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How 'Weird Al' Got Weird

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    Weird Al Yankovic talks to Alan about his start in music and his new book.

  • Duration 7:39
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Primarily because when a welcome weird Al -- Divx who has now riddance with the Nathan -- weird elf the book you're now -- coffee table book shelf.

I always wanted to -- coffee table book it's a fantastic but great pictures and you've actually written some of the material in the book -- I understand.

-- -- -- the actual text but I didn't really wanna write an autobiography that I've kind of values that every single anecdote news story that I can think of about these so much.

I think I -- the the -- but I wrote albeit the caption the pictures and it contributed a lot of my -- tweets but I think they're a little objection of my.

Sensibility but it basically -- I was very impressed that you actually we're just Social Security number pain in the book now joining in and a previously unpublished.

Your bank pin number is I believe an appeal but what do you do that.

Well I like to give up my book if you can't share details like the world what can you share.

Do you know when we first met do you remember word was -- ultimately.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- You're -- -- working in the mail room at Westwood One.

It really -- Yeah -- yes Tom Snyder was doing them a few musical artists write a friend on the show.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- you work.

Working in the mail room at Westwood One at the time and and you have these weird experiences where people -- are developing a following.

And you call people up and -- say is this.

The other Yankee -- song you know the good music decision -- yet pitch but he restored to get a big name at that point yeah.

You know good like I was you know I have a big job to paper money most of -- migrants and that my macaroni -- can going to be doctor manager of course it doesn't really.

Oh I thought -- -- notoriety but that the Obama had to work they try to that minimum wage state job.

Can you deal with that out of the prop department -- medical degree of patient.

To get them dependent there affidavit an expert Al yank the that the adults can you -- -- -- affidavit please.

That I know enough about my musical career as a true that you quit the very day.

The email came in and you saw yourself on the billboard charts.

That's exactly rekenthaler my job working there was going to the post options in getting the mailbag and I like to read betrayed by I pulled out the Billboard Magazine and I put the hot 100 chart and I hold on it.

I thought didn't I get the -- -- about the real thing.

Well why the name weird -- -- that come from.

You know the name but they pick up in college.

Full disclosure -- think they're probably calling me that the dormant.

Articulate professionally and I I idea I picked on as my moniker might -- doing called radio because.

Mike it was sort of similar to the documentary -- that a little person.

-- Comedy novelty record the new -- -- -- strange things in the name weird out inappropriate conduct apparently just got to stop.

Amazing how your career took off as a result of doctor -- and when you say in the book but the way the book is called.

It's called.

Well we are now the block it's good name for the -- and -- hearing on something there in a beautiful weird multi picture on the cover only what happened to the the beard and the glasses are -- Hadley Lasik surgery -- -- in the beer.

Well my facial -- -- comes and goes debate tactic roaring out of MySpace.

And out of my faith as we speak so but my wife like that -- -- off the road I'll grow back and you know it comes and goes trying to -- trying to debate the world.

I say so they got how do you decide on material I mean you've done different genres.

Which is really fascinating to me you've you've really covered at all.

By the way another thing you know I haven't come -- as I used to play the -- as a kid that -- -- part and I know average viewer you're headed for clear and architecture.

And then -- -- -- these musicals on John is how do you decide what -- you gonna do and what the -- is -- -- -- Com you know I it think it's basically a lot of you know.

Wimbledon help you know I'd that the billboard chart dictate a lot of what an interview parity but all boils down -- coming to put an idea but I think it's clever enough and it'll be funny for three minutes.

And -- can get permission ports and a lot of factors don't play packed week for.

It all the planets to align correctly I -- try to hit as many different kinds of genres on any -- -- as possible because.

The main -- is very fragmented and fractured and it really is.

Very eclectic and all over the -- I I try to make my -- fortunes as disparate as possible to try to you know give some semblance of what mainstream pop culture Tuesday.

-- you sold more -- recordings and any other artist in history you've got three Grammy Awards fourteen nominations.

And yet when doctor -- celebration Q and you've got on -- show you -- this is that -- arrived it doesn't get better than this right.

-- I mean at the time -- thought hey you know.

Well I was look the most famous person in my in my high school.

Also you know but you know I never thought that -- really be able to make a living doing exactly that thing but I love in the fact that.

You know thirty years after.

That.

I can stole you know wake up and know that I'm doing comedy and and music for a living means that to me the -- front of success.

You really work nobody way to make sure that the original artists are okay -- this -- fine within yet there was an incident with -- apparently he was not happy amount.

Image paradise right.

Yeah I Beckett brought up because that's one of the few -- -- drama in my life because targeting of one behind music came out a decade ago -- made a big point that.

And couldn't -- I'm not really sure what happened there it -- some kind of miscommunication obviously because by record label told me that he had -- -- -- he was fine with it.

He came out very locally at -- time and that -- -- not approved it he was not that after you put it.

But it has water deliberate or -- -- portraiture a few years back and we hugged it out everything's fine thing for for awhile with a little bit of -- But the artist formerly known as prince apparently will not give you permission right to do music.

Yes and end up full court or I haven't -- -- -- -- -- the last decade but I got I got turned down -- up in the eighties and nine you -- figure that you probably just didn't.

She didn't care for the parity -- Altima.

-- you have a favorite.

Of all the songs you've done.

Didn't really Hartley I -- that a -- department answer honestly but I usually -- white nerdy like yeah.

It because it's my my biggest selling single today and also I think it probably my vote on the -- -- that whole lifetimes -- -- -- for that Islam.

People should not -- -- may not you know -- never a younger demographic may not know who -- -- stand free bird Tom Lehrer Allan Sherman.

This is still -- seen are yet though those here implements is right.

Yeah absolutely I mean and those people that up exposed future of the document that show.

People that you start kind of the kind of thing but I do now but they did it you know and -- -- to generate -- did you get to you got to know stand little bit right.

I did then.

Played a character on my ill -- Saturday morning at CBS TV show in the -- -- -- and -- played the a network executive JB Coppersmith.

-- would pop on and do you horrible network notes.

-- listening to and you you want to do Broadway Show right.

Well the one who doesn't -- That's -- I'm -- and edited to be your kid and that sort of moment but -- but I'm actually talking to a couple people in that regard it may or may not happen but actually not.

We're -- -- -- like it's really -- think you've got all kinds of personal paraphernalia there's a mention you can find -- -- Social Security number.

Which is really did you -- you've got letters from acceptance rejection letters -- consist of your career great to baby pictures I mean it's.

Thank -- so it's a full -- Retinue.

Weird Al stuff figure weird -- guy you're gonna love this I thank you very much for talking -- -- tonight now I -- and went on the show great Pataki.