Do Go On - 436 - Weird Al Yankovic

Episode Date: February 28, 2024

Alfred Yankovic is probably most famous for changing the words of well known songs so that they are about food, but he's so much more than that! We get superfan Evan Munro-Smith on this week to talk about the man, the myth, the legend, Weird Al!This is a comedy/history podcast, the report begins at approximately 09:11 (Evan begins his personal anecdote about Weird Al) then the topic proper begins at 26:03 (though as always, we go off on tangents throughout the report).Support the show and get rewards like bonus episodes: patreon.com/DoGoOnPodSupport the show on Apple podcasts and get bonus episodes in the app: http://apple.co/dogoon Live show tickets: https://dogoonpod.com/live-shows/ Submit a topic idea directly to the hat: dogoonpod.com/suggest-a-topic/ Twitter: @DoGoOnPodInstagram: @DoGoOnPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoGoOnPod/Email us: [e-mail] Check out our other podcasts:Book Cheat: https://play.acast.com/s/book-cheatPrime Mates: https://play.acast.com/s/prime-mates/Listen Now: https://play.acast.com/s/listen-now/Who Knew It with Matt Stewart: https://play.acast.com/s/who-knew-it-with-matt-stewart/ Our awesome theme song by Evan Munro-Smith and logo by Peader ThomasDo Go On acknowledges the traditional owners of the land we record on, the Wurundjeri people, in the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders, past and present.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just jumping in really quickly at the start of today's episode to tell you about some upcoming opportunities to see us live in the flesh. And you can see us live at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2024. We are doing three live podcasts on Sundays at 3.30 at Basement Comedy Club April 7, 14 and 21. You can get tickets at doogleonpod.com. Matt, you're also doing some shows around the country. That's right.

I'm doing shows with Sarenjay Manar who's been on the show before. We're going to be in Perth in January, Adelaide in February, Melbourne through the festival in April, and then Brisbane after that. I'm also doing Who Knew It's in Perth and Adelaide. Details for all that stuff at mattsduickcomedy.com. Hello and welcome to another episode of Do Go On. My name is Jess Perkins and as always I'm joined by my good friend Matt Stewart. So good to be here with you, Jessica Perkins. Yes. Jessica Ann Perkins. Yes. J-A-P.

That's correct. Good to see you once again. Thank you and you. And we are joined this week by a dear friend of ours, somebody who we believe outside of work lives inside a computer. Yes. It's our good friend Evan Monroe Smith.

Oh thanks for having me man thanks. It's nice to be out of that computer. Yeah. Tighten there. It's really stretching. I say part man, part machine, but there's no part of you that is man anymore. Is it?

Are you all machine now? It's all machine. You're so strong as well. Last time I saw you you were 98% machine. So we're the full 100 now? Yep. Cool. Faden out of a machine you were 98% machine. So we're the full 100 now. Yeah. Cool. Fading out.

I'm a machine that lives in a machine. Wow. What was the last 2% of you that had to go? Come on, mate. Just my nose. Yeah, it's always what people do last. Yeah, because it's been very hard for. I can't smell anymore.

AI to figure out the smell. But it's always like, is this room smell funny? I'm like, I don't know. I don't know. Is this burning? I don't know. Who's Beck? Evan, you're not on Game of Game now.

You've got to explain. Because my partner, she's been on this show. She has. She won Best Evan in the 2023. That sounds like quite an upset to me. Yeah. I was surprised. Was I nominated?

Wolf. Yes. Okay. And yet she's still one. Wow. So I'm going to step up my Evan game. I think so. Is it because I've gone machine? Is that possibly. But by being on today's episode, it does make you eligible for the 2024 Best Evan Award. Which Beck at this point is not. Yeah, it hasn't been on yet this year. Okay. So you're in the box seat. All right. Okay. So this is feeling pretty promising for you, Yeah, Beck hasn't been on yet this year. Okay. So you're in the box seat.

All right. Okay. All right. So this is feeling pretty promising for you, but- It's got to hold on to this lead somehow. But we will have Beck on at some point. Okay. Right. Apart from when you've been inside the show, have you ever listened to this before, ever? Of course.

