Posted on 07/26/2014 12:41:28 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The massive "Weird Al" Yankovic cult knew it was only a matter of time until the rest of the world joined their ranks, but few people could have foreseen what happened this past week when his new album Mandatory Fun became the first Number One comedy album on the Billboard charts since 1963's My Son, the Nut by Allan Sherman.
That was back when JFK was president and few people in America had heard of a new Liverpool band called the Beatles. There were still new episodes of The Twilight Zone on television. It was a long, long, long time ago.
We happened to be visiting Yankovic at his house in the Hollywood hills for an upcoming story for Rolling Stone when his longtime manager Jay Levey told him the album was likely to debut on top of the charts. Tears welled up in Yankovic's eyes and his wife Suzanne comforted him. "Sweetie," she said. "It's just people loving you like they always have."
Over the course of four hours, we spoke to "Weird Al" about his long career and took a tour of his entire house, down to his impressive collection of Hawaiian shirts in the basement. Here are 16 things we learned that day.
1. He's never taken illegal drugs.
"A couple of times I’ve had Morphine because I’ve been in extreme pain," he says. "But I've never done drugs recreationally. I've been around people that smoked dope, pot, Mary Jane, reefer. I enjoyed being around those people in college because it was very easy to make them laugh. But it was never my thing and my parents drilled into me not to ever take drugs, so out of respect for them I never did."
(Excerpt) Read more at rollingstone.com ...
That shirt is a classic!
He puts on a great live show.
Saw an interview with him on Fox & Friends last week. Cool guy.
My fave: I Lost on Jeopardy . . .classic
The man IS A GENIUS and an apparent good guy! Yet here the Rolling Stone is interviewing HIM?!?!? Wowsers!
I love “Word Crimes” but I had to get the lyrics to fully follow it, my classical music ears aren’t suited to Al’s speed!
One of the few decent people in the music business.
He’s been doing this stuff through at least 4 different decades, and it is still hilarious.
I really want to know the rest of the list, but I just cant go to Rolling Stone.
16 unremarkable things...except the first one, maybe.
Well it is Rolling Stone, so...
White and Nerdy. My favorite. Even Chamillionaire who did the original “Ridin’” loved it and claims Ridin’ might not have been as big of a hit if it were not for Al spoofin’ it.
have you see VH-1 behind the music
Victoria Jackson once said she try talk Weird Al down from Chocolate high LOL! seriously that funny documentary
I think my fav is Eat it the spoof on Michael Jackson song beat it
Like a surgeon I hear Madonna ask agent how long before Weird Al tackle that song I think that song came few months after Like a Virgin
That was funny. Early to mid 1985 as I recall. We were all laughing at Al rolling around sluttily like Whordonna
“I Think I’m a Clone Now” is also a classic.
“Trapped In the Drive-Thru” is the best, especially if you were familiar with R Kelley’s “Trapped In the Closet”.
His shows are the Best!
I got to see him at a small venue (Count Basie Theater, Red Bank NJ ) last year... Didn’t want it to end!
And he’s got a hugh face.
Another one was Amish Paradise spoof on Coolio Gangstra paradise now that was funny
I hear Coolio didn’t appreciate it
Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh:
> his new album Mandatory Fun became the first Number One comedy album on the Billboard charts since 1963’s My Son, the Nut by Allan Sherman.
He sees his future (since his label contract is ending) in downloaded music, rather than CDs.
Musicians usually consider it an honor to be spoofed by Al.
In fact his recent album had some cooperation from Pharrel Williams (HAPPY to Tacky ) and the group, Imagine Dragons (Radioactive to Inactive ).
Two major artists however refused to let him parody their songs... Paul McCartney and Prince.
Imagine how a Beatle parody album would sound like...
al told a story yesterday on 640 AM LA radio.
He went to an award show during which he would be seated in the same row as prince.
He got a message two days ahead that he was not to make eye contact with prince.
He responded that he had the same rule and would appreciate prince’s cooperate.
Never heard back from the purple one.
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