'Weird Al' Yankovic
Birthday: 23 October 1959, Downey, California, USA
Birth Name: Alfred Matthew Yankovic
Height: 183 cm
Alfred Matthew Yankovic was born on October 23, 1959, in the Los Angeles suburb of Lynwood, to Mary Elizabeth (Vivalda) and Nick Louis Yankovic. He is of Slovenian, Croatian, Italian, and English desc ...Show More
My personal taste doesn't enter into it a lot when I make my decisions as to what to parody.
My personal taste doesn't enter into it a lot when I make my decisions as to what to parody.
I did have a child, and I was reading a lot of picture books to her, but at the same time writing a Show more
I did have a child, and I was reading a lot of picture books to her, but at the same time writing a children's book was something that I'd been wanting to do for many years, pretty much since the start of my career. Hide
There are a lot of songs that would ostensibly be a good candidate for parody, yet I can't think of Show more
There are a lot of songs that would ostensibly be a good candidate for parody, yet I can't think of a clever enough idea. Hide
As my father used to tell me, the only true sign of success in life is being able to do for a living Show more
As my father used to tell me, the only true sign of success in life is being able to do for a living that which makes you happy. Hide
If I could find the right kind of property, get tied in with the right movie, I'd love to be involve Show more
If I could find the right kind of property, get tied in with the right movie, I'd love to be involved, but I just find it hard to be motivated to do another screenplay right now. Hide
I can't get too offended when somebody parodies me.
I can't get too offended when somebody parodies me.
I'm still a geek on the inside, that's the important thing.
I'm still a geek on the inside, that's the important thing.
So I'm one of the few celebrities that got to do a repeat performance on "The Simpsons", which I'm v Show more
So I'm one of the few celebrities that got to do a repeat performance on "The Simpsons", which I'm very flattered by. Hide
Probably 90 percent of my albums have polka medleys.
Probably 90 percent of my albums have polka medleys.
One of the hardest things I've had to deal with in my career is keeping my material topical even tho Show more
One of the hardest things I've had to deal with in my career is keeping my material topical even though I only release albums every three or four years. Hide
Like, I have had moments, which I think most people have, where you'll be watching TV, and it'll be Show more
Like, I have had moments, which I think most people have, where you'll be watching TV, and it'll be interrupted by some tragic event, and you'll actually find yourself thinking, "I don't want to hear about this train being derailed! What happened to 'The Flintstones'?''. Hide
As it turns out, there is a thing called the Internet, and stuff does go out there whether the suits Show more
As it turns out, there is a thing called the Internet, and stuff does go out there whether the suits like it or not. Hide
I make charts of songs that are good candidates, good targets, so to speak. Then I try to come up wi Show more
I make charts of songs that are good candidates, good targets, so to speak. Then I try to come up with ideas for parodies. And 99% of those ideas are horrible. Hide
I mean, I hate to gloat, but I'm extremely satisfied with my position in life and the way things hav Show more
I mean, I hate to gloat, but I'm extremely satisfied with my position in life and the way things have worked out for me. Hide
I've learned how to use my spam filter pretty effectively.
I've learned how to use my spam filter pretty effectively.
I don't think there are any new media I'd like to cover.
I don't think there are any new media I'd like to cover.
I've done a movie and a TV series, and someday I'd like to do a successful movie and a successful TV Show more
I've done a movie and a TV series, and someday I'd like to do a successful movie and a successful TV series. That would be nice. Hide
A lot of artists have really been supportive over the years.
A lot of artists have really been supportive over the years.
When I was a kid, I thought I was going to be an architect, because when I was 12 years old I had a Show more
When I was a kid, I thought I was going to be an architect, because when I was 12 years old I had a guidance counselor that convinced me that that was the best career choice for me. Hide
I don't really look at myself as the kind of person who craves attention, but I've never been to the Show more
I don't really look at myself as the kind of person who craves attention, but I've never been to therapy so there's probably a lot of stuff about myself that I don't know. Hide
Whenever I do a parody it's not meant to make you hate anybody's music really.
Whenever I do a parody it's not meant to make you hate anybody's music really.
It's hard to really articulate what the parameters are that make one song parody-able and another so Show more
It's hard to really articulate what the parameters are that make one song parody-able and another song not, but if I can come up with a good enough idea for it, I go for it, and if not, then I have to move on. Hide
You fake something until you're good at it. You don't need to be defined by your job.
You fake something until you're good at it. You don't need to be defined by your job.
Somebody will come up to me after a show and have me sign their arm, and the next time I see them my Show more
Somebody will come up to me after a show and have me sign their arm, and the next time I see them my autograph has been permanently inscribed on their arm. Hide
As much as people are griping about the Internet taking sales away from artists, it's been a huge pr Show more
As much as people are griping about the Internet taking sales away from artists, it's been a huge promotional tool for me. Hide
There aren't that many superstars around anymore.
There aren't that many superstars around anymore.
[on making his parodies satirical but not mean-spirited] I like to say I like to poke people in the Show more
[on making his parodies satirical but not mean-spirited] I like to say I like to poke people in the ribs instead of kicking them in the butt. Hide
I think that nerds, if you want to call them that, have only gotten more hip and assimilated into th Show more
I think that nerds, if you want to call them that, have only gotten more hip and assimilated into the culture. Hide
I like the guitar-driven music of Nirvana at its peak. At that point, I thought there was a lot of r Show more
I like the guitar-driven music of Nirvana at its peak. At that point, I thought there was a lot of really exciting music coming out. Hide
My hobbies just sort of gradually became my vocation.
My hobbies just sort of gradually became my vocation.
When I go to my live shows it's often a multigenerational audience, a family bonding experience.
When I go to my live shows it's often a multigenerational audience, a family bonding experience.
