Alfred Matthew “Weird Al” Yankovic (born October 23, 1959) is an American comedy musician, writer, and actor. He is best known for his humorous songs that parody contemporary popular music. Yankovic also creates original songs that are style pastiches of other artists’ work, as well as polka medleys of popular songs. His career spans over four decades, during which he has become a prominent figure in comedy music.
Early Life
Alfred Matthew Yankovic was born in Downey, California, and raised in Lynwood. He is the only child of Mary Elizabeth (née Vivalda) and Nick Yankovic. Yankovic’s interest in music began at an early age, and he received his first accordion lesson the day before his seventh birthday.
Career
Yankovic’s career took off when he gained exposure through Dr. Demento’s radio show. His first significant success came with the release of “My Bologna,” a parody of The Knack’s “My Sharona.” Over the years, Yankovic has released numerous albums, including “Weird Al” Yankovic (1983), “In 3-D” (1984), and “Mandatory Fun” (2014). His parodies, such as “Eat It” (a parody of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”) and “White & Nerdy” (a parody of Chamillionaire’s “Ridin'”), have become iconic.
Personal Life
Yankovic became a vegetarian in 1992 after reading John Robbins’ book “Diet for a New America.” He is married to Suzanne Krajewski, and they have one daughter, Nina.
Musical Style
Yankovic is known for his parodies of contemporary radio hits, which typically make up about half of his studio releases. Unlike other parody artists, Yankovic and his band strive to recreate the original songs’ music and vocals as closely as possible. His work also includes original compositions that mimic the style of other artists and polka medleys of popular songs.
Other Works
In addition to his music career, Yankovic has ventured into film and television. He starred in the 1989 film “UHF,” which he co-wrote with his manager Jay Levey. Yankovic also created and starred in “The Weird Al Show,” a children’s television program that aired in 1997.
Misattribution and Imitators
Yankovic’s songs are often misattributed to him on file-sharing networks due to their humorous content. His surname is frequently misspelled as “Yankovich.”
Fan-Driven Campaigns
Yankovic’s fans have been instrumental in his success. The Weird Al Star Fund was a campaign started by his fans to get him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which he received in 2018.
