Weird Al interview by Drew Tewksbury, for Nylon Guys December 2014

In the golden age of MTV, Weird Al Yankovic was the video king, poking fun at pop music icons from Michael Jackson to Coolio. Now, almost 30 years later, Yankovic’s still got it, making viral videos that hit home in today’s celebrity-obsessed culture. His latest album, Mandatory Fun, debuted at No. 1, the first time since the Kennedy administration that a comedy album has topped the charts. From his “Tacky” take on Pharrell Williams to his grammatically astute Robin Thicke send-up, “Word Crimes,” Yankovic’s wit is as sharp as ever. HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHICH ARTISTS YOU WILL PARODY? It comes down to whether the song has parody potential, whether it has the right kind of hook musically or lyrically. It certainly helps if the artist has a big personality, too—an iconic person who has characteristics that are easy to lampoon. WHO ARE SOME ARTISTS YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO RIFF OFF OF, BUT HAVEN’T HAD THE CHANCE? There were certainly a few who slipped through the cracks, for one reason or another. Maybe the timing was off, or maybe I couldn’t think of a clever- enough idea. Prince is famously the guy who said no. THAT’S STRANGE. I JUST REWATCHED PURPLE RAIN AND REALIZED THAT PRINCE IS BASICALLY A PARODY OF HIMSELF. That movie can’t be any more Prince-y. WHAT INTERACTIONS DO YOU HAVE WITH THE ARTISTS YOU WANT TO PARODY? Normally we don’t have much at all—it’s THERE’S A METHOD TO ALFRED YANKOVIC’S PARODY MADNESS. BY DREW TEWKSBURY. ILLUSTRATION BY JARNO KETTUNEN my peeps talking to their peeps. A couple of times I was told that I would have to talk to the artists directly. So I was able to get Pharrell’s personal email address—I’m not at liberty to say how, but to his credit, when I contacted him, he didn’t say, “Where’d you get this email address?” He couldn’t have been nicer. For Iggy Azalea, I had to ﬂy to Denver where she was doing a show. TMZ says I ambushed her, and that’s not too far from incorrect. I introduced myself and said, “Hi. I’d like to do a parody of your song ‘Fancy,’ but I don’t want to do it unless I have your blessing.” She looked at the lyrics and said, “Looks good to me.” Then we did the song. THE MUSIC VIDEO ERA OF MTV IS LONG GONE. HOW DID YOU SHIFT YOUR FOCUS? MTV is kind of dead to me at this point, and me to them, I’m sure. The Internet is the new MTV. It makes sense. It’s video on demand, instead of waiting three hours for your favorite video to come up in rotation. With the Internet, it’s not just what a dozen people in a room at MTV think. Now you put it out there, and everyone’s a judge or critic. If it’s good, you’ll know. LET’S TALK ABOUT CURLS. WHAT IS YOUR DAILY HAIRCARE ROUTINE? Occasionally I will brush out my hair in the shower, which is weird science a long process. I use a lot of conditioner and a large-toothed comb. Whenever a detractor in the press has to point out that I still have those “bad curls from the ’80s,” I have to point out that it’s bad natural hair, not a perm. WHAT ABOUT YOUR MUSTACHE? SOMETIMES IT’S THERE, OTHER TIMES IT’S NOT. DOES ITS PERIODIC EXISTENCE COINCIDE WITH LIFE EVENTS OR GEOPOLITICAL FACTORS? It comes and goes. It’s wacky like that. WHO IS NEXT ON YOUR LIST? Everybody who hasn’t gotten the Weird Al treatment, they’re going to have to take a number, because their time is coming.

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Weird Al interview by Drew Tewksbury, for Nylon Guys Magazine, Issue: December 2014

Transcript of Weird Al interview by Drew Tewksbury, for Nylon Guys December 2014

In the golden age of MTV, Weird Al Yankovic was the video king, poking fun at pop music icons from Michael Jackson to Coolio. Now, almost 30 years later, Yankovics still got it, making viral videos that hit home in todays celebrity-obsessed culture. His latest album, Mandatory Fun, debuted at No. 1, the first time since the Kennedy administration that a comedy album has topped the charts. From his Tacky take on Pharrell Williams to his grammatically astute Robin Thicke send-up, Word Crimes, Yankovics wit is as sharp as ever.

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHICH ARTISTS YOU WILL PARODY? It comes down to whether the song has parody potential, whether it has the right kind of hook musically or lyrically. It certainly helps if the artist has a big personality, tooan iconic person who has characteristics that are easy to lampoon. WHO ARE SOME ARTISTS YOUVE ALWAYS WANTED TO RIFF OFF OF, BUT HAVENT HAD THE CHANCE? There were certainly a few who slipped through the cracks, for one reason or another. Maybe the timing was off, or maybe I couldnt think of a clever- enough idea. Prince is famously the guy who said no. THATS STRANGE. I JUST REWATCHED PURPLE RAIN AND REALIZED THAT PRINCE IS BASICALLY A PARODY OF HIMSELF. That movie cant be any more Prince-y.

WHAT INTERACTIONS DO YOU HAVE WITH THE ARTISTS YOU WANT TO PARODY? Normally we dont have much at allits

THERES A METHOD TO ALFRED YANKOVICS PARODY MADNESS. BY DREW TEWKSBURY. ILLUSTRATION BY JARNO KETTUNEN

my peeps talking to their peeps. A couple of times I was told that I would have to talk to the artists directly. So I was able to get Pharrells personal email addressIm not at liberty to say how, but to his credit, when I contacted him, he didnt say, Whered you get this email address? He couldnt have been nicer. For Iggy Azalea, I had to fly to Denver where she was doing a show. TMZ says I ambushed her, and thats not too far from incorrect. I introduced myself and said, Hi. Id like to do a parody of your song Fancy, but I dont want to do it unless I have your blessing. She looked at the lyrics and said, Looks good to me. Then we did the song.

THE MUSIC VIDEO ERA OF MTV IS LONG GONE. HOW DID YOU SHIFT YOUR FOCUS? MTV is kind of dead to me at this point, and me to them, Im sure. The Internet is the new MTV. It makes sense. Its video on demand, instead of waiting

three hours for your favorite video to come up in rotation. With the Internet, its not just what a dozen people in a room at MTV think. Now you put it out there, and everyones a judge or critic. If its good, youll know. LETS TALK ABOUT CURLS. WHAT IS YOUR DAILY HAIRCARE ROUTINE? Occasionally I will brush out my hair in the shower, which is

weird science

a long process. I use a lot of conditioner and a large-toothed comb. Whenever a detractor in the press has to point out that I still have those bad curls from the 80s, I have to point out that its bad natural hair, not a perm. WHAT ABOUT YOUR MUSTACHE? SOMETIMES ITS THERE, OTHER TIMES ITS NOT. DOES ITS PERIODIC EXISTENCE COINCIDE

WITH LIFE EVENTS OR GEOPOLITICAL FACTORS? It comes and goes. Its wacky like that. WHO IS NEXT ON YOUR LIST? Everybody who hasnt gotten the Weird Al treatment, theyre going to have to take a number, because their time is coming.

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