"Weird Al" Yankovic facts for kids

Quick facts for kids "Weird Al" Yankovic
Yankovic at GalaxyCon in 2024
Background information
Birth name	Alfred Matthew Yankovic
Born	(1959-10-23) October 23, 1959 (age 65) Downey, California, U.S.
Origin	Lynwood, California, U.S.
Genres	Comedy parody polka geek rock
Occupations	Singer songwriter musician actor writer
Instruments	Vocals accordion keyboards
Years active	1976 (1976)–present
Labels	Rock 'n Roll Capitol Placebo TK Scotti Brothers Way Moby Volcano RCA

Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic (born October 23, 1959) is an American comedy musician, writer, and actor. He is famous for writing and performing funny songs that often parody (make fun of) popular songs by other musicians. He also creates original songs that sound like other artists' music. Plus, he makes polka medleys, which are mixes of several popular songs, often featuring his special instrument, the accordion.

"Weird Al" started his career in 1976 when he was 16. One of his comedy songs was played on The Dr. Demento Radio Show. Since then, he has sold over 12 million albums. He has recorded more than 150 parodies and original songs and performed over 1,000 live shows. His work has earned him five Grammy Awards and many other nominations. He has also received four gold records and six platinum records in the U.S. His first top ten album (Straight Outta Lynwood) and single ("White & Nerdy") came out in 2006. His fourteenth studio album, Mandatory Fun (2014), was his first album to reach number one.

Yankovic is also known for using music videos to make fun of pop culture and the original artists. He has directed some of his own music videos. He has also directed videos for other artists like Ben Folds and Hanson. He uses YouTube and other video sites to share his videos, which helps his albums sell well. He hasn't released a full album since Mandatory Fun, choosing instead to release new songs one at a time.

Besides music, Yankovic wrote and starred in the movie UHF (1989) and the TV show The Weird Al Show (1997). He has also written two children's books: When I Grow Up (2011) and My New Teacher and Me! (2013).

Early Life and Education

Alfred Matthew Yankovic was born in Downey, California, on October 23, 1959. He was the only child of Mary Elizabeth and Nick Yankovic. He grew up in Lynwood, California. His father, who served in World War II, believed that "doing for a living whatever makes you happy" was the key to success.

Yankovic's interest in music began with his first accordion lesson. This happened the day before his seventh birthday. A salesman offered his parents a choice of accordion or guitar lessons. His parents chose the accordion because they thought it would be unique. He practiced a lot at home and continued lessons for three years. Then, he decided to learn on his own.

In the 1970s, Yankovic was a big fan of Elton John. He also admired comedy artists like Stan Freberg and Tom Lehrer. He found many of his inspirations through The Dr. Demento Radio Show. He also loved Mad magazine and the British comedy group Monty Python.

Yankovic started kindergarten early and skipped second grade. He said his classmates thought he was very smart, so he was called a "nerd" early on. He graduated from Lynwood High School in 1976 as the top student. He then went to California Polytechnic State University and earned a degree in architecture.

Music Career Highlights

Starting with Dr. Demento

Yankovic first became known through Dr. Demento's radio show. In 1976, when Yankovic was 16, he gave Dr. Demento a homemade tape of his songs. The first song, "Belvedere Cruisin'," was played on the show. This helped start Yankovic's career. Dr. Demento liked the song's clever lines.

During college, Yankovic became a DJ at the university radio station, KCPR. People in his dorm called him "Weird Al" because he was seen as different. He decided to use this nickname professionally. In 1979, he recorded a parody of "My Sharona" called "My Bologna" in a bathroom for its echo. He sent it to Dr. Demento, who played it. The song became popular, and Yankovic got a recording contract.

In 1980, Yankovic recorded "Another One Rides the Bus" live on the Dr. Demento Show. He met Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz, who helped him keep time by banging on his accordion case. This song became so popular that Yankovic performed it on The Tomorrow Show in 1981.

Forming the Band and Early Hits

In 1981, Yankovic went on tour for the first time. His manager, Jay Levey, suggested he form a full band. Steve Jay joined on bass, and Jim West played guitar. Schwartz continued on drums. Their first show together was in March 1982.

