"Weird Al" Yankovic

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About "Weird Al" Yankovic

Renowned comedy musician “Weird Al” Yankovic started playing the accordion at age seven after his parents bought him lessons from a door-to-door salesman. ∙ At age 16, Yankovic got his first break when nationally syndicated radio DJ Dr. Demento played a homemade tape of his song “Belvedere Cruisin’” on the air. ∙ In 1979, after The Knack’s Doug Fieger heard Yankovic’s “My Sharona” parody, “My Bologna,” he helped get Yankovic a deal with Capitol Records, which released the song as a single. ∙ MTV made Yankovic a star in 1983 when it began airing “Ricky,” his I Love Lucy-themed parody of Toni Basil’s hit “Mickey.” ∙ The popular video for “Eat It,” a takeoff on Michael Jackson’s “Beat It,” propelled the single to No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. ∙ His “Smells Like Teen Spirit” parody video, “Smells Like Nirvana,” was shot on the same set and used some of the same extras as Nirvana’s iconic clip. ∙ Yankovic finally made the Top 10 in 2006 with “White & Nerdy,” a parody of “Ridin’” by Chamillionaire, who gave Yankovic props for his rhyme skills. ∙ In 2014, 38 years into his career, Mandatory Fun became his first No. 1 album. ∙ A five-time Grammy Award winner, Yankovic has had six Platinum and four Gold albums, selling more than 13 million copies—the most of any comedy act in history.

HOMETOWN
Downey, CA, United States
BORN
October 23, 1959
GENRE
Comedy
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