Yankovic's career has lasted for over 45 years and continues to this day.

Many of us have heard at least a few of his parodies in our day and likely got a good laugh out of it.

Early life Alfred Matthew Yankovic was born on october 23rd 1959 in Downey California.

He was the only child of parents mary Elizabeth Walda, a stenographer of english and italian descent, and Nick Yankovic, a decorated World War two medic of Serbian descent.

His father Nick always instilled a personal philosophy in which you should do what makes you happy in his young son Alfred, which led to the latter's musical career Right around Alfred 7th birthday, a salesman came by his school offering music lessons given the choice between the guitar and the accordion.

Al's parents opted for the accordion, he took to the instrument as is now apparent Yankovic was a precocious child getting into kindergarten early and going from first grade to third.

He later obtained a bachelor's degree in architecture from California Polytechnic State University but it's safe to say his heart was all always in music dr demento the knack and adding weird to Al in 1970 Barry Hansen, professionally known as Dr demento, started a radio program devoted to comedy, novelty and just plain strange music and recordings for, for folks who may not have heard of you or the radio show, what kind of things do you do on it?

I play demented music with Spike jones, monty, python frank zappa Weird Al Yankovic, Young Al was a fan of the program and managed to get one of his own recordings into the DJ's hands during a school visit with one of his tracks played on air as early as 1976.

Yankovic credits dr demento with the start of his career and has said quote if there hadn't been a doctor demento, I'd probably have a real job.

Now during his college days, Yankovic involuntarily acquired the nickname Weird Al while in residence due to his so called eccentricities, he eventually embraced it and adopted it as his professional handle.

Initially, while as his university's DJ in 1979 Yankovic gained attention when he recorded a spoof of the Nac's My Sharona entitled My bologna, which dr demento played on his show.

The song was also heard by the Nac's frontman Doug feiger, who recommended it be released as a single to the band's label.

So later that same year, Al Yankovic's first single was released with the B side featuring a song titled school cafeteria capitol Records also offered him a recording contract success in the 19 eighties Stage Screen and album releases.

Al continued to rise in fame thanks to dr demento joining the Good Doctor's touring Stage show in 1981.

His act grabbed the attention of Manager J.

Levy who helped al form a band and open for larger acts 1982 saw Yankovic release his first top 40 hit, I Love Rocky Road, a parody of I love rock and roll, have a gala.

This allowed him to sign with Scotty Brothers Records, with which he released his first complete album, his self titled debut in 1983 his second album dropped in 1984 titled Weird Al Yankovic in three D.

It featured the single Eat It, Spoofing Michael Jackson's wildly popular song Beat it.

It was accompanied by a music video that aired on the then blooming MTV.

In the late eighties, Yankovic penned a screenplay for the feature film U.

H.

F, which performed badly at the box office.

This sent him into a bit of downtime for about three years, returned to the scene in the 19 nineties though, Yankovic began recording his album off the deep end in 1990 due to complications in finding a strong hit and then securing permissions for a lead parody.

The album wasn't released until 1993 Much to Weird al chagrin.

However, the album's first single, smells like Nirvana, found its way onto the billboard charts, making it Yankovic's second top 40 hit.

A renewed sense of purpose led to two more studio albums, Al appaloosa and Bad Hair Day, featuring successful singles, Jurassic Park and Amish Paradise, respectively.

The albums and singles made the Billboard charts in respectable positions during the 1990s, Yankovic also released a number of compilation albums, including 1994 permanent record al in the box of four disc set, the makeover and number one album.

In 1999 Yankovic released his 10th studio album, Running with scissors along with his New Look.

Having had LASIK eye surgery, let his locks grow out and shaved his signature mustache.

You don't have a problem with that, do you?

Do you?

Uh do you as weird Al himself put it quote If Madonna is allowed to reinvent herself every 15 minutes, I figure I should be good for a change at least once every 20 years.

Yankovic's next three full length studio albums were the grammy winning poodle hat, the billboard Hot 100 hit containing straight Outta Lynwood and billboard 200 top 10 charting Al apocalypse.

In 2014, his 14th and probably final traditional studio album was released mandatory Fund became his first and only album to hit number one on the billboard charts though it marked the end of his record deal.

Yankovic future releases on more modern platforms and E.

P.

S.

He also has done and continues to do a number of voiceover roles, notably as dark side in teen titans go, you will be cast into the fires of apocalypse where you will burn for eternity.

Um you're not you're not cowering in fear, your voice isn't threatening anymore.