Do you feel comfortable explaining the concept of the show to new listeners and listeners? Like, the listeners. Lassners? Lassners? That's a hotel in neighbors, I think. Oh. So, yeah, of course. Is and lasts and lasts. That's a hotel and neighbors, I think. So, yeah, of course, I could explain the concept of this show. Great. Go for it. So, so every week, one of you guys normally, this would be Dave, Jess and Matt would bring

in a report that they've written on a specific special topic presented to the others. And, you know, with a bitter riffin, it's informational, it's entertainment tool. It's great. It's a good little chat about a thing you get to learn and you get to laugh. I think you did a great job there. And at the moment, Dave is on leave of some kind.

Yeah, some kind that is fine. And he's OK. Okay. People have started to get a little worried. You know, there's been a few jokes gone around like, should we be putting pictures of Dave on milk cartons and stuff? And we're like, no, he's fine. Nobody reads milk cartons. Yeah, exactly. That's not Australian culture doesn't do that. So people will be like, what is that ad for a boy for? Yeah. What's this ad for a little boy on my milk? Yeah. What's going on?

I also don't buy milk in a carton. Mine's like a bottle. Yeah. No, me too. Like a plastic bottle. Yeah. Cause I hate the environment. So anyway, just something to think about.

It is. But we usually get on to topic with a question and is Matt's turn to do a report this week? Matt, do you have a question for us? I do and Evan knows the topic. So this question is just to you. Great. I hope it's about maths or geography because those are my strengths and I can always answer those questions.

Well, this is about your probably your favorite topic, Evan Monroe Smith. You love Evan. I love Evan. I don't know if you say that on mic much, but you say it almost an uncomfortable amount. To Evan? Yeah. I know, because I love to, anytime we have a conversation with Evan and then he goes back to his box.

As he walks away, I say, his box. I say, love you. And I wait. And sometimes if he doesn't say it back, I say, Evan. And so now he knows that he always says it back. And it's joyful for me. And it's from the heart. Well, I do love you, Jessica.

You've trained him like a dog. Exactly. He knows. Just get it over and done with. Get her off your back to say, yeah, I love you too. Close the door to your box. And off you go. Jess gives him a little chocolate treat.

Yeah. That's where it differs from training dogs. All right. So the question is, Evan Monroe Smith's three three favorite musicians as far as I can tell. Okay. We haven't talked about this. Okay. Are nine inch nails. Yes. RJD2. Yes.

And who? Is he wearing merch for this particular artist at the moment? I can't give any clues. Because I wouldn't have known those two, but the big one I would know would be Weird Al Junkovich. That is correct. Yes. Oh, that's so cool. Am I right with the other two, Ev?

Yeah, definitely no sounds. I'd say these two I do like. But I wonder if they'd be... I haven't thought about who my favorite eyes would be. No one is now's gotta be... That's a bit of a lock. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.

It is hard to nail down... I mean, some people have very clear top three or lock. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. It is hard to nail down. I mean, some people have a very clear top three or like top five, whatever. I find I struggle to name my favorite artists. Yeah, it chips around so much. Right? It depends on the mood you're in. It depends on.

There's artists I've listened to for 20 years and I go, yeah, well, they'd have to be up there. But I'm also going through a phase of this particular band or this genre. I'm not listening to much knowledge nows at the moment. I mean, they haven't released much new stuff, but also, you know, but every now and then I'll go back and I love it. But it's not something I'm listening to a lot of at the moment. My favorite Nine Inch Nails song is probably Take Me Down to the Old Town Road.

One of their most successful tracks, weirdly. Oh, a little niche. Yeah. Yeah, pretty underground. You might want to say that. I didn't expect them to be top in the country little niche. Yeah. Yeah, pretty underground. You might not have heard of it. Didn't expect him to be top in the country charts there. Yeah. You know, he got, that song was getting quite popular before they'd got permission to use the banjo from Trent Reznor.

Oh, right. And then apparently they started panicking like, oh, shit. We don't get this. What do we do? And luckily he was really cool about it. Let him have it. I mean, he's a cool guy. Also seems like smart business from him. Oh, for sure.

