre was born.
3. He’s a Vegetarian
In the 1989 film UHF, Yankovic invented a gastronomic abomination: The Twinkie wiener sandwich. Basically, the hot dog bun is replaced with a Twinkie, and the hot dog is topped with squeezy cheese. This caloric bomb of a snack pretty much represents the epitome of poor eating. However, in 1992, Yankovic was given a book that would change his diet forever. Apparently, Diet for a New America cited very compelling ethical, health, and socio-political reasons for vegetarianism. Yankovic has said that after reading the book, he could no longer rationalize eating meat, so he stopped. He has also said that he mostly eats vegan, but will occasionally “cheat” and have dairy. Though I’m not sure how much dairy canned cheese actually contains, it does mean that he could still enjoy a Twinkie wiener sandwich with a tofu dog, if he was ever seized by the male equivalent of pregnancy cravings.
4. His First Major Gig was a Disaster
Considering Yankovic’s incredible popularity with fans today, it’s difficult to imagine a crowd derisively pelting him with objects and telling him he sucked. But in 1982, that’s exactly what happened. Yankovic and his newly-formed band opened for the New Wave band Missing Persons, and spent the entire 45-minute set dodging hurled projectiles. As if that wasn’t ignominious enough, after the show, Yankovic was approached by a kid who asked if he was Weird Al. On Yankovic’s replying yes, the kid said “YOU SUCK!” He has since talked about that night as one of the low points of his career. After this disaster, Yankovic refrained from opening for any band until 1987, when he agreed to open for the Monkees. Fortunately, their fans were a lot nicer.
5. A Weird Al Parody is a Badge of Honour to Many Artists
With a few notable exceptions (I’m looking in your direction, Prince), music artists generally love Weird Al as much as his fans do. In fact, it’s become a badge of honour for many artists to have Yankovic parody one of their hits. Kurt Cobain has reportedly said that he didn’t know Nirvana had “made it” until he heard the Weird Al parody, and Lady Gaga referred to the parody of her song “Born this Way” as a rite of passage. Since Yankovic only uses his own parody ideas, artists have very little input as to the actual content of his creations. The only known exception to this rule is when Madonna reportedly wondered when Yankovic would turn “Like a Virgin” into “Like a Surgeon.” Apparently, Yankovic liked the idea so much that he recorded it, and it was released on the album Dare to be Stupid in 1985. So, while Yankovic may not accept fan submissions, if you become a pop music sensation, you may have the distinction of being honoured with a genuine Weird Al parody of your song.
Happy music making!
5 Things I've Learned About... 