An Ode To Al 199
bwfcusa16 writes "The Boston Globe has up a feature story on Weird Al in its Sunday edition. The article refers to his staying power as prince of the parody. It's an ode to his determination, talent, and relevance ... and, of course, the funny." From the article: "Novelty artists--and he is one--have a notoriously short lifespan. They age badly, they run out of gags. But Al, by simply refusing to stop, has turned himself into a sort of cultural Geiger counter, ticking and squawking around the hot zones. The oddity of a humorist titling himself like a pro wrestler (there's no "Funny Jerry" Seinfeld) has long since worn off--he's the champ, and he's earned it.
This guy has staying power! (Score:5, Interesting)
There's no doubt that Weird Al is seriously funny. How many comedians or comedic singers are around for 25 years, and have people remember their songs? I doubt even funnymen like Adam Sandler will have followings like him in another 10-15 years. My personal favorite song
While he had more duds than hits over the past 10 years, it seems like he's had some resurgance
Re:This guy has staying power! (Score:2, Interesting)
Al, you rock. And the fact that you took time to see a John Hartford show when your touring paths crossed in upstate New York speaks even more highly for you...
err (Score:3, Interesting)
Ultimate Proof of his Greatness (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:This guy has staying power! (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:This guy has staying power! (Score:3, Interesting)
I just smiled at him and I turned the other cheek.
I really don't care in fact I wish him well.
Because I'll be laughing my head off while he's burning in hell." - Amish Paradise
"I just can't understand it
Why won't you return my phone calls
Are you still mad I gave a Mohawk to your cat
If you'd just say the word
I'm certain that our love would last forever and ever
Or are you too dumb to realize that" - Melanie
"Since you've been gone
Well, it feels like I'm getting tetanus shots every day
Since you've been gone
It's like I've got an ice cream headache that won't go away
Ever since that day you left me
I've been so miserable, my dear
I feel almost as bad as I did
When you were still here" - Since You've Been Gone
"Well, it's Christmas at Ground Zero
There's panic in the crowd
We can dodge debris while we trim the tree
Underneath a mushroom cloud
Oh, it's Christmas at Ground Zero
And if the radiation level's okay
I'll go out with you and see the all new
Mutations on New Year's Day" - Christmas at ground zero
"You make me wanna hang out in a trailer park
Then take my hamster to the beach
You make me wanna do my laundry in the dark
And use a recommended bleach
When I'm with you I don't know whether I should study neurosurgery or go to see the Care Bears movie" - You Make Me
And, of course, no discussion of Weird Al would be complete without bringing up Tom Leher, so a few quotes from Al's pop culture predescessor
"Oh, soon we'll be out amid the cold world's strife.
Soon we'll be sliding down the razor blade of life. " - Bright College Days
"On Christmas Day you can't get sore,
Your fellow man you must adore,
There's time to rob him all the more
The other three hundred and sixty-four." - A Christmas Carol
"Our captain has a handicap to cope with, sad to tell.
He's from Georgia, and he doesn't speak the language very well." - It makes a fella proud to be a Soldier
"And we will all bake together when we bake.
There'll be nobody present at the wake.
With complete participation
In that grand incineration,
Nearly three billion hunks of well-done steak." - We Will All Go Together When We Go
"Egypt's gonna get one too,
Just to use on you know who.
So Israel's getting tense.
Wants one in self defense.
"The Lord's our shepherd," says the psalm,
But just in case, we better get a bomb." - Who's next?
Anyone remember the Fat Video? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:DRM? (Score:1, Interesting)
As far as I can tell there is no copy protection on the audio side, and there is also nothing on the DVD side (well maybe CSS, I didn't try to copy it but it played fine in VLC).
*It did not work in my LiteOn drive but it did work in my brother's noname DVD drive and all the standalone CD players I've tested it in.
Re:Twenty years from now... (Score:5, Interesting)
"If someone had told you in 1984 that in 2006 Michael Jackson = flameout and Weird Al = still relevant, you would have laughed your head off."
It's just so true.
Weird Al's college days (Score:5, Interesting)
In 1980 I was a DJ with Weird Al at KCPR, the radio station at Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo, California). For some idiotic reason the powers-that-be wanted the station to act like a commercial station, playing mostly the same bland hits that the commercial stations played. Someplace I've saved a hilarious interview in the student paper with Al, in which he says "They can tell me I have to play certain songs, but they never specified at what speed, or what direction to play them in!"
He was a very friendly guy, by the way. Always upbeat and helpful to everyone even though he was already something of a star.
Slate ran a better Yankovich essay (Score:5, Interesting)