Something's making your music popular again. And interestingly, we will talk a bit about permission from artists to other artists in this week's episode. But firstly, let me tell you who suggested it. It's been just by Evan Monroe Smith. Quite a few people. Nearly all of them named Evan Monroe Smith and put two and two together. It's been suggested by Joff from Lull Radio and Colac, Kevin Packrad from New York, Quentin Chalet from Tampa and Florida, Will Hull from England, Gregory Gritman from NIAC in New York, Jason Frey from Clearwater, Florida, Will Hull from England, Gregory Gritman from NIAC in New York, Jason Frey from Clearwater,

Florida, Matthew Abad from Seattle, Washington, Jess Gillett-Sheetha from Sydney, Lauren Joiner from Chanda, Arizona, and Gary J from the UK. Oh, that is a long list. And a lot of the names we know quite well. Mm, that's yeah, that's right. I know Joff from Lowell Radio has sent in questions, so who knew it with Matt Stewart, where the question is which one? Well, name a weird L. Right. Which are really fun because it means the guests get to make up a funny or bad, often parody song title. Gary J, everyone gets to write a little paragraph about why they'd like to hear the topic.

Gary J wrote, I love hearing the episodes where the report giver loves the topic. That's why I want the second banana, Evan Monroe Smith, to be a guest on it. He wanted you to do the report, but at this late stage, he's the one to vote on the Patreon. And when it was looking like it was going to win, I said, Evan, any chance you're free to record with us this week? Because I definitely was like, I can't do it without Evan. It would feel wrong. It would feel wrong. So I don't think I have enough objective distance to write a report like this.

Anyway, I think it's better for me to. But I think, yeah, you are second banana-ing like you do with me on Primates, our podcast about primates in popular culture from Japan A all the way down to Japan Z. So I know I can remember that now whenever I recorded it. You always got to read it. But yeah, I figure you can sort of be the side reporter. So if you ever have any tidbits that you want to fill in. Try to add some color if I've got a little bit of it.

Yes, you're the color commentator to put in a sporting thing. Is that a sporting thing? Yeah, the color commentators. They want to add a bit of flavor, but. Oh, firstly, Evan, just to set the table here. Yes, you are a massive fan and you have been a long time. Yeah, a long time fan. My favorite will.

Weird ale related story is your one about going to see him in Canberra. Yes. Can you tell it to the listeners who haven't heard? I'm sure I'm told it before. This is one of my favorite Evan stories. Yeah. Yeah. So I, um, weird.

So I discovered Weird Al, um, in, must have been the late 90s, maybe 99, 2000 D. Um, and just, it just blew my mind. I'm like, I didn't realize that, that music could be fun. Like genuinely, I didn't realize music could be funny. Um, and I was just, I just blew my mind. I'm like, I didn't realize that that music could be fun. Like genuinely, I didn't realize music could be funny. And I was just I just loved it immediately. And so I and so the next time he toured Australia, which was I think it must have been 2006, 2007, my friend, M was also a big fan. And she's like, Oh, he's going to be on Spicks and Specs, which in Australia is a music quiz show. Yeah. And they often have musical guests on and so we're like, we have to go be in the audience for Spicks and Spicks. And so

that was filming in Melbourne. And so that's the first time I got to meeting was after that show. And we were seeing him like the next day in Melbourne for this Melbourne show at the Art Center. But we were at the ABC and met him that first time and his manager was there, Jay Levy. And he's like, oh, would you like to come backstage at the show? How are you meeting him? That speaks in specs. Were you working there at the time? No, we were just in the audience and we waited around afterwards. And I think there's only one way in and out of Gordon Street. Oh, you waited at the door. Oh, that's cool.

That's such a classic. You see that in like biopics and stuff. Yeah, yeah. There were no special access or anything. We were just very patient. I love it. I can't remember how long it was. It was quite a while that we were waiting there.

Were there many of you waiting? No, I think we were the only ones. There might have been one other person who I think M was friends with who was also a big fan. So that was such a thrill and amazing to get invited backstage. It's because my friend M was, there's also a bit of a campaign, not sure if this will come up, to get him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And so we were doing a bit of like, I don't know, just rallying on the forums

and being supportive of that. So I think that's partly why they were like, oh, you know, come and hang out, sort of thing. I don't bring that up. Do you want to talk about it now? All there is, there's a big fan campaign to get Weird Ale into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It seems like he's had such a long, successful career that it seems like such a natural thing, but he hasn't.