In 1982, Yankovic recorded "I Love Rocky Road", a parody of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll". This song was a hit on the radio. It led to Yankovic signing with Scotti Brothers Records. In 1983, his first album, "Weird Al" Yankovic, was released. The music video for "Ricky" was shown on MTV, which was new at the time. This helped Yankovic decide to focus on his music career.

His second album, "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D, came out in 1984. The song "Eat It", a parody of Michael Jackson's "Beat It", became very popular. Its music video copied Jackson's video shot-for-shot. "Eat It" reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was Yankovic's highest-charting song until "White & Nerdy" in 2006.

In 1985, Yankovic co-wrote and starred in The Compleat Al, a funny fake documentary about his life. He also toured with the Monkees in 1987. In 1988, he narrated Wendy Carlos's recording of Peter and the Wolf.

Movie and Career Revival

Yankovic's movie UHF came out in 1989. It was a comedy about TV and movies. Even though it's now a cult classic, it didn't do well at first. This made Yankovic feel down for about three years.

He started working on his next album, Off the Deep End, around 1990. Rubén Valtierra joined the band on keyboards in 1991. This allowed Yankovic to focus more on singing. In 1992, Yankovic took over as producer for his albums.

He wanted to parody Michael Jackson's "Black or White" but Jackson said no. Then, Nirvana became popular. Yankovic wrote "Smells Like Nirvana", a parody of "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Nirvana's lead singer, Kurt Cobain, gave permission. He even said that getting Yankovic to parody their song meant they had "made it." "Smells Like Nirvana" became a big hit and helped Yankovic's career get back on track.

His next albums, Alapalooza (1993) and Bad Hair Day (1996), were also successful. Bad Hair Day included "Amish Paradise", a parody of Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise". This album sold over two million copies.

New Look and Digital Music

In 1998, Yankovic had eye surgery and stopped wearing glasses. For his 1999 album, Running with Scissors, he also shaved his mustache and grew his hair longer. He said he wanted to change his look, just like other famous artists.

His album Poodle Hat (2003) did well, reaching number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2006, Straight Outta Lynwood was released. It featured "White & Nerdy", a parody of Chamillionaire's "Ridin'". "White & Nerdy" became Yankovic's first song to reach the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 9. The album itself reached number 10.

After Straight Outta Lynwood, Yankovic started releasing songs online. In 2008, he released "Whatever You Like", a parody of T.I.'s song. He liked that he could release songs quickly online before they became old. These digital songs were later put together in an EP called Internet Leaks.

His thirteenth album, Alpocalypse, came out in 2011. It included the songs from Internet Leaks and new ones like "Polka Face". He wanted to parody Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" with "Perform This Way". At first, her manager said no, so Yankovic released it for free online. Lady Gaga then gave permission, and Yankovic donated all his earnings from the song to the Human Rights Campaign.

In 2014, Yankovic released Mandatory Fun. This album was a huge success and became his first number-one album. He released eight music videos in eight days to promote it, which got a lot of attention online. The song "Word Crimes" (a parody of Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines") reached number 39.

Current Work

After Mandatory Fun, Yankovic's recording contract ended. He decided to release new songs as singles or EPs online instead of full albums. This allows him to release parodies more quickly.

In 2018, Yankovic received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This was thanks to a long campaign by his fans.

He released "The Hamilton Polka" in 2018, a polka medley of songs from the musical Hamilton. He also released remixes for the band Portugal. The Man. In 2024, he released another polka medley, "Polkamania!", featuring songs like "Flowers" and "Bad Guy".

Musical Style

Parodies

Yankovic is famous for his parodies of popular songs. He and his band try to make the music sound exactly like the original. His humor often comes from putting funny, unexpected lyrics with a well-known song. He also makes fun of pop culture trends, movies, and food. Yankovic writes all his own songs and does not accept ideas from fans.

Polka Medleys

Most of Yankovic's albums include a polka medley. These are mixes of about a dozen popular songs, with their choruses or memorable parts played in a polka style. Fans love these medleys, and Yankovic says he has to include them. He enjoys recording the sound effects live for these polkas.

