Original Air Date: May 9, 1996 Original Airing: WGN Morning show Transcribed by: Kevin mrdata@primenet.com [plays music from "Gump" in the background of stock report] Reporter: Alright, there he is! And you're listening to music from his latest CD, yes. [Al looks around the room with a confused expression on his face] Reporter: Morning, Al, you're here without speaking anything. You seem a little bit dazed. Al: [laughs] Aren't you? Reporter: Yes, every morning. [Al makes faces as the camera zooms in on him] [commercials and another segment run, and about 10 minutes later Al comes on again] Reporter: Alright. Reporter: Well, our next guest...ya know, more entertaining than your tour guide. Reporter: Well, thanks. Reporter: Known for his creative interpretations of such artists as Micheal Jackson and Madonna. Reporter: Now he's got a new CD with takeoffs of some very popular movies and some songs; and I think we have a clip we're gonna listen to right now...? [plays clip from "Gump"] Reporter: "Weird Al" Yankovic joins us this morning; thank you for joining us! Al: No, thank you for being here! Reporter: [laughs] I love it! Reporter: Looks like a little Devo here. Reporter: Now tell us, you, you've got your, and I don't mean this in a derogitory way, but you got your start in the men's room. Al: That's true, yes. Reporter: OK, can you tell us about that? Al: The very first single I ever released was "My Balogna", which is a parody of "My Sharona" by The Knack, and that was back in 1979, back when I was a college student, and I couldn't afford into go to a real recording studio, so I went into the bathroom across the hall from my campus radio station because of the nice tiled bathroom walls and the warm reverb sound. Nowadays we have 24 track bathrooms. So, that's good. [laughing] Reporter: Hey, have you heard the Jackson 5 are going to get back together for a reunion? Al: NO! Reporter: Yeah! No, I'm serious, it says Reporter: it's in the paper today! Reporter: Wow, so it must be true. Reporter: And this is according to, yeah, it's in the Tribune to day, according to Tito. He told the BBC that they would... Al: Tito would know! [laughing] Reporter: Yeah, the way he is he'd want them to get back together, wouldn't he? That'd be a good time for them. Yeah! Al: That's great. Reporter: So that'll be some new material for ya... Reporter: He won't have to work at 7-11 anymore. Al: [laughs] Reporter: Now, "My Sharona" and the Knack; they just beg to be made fun of... [2 second clip from "I'm So Sick of You" plays] Reporter: Whoa, man! Al: More of "I'm So Sick of You", that's just a subliminal message I think. [laughing] Reporter: Yeah. Do you find there are certain artists that are much easier to make fun of than others, and in what category? Al: It really kind of varies, I mean, I tend to pick artists that have a very strong visual image and the music has strong lyrics; musical or lyrical hook to them. Actually the more serious the easier it is to make fun of, because, for obvious reasons. This video we saw for "Gump" is a parody of The Presidents of the United States of America. They're kind of not comical, but they're kind of a light-hearted group so it's almost redundant to make fun of them in a way, because, ya know, they're already demented enough, ya know, to get played on the Dr. Demento radio show. Reporter: Do you are, aside from all the parody work you do, the king of polka, right? The king of the accordion? That sort of thing? Do you still do that at all? Al: Well, I still play the accordion in concert, I still like to polka down to my bad self on occassion, yeah. And, I grew up playing the accordion, that's my main axe, so that's what I've grown accustomed to. Reporter: You didn't bring it today though? Al: I'm sorry! Reporter: Now, what did you want to be when you were a kid growing up? There isn't anyone for you to emulate, so, did you just want to be a regular rock star or... Al: Well, I thought I was gonna have be an adult and have a real life by now, but I got a degree in architecture, which I've never used except as a bookmark or drink coaster. [laughing] Al: Ya know, I get to go through my extended adolescence now, so I'm very happy about that. Reporter: Now, do you spend alot of time with, ya know, working out the parodies? Like, if we were to ask you to do a "WGN Morning News" theme... Al: It would take years! Reporter: Would it take... Al: Years! Reporter: Studying the films and... Al: Yes, alot of research. Reporter: But really, how long does it take you usually? [shows picture of album cover] Al: It varies. I mean, I do spend alot of time doing the, ya know, doing whatever research I do and keeping notes in a little 3-ring binder like I had in high school; a few weeks to write it and it takes a while to preproduce the videos, ya know. [snaps fingers] It's not like this! Reporter: Not like that? Can we look at another clip, because... Al: Well, okay! Reporter: Yeah, I knew you'd fall to that. Al: Alright! Reporter: "Amish Paradise", this is kind of a spoof on "Gangsta's Paradise". Al: Kind of a spoof, yeah. Reporter: We heard a little bit of this, but I think we have some of the video, actually. Al: [gasps] [plays clip from "Amish Paradise"] Reporter: Oh, the Amish rights league will be calling the station later today Reporter: Luckily they're not watching! [laughing] Reporter: Oh, boy. Reporter: Well, the name of the CD is called "Bad Hair Day". I think we had a picture of it up Reporter: and it's out now. Al: As we speak! Reporter: As we speak. Al: Feel free to rush out in a buying frenzy. Reporter:[laughs] You gonna be anywhere else around Chicago today? Al: I'll probably be back in my hotel room in few minutes. [laughing] Reporter: You know what I mean! Al: Oh! Reporter: Can the public come see you anywhere? Al: Oh, well, we're going to be on the road doing the "Bad Hair" tour this summer, I don't think we have a Chicago date yet, but we probably will. Reporter: Okay. Reporter: Okay, we'd like you to stick around and read "Pet Pix" for us in a little bit, alright? Al: [slaps hands down on desk] Okay! Reporter: You've been dying to do it, I know. [commercials run] Reporter: Welcome back, and let's open up the "Pet Pix" album for a few, and "Weird Al"'s gonna help us read these today. Al: Well, it's Cinco de Mayo weekend everybody, and here's a couple of cool cats who look ready to party! Ha ha haaa! Say hello to Phantom and Scooter. HELLO PHANTOM! HI SCOOTER! Ahh, aren't they cute? Ah, man; what would Cinco de Mayo be without- would it be complete without someone doing the cha-cha? This guy may look lazy, but look! He's got a sombrero on! He's ready to go! Whoa ho ho hooow! And of course we've got Pee-pee the miniture Schnowzer! Reporter: I think that's Pepe. Al: Oh Pepe! Yeah, yeah. And if you look closer...Look, LOOK! There's two little white kittens by his side! Look! Look at that! Oooooh! Those two kittens just love Reporter: they love to jump on Pee-pee's head. If you wanna join the pet parade, send your pictures into "WGN Morning News" Pet Pix. [rattles off address] [hysteric laughter going on in the background during all of this] Reporter: Ya know, "Weird Al", we have a Men's room if you wanna talk some trash. Al: You done with this pie? [grabs a piece of pie off the desk and shoves into face] [laughing] Al: [with pie all over his face] I love pie! Look, I gotta go now, but thank you very much. Reporter: Okay, we're gonna let you go. Al: [steps off stage] Oh, very good! Reporter: Oh! Well, we've got another pet... Reporter: "Weird Al", you need to know...well, you just ripped your mike off. Anyway, this is "Weird Al"'s publicists' dog. Shirl's dog. Shirl, what's the name of the dog? Shirl: Violet. Reporter: Violet! Oh, Violet looks very relaxed. Reporter: Alright. Reporter: "Weird Al"'s happy, alright. [more laughing] Reporter: We'll never be able to do that segment ever again. Reporter: No. Reporter: "Weird Al"'s wardrobe brought to you by "Granimals" today everybody. [whole news crew laughs]