They just don't see him as a legit artist. I'm not sure if that's what it is. I think, like, I see the people that are getting inducted. They don't induct many people, and the people that they do induct you've been like, why are they not already, like, it takes a, like, it really is quieter. They're a lot of legends. Yeah, yeah. And they're only two. The reality is, how did that guy get it? Like, I think I'm not a good guy. like yeah it is like it really is a lot of legends yeah and only really you go yeah how did that go again I think I'm good jingle for yeah yeah McDonald's

for no I was only just got in there recently maybe yeah right anyway sorry the song on sorry anyway so we go backstage at the Melbourne show we meet him again and get photos and and my family was going to the show as well. And they got to meet him. It was, you know, really, really. They starting to recognize you and stuff. Yeah. Like, well, I mean, this was only a day later or something.

And he remembered you. And he remembered that. That is cool. I heard he's a gentleman. Not only that, but this, this, he's, he like, saw my friend Em, who has dreadlocks and he's like, oh, you're not a Emily. Is, which is a username from the forum. Wow.

So he, he, I don't know. We were just very impressed with like, oh, he like is on the forums and is across this and he has an incredible memory for things. Anyway, that's a whole other thing. But at the backstage of the Melbourne show, I think he's managed it again was like, oh, so you're coming to the camera show? We're like, no, it was the next day. He's like, oh, well, you know, let me know if you want to come. Because I think they're from, you know, they're

from America, where I guess they're doing towns that are a bit closer together or something like that. Maybe Melbourne and Canberra are not very close. Yeah. Yeah, it was about a nine hour drive or something. Yeah, something like that. Seven hour drive maybe. Yeah. Between seven and nine. Depending on traffic. Yeah, exactly. Time of day, how fast you're going, do you stick to the speed limit? How many times do you need to piss? Well, maybe like... Are you an adult yet?

I must be 16, maybe. So nice. 16, 17. So nice. And you're already getting invited backstage to rock star shows. Weird Al, I knew that. Everyone says he's a gentleman, but now... Now I get where the weird comes from.

The other shoes dropped. Anyway, so we're like, no, we couldn't possibly, but then we're I get where the weird comes from the other shoes dropped. Um, anyway, so we're like, no, we couldn't possibly, but then we're also like, yeah, actually, maybe we, maybe we, anyway, so we, how do you say no? Yeah. How do you, you can't say no to an opportunity like that to go see, to go to camera, man, you're in the room with at the moment. Imagine seeing him right up close. What, what's going on backstage? Is there a party atmosphere or what are you doing back there?

They're just hanging out. Him and the band just hanging out. I've got some footage on my phone of hanging out with them and they're just like, I don't know, his keyboard players on the piano that's back there playing like a salsa version of smells like Teen Spirit or something like, you know, just like, they don't know this heaven, you know, it's after a show. They're just hanging out because he's very tight with the band.

They are the kind of things I'd love you to feel in because I don't I don't think I mentioned his band at all. All right. In my report that I've got here. So maybe as we go along, you can bring up some. You know, maybe what their favorite cocktail is. Yeah. That's how I would have cleaned off on backstage.

Yeah. But anyway, so we went home that night. And like after the show, it was like midnight after we got home from the show. And I was talking to M on Messenger or whatever we had been at the time. Not a M. Not a M. Yeah, you know. I recognize that from the forums. And we're like, maybe we should go. How do we go? Because we're living in lies. We're like, well, we'd have to take a taxi to Frankston and then we could take a train, because we didn't drive. We could take a train to Spencer Street Station

at one point at a time and then we could take a V-line to, like, or we were dongle or whatever. And then, you know, we were like planning it out and we're like, maybe we should just do this. And so we didn't tell our parents because it was midnight, everyone was asleep. And so, like know, we were like planning it out. And we're like, maybe we should just do this. And so we didn't tell our parents because it was midnight, everyone was asleep. And so like we did that. We were just like in the middle of the night.

You left there and then? Yeah, pretty much. Yeah, like we got a taxi, we met at the station and we- Wait, did you get a rucksack over your shoulder right now? No, well, we didn't. I don't even know what our plan was. We didn't plan to stay overnight, I don't think. But we did.