Other Creative Works

Movies

UHF (1989)

In 1989, Yankovic starred in and co-wrote the movie UHF. It was a comedy about TV and movies. Even though it didn't do well at first, it has become a cult classic. Yankovic sometimes shows clips from the movie at his concerts. In some countries, it was called The Vidiot From UHF.

The movie also shows Yankovic's special snack: the Twinkie Wiener Sandwich. It's a hot dog in a split Twinkie, with cheese spray, dipped in milk. Yankovic, who is a vegetarian, now uses tofu hot dogs for it.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)

In 2010, a fake movie trailer called Weird: The Al Yankovic Story was made. It was a funny take on movies about musicians' lives. Yankovic himself played a small role in it. In 2022, Yankovic and director Eric Appel made a full movie based on the trailer. Daniel Radcliffe played Yankovic. The movie won an Emmy Award for Best Television Movie.

TV Shows and Voice Acting

Yankovic has appeared in many TV shows. In 2012, he was in an episode of 30 Rock. In 2014, he performed a funny medley of TV show themes at the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards.

He has also done voice-overs for many animated series. He appeared in The Simpsons twice, playing himself. He voiced Wreck-Gar in Transformers: Animated, a character linked to his song "Dare to Be Stupid." He also voiced Milo Murphy in the Disney XD series Milo Murphy's Law. In Teen Titans Go!, he voiced the villain Darkseid.

Books

Yankovic wrote When I Grow Up, a children's book released in 2011. It's about an 8-year-old boy who imagines many different jobs he could have. The book uses Yankovic's funny writing style with puns and rhymes. It became a New York Times Best Seller. He also wrote a sequel in 2013, My New Teacher and Me!.

In 2015, Yankovic was the first guest editor for Mad magazine. In 2023, he released The Illustrated Al, a book that shows twenty of his songs as comics, each drawn by a different artist.

Personal Life

Yankovic became a vegetarian in 1992 after reading a book about healthy eating. He tries to be a vegan (meaning he avoids all animal products), but sometimes he might eat cheese.

In 1998, he had LASIK eye surgery to fix his vision. He decided to stop wearing his glasses, which were part of his famous look. He also shaved off his mustache around this time.

Yankovic married Suzanne Krajewski in 2001. They met on a blind date. Their daughter, Nina, was born in 2003. They live in Los Angeles. Friends say that Yankovic is polite, shy, and quiet, which is different from his stage personality. He is a Christian.

In 2004, Yankovic's parents sadly passed away at their home. Even though he was grieving, he decided to perform his concert that night. He said that his music had helped his fans through tough times, and he hoped it would help him too. Performing helped him cope with his sadness.

Misinformation and Fan Efforts

Sometimes, songs that are not by "Weird Al" Yankovic are mistakenly shared online and said to be his. These songs are often funny but can sometimes be offensive. Yankovic doesn't like this because he tries to keep his work family-friendly. He says that about half the songs found under his name online are not actually his.

Fans have started campaigns to honor "Weird Al." The "Weird Al Star Fund" raised money to get him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. After many years, he received his star in 2018.

Another fan campaign, "Make the Rock Hall 'Weird'," is trying to get him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Even though he's been eligible since 2004, he hasn't been chosen yet. A poll by Rolling Stone magazine named him the top artist who should be nominated.

Fans have also tried to get him to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. Yankovic wrote a song called "Sports Song" for his album Mandatory Fun because of this. He believes he might be a special guest for another band at the Super Bowl, but not the main act.

Awards and Nominations

"Weird Al" Yankovic awards and nominations

Awards and nominations Award Wins Nominations American Music Awards 0 0 Grammy 5 17
Totals
Wins	5
Nominations	16
Note

Grammy Awards

Other Awards

Images for kids

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  Yankovic's "classic" look with glasses, mustache, and short, curly hair (1979 to 1998)

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  Yankovic speaking with a concert promoter in 1984

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  Yankovic performing in 2011

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  A screenshot of LimeWire PRO, showing songs wrongly said to be by Yankovic (2007)

See also

In Spanish: «Weird Al» Yankovic para niños