"Weird Al" Reevaluated

[miles]

but having a band where the message seems to be "notice how silly mainstream rap is!" is awesome? I don't get it.

I'm not exactly a Weird Al fan so maybe I don't really get it, but I never got this from Weird Al. I get more of a goofy dude poking fun at popular music while at the same time respecting the craft. Am I wrong here?

I do get that however from those Jeff Tweedy covers of pop songs. I mean, some of those are terrible songs, but he just comes off like a dick. Like, "here's some silly music, let's all laugh at this silly music, and then let's get all serious for the next Wilco record." Dick. Again, maybe I don't get it. I'm not exactly a Jeff Tweedy, either.

I never really got into Al. I think maybe I don't like jokey music

I can enjoy jokey music but it's not something I'll typically listen to. I like TMBG ok, but they have a handful of songs that I absolutely love and that are basically perfect. And then there's Particle Man. I don't hate it, I even kinda like it, but it's not Ana Ng. I don't know what in my brain separates the two, because Ana Ng is totally goofy like all their songs are, but something does.

Oh, and by the way, that was a joke in case you were taking me too seriously.  I probably wouldn't have liked Garrison Keillor at your age either.  Although, I think you would like a lot of the music he plays.

I loved Garrison Keillor as a teenager and even in my early 20s, but I can't bear even two minutes of PHC today. Maybe I change, maybe they change, who knows?

I was a huge Garrison Keillor fan back when the show first started but I can't stand it anymore. I felt like a point came when he was so famous, no one would say "no" to him anymore and tell him stuff like, people really don't listen to the show to hear him sing. Sometimes it's better if things that you love don't go on forever.

Interesting. I wasn't around when the show first started, but I wonder when the decline started.

[wombat]

Interesting. I wasn't around when the show first started, but I wonder when the decline started.

But like you say - did I change or did they change? I can't be sure.

[Nabubrush]

I always kinda got that from GK (not GKA). Dude, your show is awesome and is chock-full of cool shit . . . other than your singing.

[jay-ell]

What a great show. You were right, Paul. Al is a great entertainer. We had a blast. I almost passed out when he was doing "Craigslist," my nerd crush meter is a code purple right about now. I just want to touch his hair.

[CortJstr]

I just watched his Comedy Central special. I was surprised how few of the songs I recognized. I wouldn't have known what Perform This Way was a parody of had it not been for the whole confusion over the permissions and whatnot a while back. I was surprised he wore the prosthetic chin for Fat in a live show. That's attention to detail. But what was with the cheerleaders for Smells Like Nirvana?

[littlefallsmets]

The Yoda Chant punishes.

[pmcd9]

But what was with the cheerleaders for Smells Like Nirvana

There are cheerleaders in the Nirvana Smells like Teen Spirit video.

[CortJstr]

There are cheerleaders in the Nirvana Smells like Teen Spirit video.

Ah. That would explain it. I've never seen the video.

[jay-ell]

The Yoda Chant punishes.

Yes. Yes, it does.

After the show we went to an 80s themed bar. I had on my regular clothes -- a blousey, animal-print, slightly off the shoulder top, a pair of black "skinny" jeans, and high heels styled to look like Chuck Taylor low-tops. I saw a gaggle of college-girl types dressed like Cyndi Lauper wannabes and realized that I had dressed on-theme by accident.

Pedro was totally shocked at how many 80s pop songs I knew by heart that he had only heard once or twice. I guess he didn't believe me when I told him I got a wider slice of the 80s than most people my age because I was paying attention to what my teen brother and cousins were doing.

Thinking back to the show, I sort of feel like I'm caught up on pop culture now because I've seen it get picked on. Pedro had to explain what "TMZ" was. But of course I totally loved seeing the old stuff. We noted last night that Al has outlasted many artists he's parodied, including REM.

[Asherdan]

Al has outlasted many artists he's parodied, including REM.

The Al abides.

[greenkoolayd]

then and now

[Nabubrush]

then and now

How funny is it that the Mad editors mention that the difference between the pictures is that Al wasn't plugging his CD in Mad in '93 but don't mention the other difference is that Mad didn't start running ads until 2001.