weird science THERE’S A METHOD TO ALFRED YANKOVIC’S PARODY MADNESS. BY DREW TEWKSBURY. ILLUSTRATION BY JARNO KETTUNEN

In the golden age of MTV, Weird Al Yankovic was the video king, poking fun at pop music icons from Michael Jackson to Coolio. Now, almost 30 years later, Yankovic’s still got it, making viral videos that hit home in today’s celebrity-obsessed culture. His latest album, Mandatory Fun, debuted at No. 1, the first time since the Kennedy administration that a comedy album has topped the charts. From his “Tacky” take on Pharrell Williams to his grammatically astute Robin Thicke send-up, “Word Crimes,” Yankovic’s wit is as sharp as ever.

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE my peeps talking to WHICH ARTISTS YOU WILL their peeps. A couple PARODY? It comes down of times I was told that to whether the song I would have to talk has parody potential, to the artists directly. whether it has the right So I was able to get kind of hook musically Pharrell’s personal or lyrically. It certainly email address—I’m not helps if the artist has a at liberty to say how, big personality, too—an but to his credit, when iconic person who has I contacted him, he characteristics that are didn’t say, “Where’d easy to lampoon. you get this email address?” He couldn’t WHO ARE SOME ARTISTS have been nicer. For YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO Iggy Azalea, I had to RIFF OFF OF, BUT HAVEN’T fly to Denver where HAD THE CHANCE? There she was doing a show. were certainly a few TMZ says I ambushed who slipped through her, and that’s not too the cracks, for one far from incorrect. reason or another. I introduced myself Maybe the timing was and said, “Hi. I’d like off, or maybe I couldn’t to do a parody of think of a clever- your song ‘Fancy,’ enough idea. Prince but I don’t want to do three hours for your a long process. I use WITH LIFE EVENTS OR is famously the it unless I have your favorite video to come a lot of conditioner GEOPOLITICAL FACTORS? blessing.” She looked guy who said no. up in rotation. With the and a large-toothed It comes and goes. at the lyrics and said, Internet, it’s not just comb. Whenever a It’s wacky like that. “Looks good to me.” THAT’S STRANGE. I JUST what a dozen people detractor in the press Then we did the song. REWATCHED PURPLE RAIN in a room at MTV think. has to point out that WHO IS NEXT ON YOUR LIST? AND REALIZED THAT PRINCE Now you put it out I still have those “bad Everybody who hasn’t IS BASICALLY A PARODY THE MUSIC VIDEO ERA OF there, and everyone’s curls from the ’80s,” MTV IS LONG GONE. HOW DID gotten the Weird Al OF HIMSELF. That movie a judge or critic. If it’s I have to point out treatment, they’re YOU SHIFT YOUR FOCUS? can’t be any more good, you’ll know. that it’s bad natural going to have to take MTV is kind of dead to Prince-y. hair, not a perm. a number, because me at this point, and LET’S TALK ABOUT CURLS. their time is coming. WHAT INTERACTIONS DO me to them, I’m sure. WHAT IS YOUR DAILY WHAT ABOUT YOUR YOU HAVE WITH THE ARTISTS The Internet is the new HAIRCARE ROUTINE? MUSTACHE? SOMETIMES YOU WANT TO PARODY? MTV. It makes sense. Occasionally I will IT’S THERE, OTHER TIMES Normally we don’t It’s video on demand, brush out my hair in IT’S NOT. DOES ITS PERIODIC have much at all—it’s instead of waiting the shower, which is EXISTENCE COINCIDE