Weird Al-gorithm

This week we are joined by Kelly Phillips who wrote an amazing graphic novel called "Weird Me" about her experiences growing up a die-hard Weird Al fan. She picked the Kinks homage "Don't Wear Those Shoes" as the song she wanted to discuss this week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we discuss Al's parody of El Debarge's "Who's Johnny". Al's take on the song written for Short Circuit is an ode to Johnny Carson's announcer Ed McMahon. Is Al's song good or do we just really really really like the El DeBarge original? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we cover Al's 3rd Polka medley and the ONLY time that the Polka is also a title track of the album. It's also his shortest Polka. Where does it rank up with the other Polkas? Listen and find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we tackle the song One of Those Days; another entry in the long list of Weird Al songs where someone talks about catastrophe like a day to day minor inconvenience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the biggest strike against Polka Party is that Al did not parody many songs that would leave it's mark on pop culture; Robert Palmer's Addicted to Love was the one exception. So does Al's send up to Potato obsession "Addicted to Spuds" do the song justice? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we tackle Al's send-up to Talking Heads and office politics "Dog Eat Dog". We dive into our own personal fandom of the Talking Heads, why Al thinks this is the highlight of this album and our own experiences with working in a corporate hellscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are officially diving into Polka Party, the first album to almost kill Al's career. We are joined by returning guest Jim Logrando to dive into how this song gave us an extensive knowledge of hernias and if Al was forced to make this parody by the Scotti Brothers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff "UH-Jeff" Nucera is back this week to discuss The Compleat Al. This pseudo-documentary was created to both promote Dare to Be Stupid AND tell the fictional tale of Weird Al's life. Be sure to check out all of Matt's projects on Geekscape.net and Matthew's band Wheatus Email us with your thoughts at: weirdalgorithmpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we dive into more Al-TV with Episode 3 which aired on July 7, 1985! We were joined by Katie Hampton of Geekscape and the Black & White podcast to discuss the highs and the lows of this bizarre anti-comedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we are joined by Comic Book Artist and Rock Supestar James Kochalka to discuss Al's second Polka "Hooked on Polkas"; which closes out Dare to Be Stupid. Is it improvement on last years Polka or a step down? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the podcast we talk about something rare in Al's catalogue ... a failed style parody. Cable TV was originally written to be In the style of Elton John; specifically his song Hercules but ultimately they missed the mark and just called it an original. How does it hold up against his other originals? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we discuss Al's first soundtrack song "This is the Life" which was written for the movie Johnny Dangerously and ended up on the Dare to Be Stupid album. Is this send off to 1930's mobsters a classic or should it be sleeping with the fishes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week filmmaker Levi Wilson joins us to discuss the extremely controversial parody Girls Just Wanna Have Lunch. Reportedly the Scotti Brothers forced Al to write this song and despite a few good funny lines you can hear the rebellion in Al's voice throughout. While many think it's pretty low-ranking for Al's output, it's actually one of Levi's favorites. Can he convince us otherwise? Learn mor...

This week John Wlaysewski joins us to discuss Al's sci-fi new wave song Slime Creatures from Outer Space which was inspired by a very obscure Thomas Dolby song. While it may not be the most laugh out loud song in Al's career it's definitely one of the most unique musically! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here's a quick bonus episode of Matt and Matthew's immediate thoughts on the Weird Al biopic "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" which is now available on the Roku Channel! This is full of spoilers, you've been warned! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We were debating if it was possible to do a full episode on George of the Jungle; one of the only covers in the entire Al discography. Matt Kelly said it couldn't be done while Matthew Milligan swore it would; based on the fact that we've got this episode out right now it's obvious who was correct. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we are joined by Wheatus vocalist Brendan B. Brown who discusses the first but not last Star Wars parody Yoda! We discuss the finer points of the song, our love of Star Wars and the Kinks and how this song is embedded in Brendan's memories of childhood basement band practices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we are joined by Philly Wedding DJ and Quizzo Host A.J. Santini to discuss one of the most highly coveted songs in Al's catalogue .... One More Minute. This ode to classic Doo Wop music is often considered one of Al's strongest songs and cheapest music videos. We discuss if this was inspired by Billy Joel's "An Innocent Man" as well as one of the rare times Al goes Blue in his lyrics. Le...

Last week we discussed the highest of the highest and ventured into the lowest of the lows. I Want a New Duck is most likely no one's favorite Weird Al song... but is it his worse? It's definitely a contender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we are taking on the heavy hitter; Dare to Be Stupid. Thanks to it's appearance in Transformers: The Movie it's arguably the most well known Weird Al original (and also one of the rare Weird Al Title Tracks). We dive deep into our love of not just this song, but also Devo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we kick off the Dare to be Stupid album with returning guest Chris Fafalios. We breakdown the Weird Al Parody "Like a Surgeon"; this song was the first and possibly only time that Al took a parody concept from the artist he was parodying. It's strange that Al never did another Madonna parody after this since it was such a success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch...

We are joined by Patrick McDonald of the comedy group SMOSH to discuss the first two episodes of ALTV. Did these specials inspire The State? it's very possible! Did it redefine alternative comedy? Sure we can say that I suppose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we wrap up the In 3-D album with the fake horror anthem Nature Trail to Hell. We are joined by Christian Bladt of the Geekscape Book Club to breakdown this epic Al original. Plus we decide where the album currently sits amongst the rest! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we review the final parody on In 3-D; the Survivor "Eye of the Tiger" parody that doubles as a Rocky parody .... Theme From Rocky XIII (Rye or the Kaiser). It's not an often discussed parody but maybe it should be! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the stranger songs on In 3-D is this original song about a man who loves dancing. It's not a specific style parody but it feels like it could have been part of the Footloose soundtrack; only it basically pre-dates the dance movie craze of the mid-80s! How do the Matt's feel about it? Listen and find out!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices