The secret to Weird Al's genius...

Weird Al has been around so long he’s gone from a fun novelty (late 70’s-early 80’s), to a forgotten fad (late-80’s), to a comeback kid (early 90’s), to niche entertainer (late 90’s-mid00’s), to—today—a beloved nostalgia act/national treasure. That’s a summary strictly limited to perception. We have viewed Weird Al that way over the years but, truth be told, the man himself has changed very little. He’s just as spastic, manic, sharp, and mostly harmless as he was when he first broke into the mainstream back in the late 1970’s.

I say “mostly” harmless because that’s really the secret sauce to Yankovic’s success.

The man is known for having “clean” shows that both kids and adults can love, and I can attest to that, having grown up listening to his music and now—a father of three, including a twelve-year-old—passing on my love for him to my kids. My oldest and I just traveled to Memphis, to the classy Orpheum Theater, to watch Weird Al (a few months shy of his sixtieth birthday) sing and dance, and there wasn’t a foul word to be heard, not an inappropriate joke to be found, not a bad image to be seen. That may not mean much to you, but for a dad, it’s important to filter those things.

With Weird Al, there was no filter required.

And yet, I say “mostly” harmless because the core truth at the heart of every parody song, every original polka number, and every tune in between is this: Weird Al’s sense of humor is dark.

It’s a darkness that’s masked behind an infectious smile and flowing locks of curly black (or is it a very dark amber? the lighting tricks the eye), but it’s present none the less. That being said, don’t mistake “darkness” for “meanness” or “cruelty.” There’s an innocent playfulness to his lyrics and his overall sense of humor. It’s a style born out of a different generation, where generally (not specifically) making of fun of fat people, lazy people, Amish people, nerdy people, and losers in and out of love was considered acceptable humor. It’s a sad truth but Weird Al’s lyrics probably would never find an audience today. People are too quick to be upset on behalf of someone else.

But Al keeps at it, shrugging off his critics (few though they be) with a smile and some self-deprecating humor. And his critics are few; the man has reached an almost untouchable status, due to his longevity in entertainment. The fact that he’s so darn kind and innocent, not conceited, crass, or cynical probably buys him enough goodwill to shield him from any mob justice that might otherwise attack him. Here are Yankovic’s own words about his mentality in parodying other artists…

I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings. I don’t want to be embroiled in any nastiness. That’s not how I live my life. I like everybody to be in on the joke and be happy for my success. I take pains not to burn bridges.

I mean, come on…

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