Watch: Oprah and Weird Al Yankovic’s Interview on “A.M. Chicago"
It's not uncommon for people to add their own lyrics to popular songs containing words they don't understand, but can you imagine making an entire career out of it? Well, Weird Al Yankovic, born Alfred Matthew Yankovic, did exactly that. With millions of albums sold worldwide, the five-time Grammy-winning artist made a name for himself in the eighties by creating parodies to some of the most biggest songs on the charts, from Madonna's "Like a Virgin" ("Like a Surgeon") and Michael Jackson's "Beat It" ("Eat It") to Chamillionaire's "Ridin'" ("White & Nerdy") and Green Day's "American Idiot" ("Canadian Idiot").
The life and pioneering music career of now 62-year-old Yankovic is coming to Roku in the form of a biopic premiering on November 4. Daniel Radcliffe, known for the Harry Potter franchise, stars as Yankovic in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, with Quinta Brunson making an appearance as our very own Oprah.
Yankovic and Radcliffe recently sat down for a joint interview with The New York Times to discuss the upcoming film. During the conversation, Yankovic shared that the film intentionally takes enough artistic liberties that may leave viewers questioning the accuracy of the story. “We want to lead them down a path and think, Is this a real biopic? Is this the real story?" Yankovic told the outlet. "The movie starts out pretty normal. Then it progressively goes way off the rails."
While the film won't arrive for another few weeks, Oprah Daily unearthed a clip from 1984 in which Yankovic appeared on A.M. Chicago. In an interview that helped the world get to know someone as intriguing as Yankovic, Oprah’s first question was likely the same one on everyone’s mind: “Where'd Weird Al come from? I mean, how weird are you?" After sharing that he wasn’t quite sure what led to his distinctively unique personality, Yankovic proceeded to literally put his leg behind his head. Hey, show don't tell, right?
On a certain level, it takes confidence to parody some of the biggest songs in the world, and Oprah wanted to know where the idea to do that came from in the first place. Yankovic comedically shared that he got the idea with the assistance of extraterrestrial friends. “Well, I'll tell you, Oprah. It's not really my idea," he said. "Aliens from outer space kind of invaded my brain and forced me to write it. It's not my own control."
Whether Yankovic got help from extraterrestrial friends or not, he made it clear that he was surprised and grateful for his success. “Every waking moment, I'm surprised and wondering at the glories of life and how wonderful it is to be Al,” he said.
Before showing a clip of "Eat It" for the audience, Oprah asked how musical artists feel about their music being parodied by Yankovic. One may think that the most recognizable names in the music industry would be protective of their work or even offended, but it was actually quite the opposite, according to Yankovic. “Generally, they're really flattered,” he said, adding that permission is needed.
Whether Yankovic’s eccentricities may be too “weird” for some, his music career has and continues to inspire future creatives to reimagine the music they consume.
Watch the official trailer for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, which premieres on Roku on November 4, below. Then, check out Oprah and Yankovic's full conversation on A.M. Chicago above.
You Might Also Like