Oh come on, I'm still terrifying.

The death of his parents in April of 2004.

Yankovic's parents, 81 year old Mary and 86 year old Nick were found deceased in their California home.

I was very close to my parents and it's just the pain, the grief was just indescribable one is is something that obviously still live with to this day.

According to the Los Angeles times, the couple was discovered by relatives who grew concerned after not having seen the two in some time, upon entering the home, they found that the fireplace had been lit yet the flu was left closed, so a lack of ventilation likely produced a lethal amount of carbon monoxide weird Al Yankovic happened to be on tour when the tragedy occurred hours after he heard the news, Yankovic resolved to take the stage.

You know, it wouldn't have been my choice, but I was on tour and there were a lot of people depending on me and their audiences were in their seats and I just, like I said, it was a lot of denial.

Sometime after he would go on to say quote, since my music had helped many of my fans through tough times.

Maybe it would work for me as well.

It would at least give me a break from sobbing all the time at the time.

I thought that was just horrible that I'd have to share my grief with so many people.

But I just found the love, the outpouring of love from the fans, it was just overwhelming personal life.

Al Yankovic has always projected a wholesome musician sort of vibe in that he's been reported to have never taken any illicit substances, avoids profanity and alcohol and is a church going christian, he's married to Suzanne Crvenkovski, 1/20 century Fox executive.

He met in 2001.

The couple has one child together, Nina who was born in 2003.

Artist reactions and refused parodies, parodies are basically fair game in the music industry.

Yankovic always gets permission from the artists to use their original songs.

You check with the artist to you, you have conversations with them and say, hey, what do you think I'm thinking about parodying your song?

Yeah, I mean I don't necessarily have to legally, but you know that's one of the reasons I think I've been able to hang around as long as I have is I don't burn bridges and I wanna make sure they're in on the joke if the band or musician doesn't permit use does not move forward with his version.

Most parties do allow the parodies as some consider it a rite of passage in the popularity game for example, upon allowing Yankovic to parody smells like teen spirit.

The members of Nirvana considered it proof that they had made it in the industry, oh, he's gonna tear us apart.

We're always like, we're going like, oh man, that weird Al is gonna get us.

And then we saw the video and I was just like laughing.

It was really funny, it was really good.

Michael Jackson was also a big enthusiast of Yankovic's work, allowing for the parodies eat it and fat when Yankovic parodied american pie with the Star Wars themed, the saga begins he gained thumbs up from both Don Mclean and George Lucas.

Mom Though most are fans of the comical versions.

Some are not.

Yankovic claims that only around two or 3% of approached artists declined the use of their songs.

Prince famously rejected Yankovic on multiple occasions.

The only person that's really consistently said no has been prince, I haven't really approached him in a couple of decades, so maybe he's acquired a sense of humor by now, I don't know, Yankovic was also refused the rights to record polka style melodies of some led Zeppelin you too and Weezer tunes.

Meanwhile, despite James blunt's approval, his label took back the permission Weird Al was given to release the, your pitiful version of your beautiful.

So it has yet to appear on any official releases beside Yankovic's website and social media an influential man Weird Al has inspired a number of artists and writers, lin Manuel Miranda has said that Yankovic had a big impact on him while composing Hamilton's.

Obviously we've geeked out about you on the show before Lynn and I and so I'm just gonna gus for a little bit television producer Michael Shore.

The name associated with shows such as The Office and Parks and Recreation has said that the artist also influenced his comedy writers Andy Samberg of SNL and the Lonely Island fame Unsurprisingly considered Yankovic to have greatly marked him while growing up.

In fact, Yankovic appeared with Samberg's comedy trio in an episode of carpool karaoke the series which was likely a dream come true for the Brooklyn 99 actor.

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In 2010, funny or die released a trailer for a nonexistent film titled Weird the Al Yankovic story by changing the lyrics and making them about food.

You could change the world, nobody wants to hear a parody song when they can hear the real thing for the same price, two words Eat it in it.

Aaron Paul portrayed a vastly exaggerated and dramatic sized version of Yankovic, a long awaited actual film with the same title will be released in 2022 with Daniel Radcliffe in the titular role.

Anyone got an accordion, The biographical drama will likely share some similarities with the 2010 short, considering its producer, Eric Appel is directing the feature and Yankovic himself co wrote the script.

Honestly he wouldn't expect anything less of a weird out biopic.

The man made a career of satire.

His life story should be told in the same way and like how well versed are you on the accordion, much better than it was three months ago.

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