A few months ago, I went to a Weird Al Yankovic concert. Though I'm something of a recent Weird Al fan, it was easily one of the most fun concerts I've ever been to.
There's no denying that "Weird Al" Yankovic is a truly talented musician (listen to "White and Nerdy" sometime, and note how he manages to spit out those rapid-fire lyrics). But a large part of his brilliance can be ascribed to his talent as a song parodist, taking well-known hit songs and giving them his own unique twist -- be it Michael Jackson's "Beat It" becoming "Eat It," James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" becoming "You're Pitiful," or Miley Cyrus's "Party in the U.S.A." becoming "Party in the CIA."
Weird Al Yankovic is a brilliant musician in his own right -- but it's the humor and fun of his parodies that add an extra dimension of awesome to his performances. With October 23rd marking his 54th birthday, it's a good time to recommend some other parodies that are sure to make you smile:
- Robin Hood: Men in Tights
I know, I know -- Mel Brooks's comedic masterpieces are clearly Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles. Tough. This one's my favorite.
Besides, when it comes to parodies, this one is the most direct in its target (archery pun intended). While Men in Tights is plenty amusing in its own right, it's best enjoyed if you've first seen the Kevin Costner film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. The Costner vehicle was released in 1991, making Brooks's 1993 parody offering a direct response to the original blockbuster.
Starring Cary Elwes as Robin Hood (who rightly noted, "Unlike other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent"), Men in Tights tells much the same story as the original movie it parodies. Robin Hood puts together his band of Merry Men to bring down the evil Prince John and his right-hand man, the Sheriff of Rottingham (whose first name happens to be "Mervin," not that you asked). The beats of the movie more or less follow Prince of Thieves to a T; there's even a bonus cameo of Sir Patrick Stewart, taking on the Sean Connery role of King Richard. How can this not be my favorite?
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- Galaxy Quest
You may have gathered this by now, but I'm a big Star Trek fan. So it was pretty much preordained that I would fall in love with a Star Trek parody this good.
The story centers on a group of actors, who were the stars of the campy sci-fi series Galaxy Quest some twenty years ago. With their show long cancelled, the "crew" find themselves making their living by attending conventions and doing commercials. They snipe at each other -- particularly at Jason Nesmith, who played the captain on the show -- and generally find their lot in life to be a disheartening one. That all changes when a group of real aliens show up. Aliens who are admirers of the show. Aliens who don't have a concept of "fiction" in their society. Convinced that the Galaxy Quest actors are really a crew of space-exploring heroes, the aliens promptly pressgang the actors into helping them defeat an evil alien warlord.
It goes about as well as can be expected.
The Trek parodies are spot on ("Hey, don't open that [hatch]! It's an alien planet! Is there air?? You don't know!") But there's a real heart to the story that makes this film more than the sum of its parts. It's a genuine comedy that also has something to say about the nature of science fiction, imagination, and inspiration -- and it remains one of my very favorite films.
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- Dave Barry's "Fangs of Endearment: A Vampire Novel"
Every once in awhile, ever feel like a favorite author or actor has created something specifically with you in mind?
In his latest essay collection, I'll Mature When I'm Dead, humorist Dave Barry tackles a wide range of topics, from dance recitals to Hollywood to youth sports to colonoscopies. But my favorite chapter is the one entitled "Fangs of Endearment: A Vampire Novel." It's a clear parody of the third volume in Stephenie Meyer's popular Twilight series, Eclipse, and I could only conclude Barry had written it because he knew how much I'd enjoy it:
"The more I thought about it, the more I knew what I had to do: I had to go out into the woods alone. It seemed crazy, like the plot of a bad horror movie where the teenage girl hears a scary noise in the basement, but instead of doing what anybody with an IQ higher than a Chicken McNugget would do, namely sprint out of the house, she goes down into the basement. But I knew I had to do it, because that's what I always do with my trademark stubbornness: I place myself in grave plot peril when there is no coherent reason to do so. Some people may call this ridiculous, but I am guessing that 'some people' have not sold 50 million books to date.
"'I'm tired,' I informed [my father] Pete, yawning with my mouth open for emphasis. 'I think I'll go up to my room now.' I leaned over to give Pete a goodnight kiss, only to trip forward with my trademark heartwarming clumsiness and head-butt him in the temple. He went down like a sack of gravel, out cold on the kitchen floor, eyes open, pupils dilated. I decided it was best to leave him there. I knew that he couldn't do anything anyway. It was up to me. Only me. Me me me me me."
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- South Park, Episode 12.2: "Britney's New Look"
Choosing a favorite South Park parody episode is sort of like choosing a favorite child -- at least for me, a huge South Park fan. But if truly pressed, I'd have to go with "Britney's New Look," an episode which aired in the show's 12th season.
When South Park is at its best (which is often), it becomes more than a showcasing of outrageous jokes and crude humor. Many episodes excel at using parody and farce to make a point, a skill which is put to good use in this episode. When the South Park kids discover that Britney Spears has come to Colorado, they decide to snap her picture and sell it to the tabloids for cash. They sneak into her hotel by claiming to be her children ("It's okay," an excited Britney says on the phone, moments before the boys walk in. "My kids are here. I feel better now.") The boys promptly walk into her room, and Britney's devastation at not seeing her children, and at the relentless media bombardment, give the boys more than they bargained for.
Surprisingly sympathetic to the real Britney Spears (in their own South Park-ian way), show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone use this episode as commentary on our culture's obsession with celebrity and the preying nature of the paparazzi who surround them. The ending of the episode is a brilliant spoof of Shirley Jackson's classic story The Lottery, with the thrown stones of the original story being replaced by paparazzi camera flashes.
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- "The Saga Begins" - Weird Al Yankovic
There are a lot of beautiful Weird Al parodies. This one just might be the best.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Yankovic!
-- Post by Ms. B
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