What kind of morons do you have working at newspapers in Austin that would base an entire review of Show more
What kind of morons do you have working at newspapers in Austin that would base an entire review of an artist's performance on whether or not they had a good seat? Hide
I was a huge fan of 'Mad' magazine when I was 11, 12, 13 years old. I'd scour used bookstores trying Show more
I was a huge fan of 'Mad' magazine when I was 11, 12, 13 years old. I'd scour used bookstores trying to find back issues, and I'd wait at the newsstand for a new issue to come out. My life revolved around it. Hide
If something is good enough, it can be out there and people will see it.
If something is good enough, it can be out there and people will see it.
It's hard to force creativity and humor. Pop culture has gotten much more disposable.
It's hard to force creativity and humor. Pop culture has gotten much more disposable.
In the '80s, I was putting out an album virtually every year, I think mostly based on fear - that if Show more
In the '80s, I was putting out an album virtually every year, I think mostly based on fear - that if I didn't, people would soon forget about me. Hide
It becomes more important to me as time goes on to make every album the best thing I've ever done, s Show more
It becomes more important to me as time goes on to make every album the best thing I've ever done, so it's a lot of self-imposed pressure that also kind of slows me down a bit. Hide
How can you get bored if the audience is cheering and laughing at something you're doing?
How can you get bored if the audience is cheering and laughing at something you're doing?
As a kid, I certainly never thought I would get to spend my life doing something fun.
As a kid, I certainly never thought I would get to spend my life doing something fun.
So that's why one of my rules of parody writing is that it's gotta be funny regardless of whether yo Show more
So that's why one of my rules of parody writing is that it's gotta be funny regardless of whether you know the source material. It has to work on its own merit. Hide
People that were a little nerdy in high school would look up to me and know it gets better.
People that were a little nerdy in high school would look up to me and know it gets better.
By the time I'm in the studio recording my parody, 10,000 parodies of that song are on YouTube.
By the time I'm in the studio recording my parody, 10,000 parodies of that song are on YouTube.
I suppose I had my rock star fantasies while I was singing into my hairbrush in the bathroom mirror, Show more
I suppose I had my rock star fantasies while I was singing into my hairbrush in the bathroom mirror, but I never really consciously said, "Okay, this is what I'm going to do for a living and I'm going to be Weird Al.". Hide
I have a long-standing history of respecting artists' wishes.
I have a long-standing history of respecting artists' wishes.
The irony is of course that my career has lasted a whole lot longer than some of the people I've par Show more
The irony is of course that my career has lasted a whole lot longer than some of the people I've parodied over the years. Hide
I'm obviously not a rapper, and I don't have any claims to be one, really.
I'm obviously not a rapper, and I don't have any claims to be one, really.
When fans ask me for advice, here's what I tell them: "Try not to set yourself on fire."
When fans ask me for advice, here's what I tell them: "Try not to set yourself on fire."
I write and write and write, and then I edit it down to the parts that I think are amusing, or that Show more
I write and write and write, and then I edit it down to the parts that I think are amusing, or that help the storyline, or I'll write a notebook full of ideas of anecdotes or story points, and then I'll try and arrange them in a way that they would tell a semi-cohesive story. Hide
People never ask people doing serious music, "Do you ever think about doing funny music?".
People never ask people doing serious music, "Do you ever think about doing funny music?".
I'm very analytical, I'm very precise. I mean, I don't write for kids.
I'm very analytical, I'm very precise. I mean, I don't write for kids.
You still have Top 40 radio now, but it's 40 different stations. There aren't many hits that everybo Show more
You still have Top 40 radio now, but it's 40 different stations. There aren't many hits that everybody knows, and there aren't many real superstars. Hide
One of my pet peeves is that sometimes the talents of my band get overlooked because, and it was the Show more
One of my pet peeves is that sometimes the talents of my band get overlooked because, and it was the same problem that Frank Zappa had, with a lot of groups that use humor, people don't realize there's a lot of craft behind the comedy. Hide
I know now that everything I write, I'm going to put out, and I'll have to live with it for the rest Show more
I know now that everything I write, I'm going to put out, and I'll have to live with it for the rest of my life. Hide
[on a 1999 episode of Behind the Music (1997), answering a question about (then) being unmarried. He Show more
[on a 1999 episode of Behind the Music (1997), answering a question about (then) being unmarried. He is now married and has a daughter] My parents are like, "Well, he's almost 40, lives in Los Angeles, and he's unmarried. You know what that means!". Hide
Some people want to advertise their weirdness, and spread it out, that's not me.
Some people want to advertise their weirdness, and spread it out, that's not me.
There are probably a few library fines I haven't paid yet, but I'm a pretty clean-cut guy overall.
There are probably a few library fines I haven't paid yet, but I'm a pretty clean-cut guy overall.
A lot of rap songs don't usually have a lot of melody per se.
A lot of rap songs don't usually have a lot of melody per se.
At this point, I've got a bit of a track record. So people realize that when 'Weird Al' wants to go Show more
At this point, I've got a bit of a track record. So people realize that when 'Weird Al' wants to go parody, it's not meant to make them look bad... it's meant to be a tribute. Hide
I'm watching the charts every week and hoping something will pop into my head.
I'm watching the charts every week and hoping something will pop into my head.
'Weird Al' Yankovic's FILMOGRAPHY
All
as Actor (468)
as Creator (1)
'Weird Al' Yankovic'S roles
Dollmaker
Dr. Screwball Jones
Additional Voices, Lewis
Milo Murphy, Milo, Additional Voices
'Weird Al' Yankovic
Confessional Monk
Himself
Captain Peanutbutter
Milo Murphy
Cheese Sandwich
Darkseid
Jackie Brazen
George Newman
Banana Man