Well, no, we must have planned to stay overnight. But it was just a very off the cuff. It was just like, this is the once in a lifetime opportunity we have to, you know, it's like we can't not do this. Just live a little, you know? So we, yeah, we went to Canberra and then I remember calling my mom in the morning.

It must be like nine in the morning, we're like, hey, so, I'm in Canberra. Ha ha ha. Was it a school day or We're like, Hey, so I mean, camera. Was it a school day or something? No, no, I was like, I think it was a, must have been a Sunday, but no, maybe it was a Saturday, but it was a weekend. Yeah. But she, yeah, it was, she was quite,

she would have thought you were taking the piss at first, I made her. She was pretty surprised. She wasn't happy about it. It doesn't feel to me like a very Evan move. No, I normally, I'm not very spontaneous. Oh, neither am I. So I'm not saying it was judgment.

I'm just, I love this story because it feels not like you. And also you're 16 and in the middle of the night you've just left and gone to camera. It feels like such a rock and roll story, but the musician is weird out. Exactly. Yeah. So you're like a Molly crew or something. You're story, but the musician is weird. Exactly. Yeah. So you have a lot of Molly Crue or something.

Yeah. Also that the destination is Canberra. Yeah. Everything about it is perfect. It's so good. I love the story so much. Yeah, so we got to hang out at the Canberra Theatre. We got backstage passes again and we went backstage and hung out and it was, yeah, it's

great. I should get into the story. Yeah. But did you end up working with him and you want to tell us about that later? Or did you just met him again recently? I just met into the story. Yeah. But did you end up working with him? And you want to tell us about that later? Or did you just met him again recently? I just met him again recently. Yeah.

I would love to. It's my dream to work with him. But I got to meet him again when he toured Melbourne last year. Yeah, cool. That was very good. And he remembered you and Naughty Emmy? No. Well, and didn't get to go backstage, which was a shame at the time.

But I can tell, maybe I can tell that a bit later. Yeah, sure. Love it. Love having you here for this. Yes, it's perfect. And it probably is best for you not to do the report because when I did a report on something I love, Riverdance, I was too close to it

and I couldn't join in on the jokes because I was like, how dare you not take Irish dancing seriously, like I do. So it's best for you to be in this position, I think. Yeah. And I expect you to take weird archivics seriously. And I do and I will. Also, the pressure of a topic like that, it can be feel pretty big to do it justice. That's why I ended up doing a five hour plus episode about the saints because I felt the pressure to be really good to it.

Yeah, you care about it. You don't want to just really sorry. I wasn't there for that episode. Really sorry. Let's say I mean, you can listen to it anytime. And I have and I love it. OK, so Alfred Matthew Yankovic was born in Downey, California on the 23rd of October, 1959.

I'm going to go on a tangent straight away here because I almost instantly fell into a Downey hole. He wasn't it. He was born there, but he grew up in the suburb next to it. But anyway, it was too late. I was already reading. Where did he grow up? What's the suburb? He grew up. Not Linwood, is it? It's Linwood. Yeah. Straight out of reading it. Where did he grow it? What's the sub in it? Uh, he grew up. Not Linwood, is it? It's Linwood. Yeah.

Straight out of Linwood. Is that an album? Yeah, because it's an out yet. I think that's right. Yeah. Um, so yeah, it's like at about 20 Ks south of downtown LA and apart from being the birthplace of weird out, it's famous for a few other things. For instance, the oldest existing McDonald's restaurant is in Downey.

Wow. It was the third McDonald's restaurant and opened on the 18th is in Downey. Wow. It was the third McDonald's restaurant and opened on the 18th of August, 1953. Wow. It predates Ray Crox involvement in the company and was the second restaurant that Richard and Maurice McDonald franchised. It's the one with those two separate golden archers.

I'm pretty sure, did you do the episode about McDonald's years ago? I think so. And I think you talked about this building. So it's like a real cool. Yeah, I think I can picture it. Yeah. I don't know if Art Deco was the right word. Yeah, something like that. Well, 953 is probably beyond Art Deco, but it was something like it isn't that sort of mid-century. Yeah, it's got the big like arcs that cross over.

Like mid-century modern or something. Yeah. It's the style of architecture that Tim Rosso loves. Sure. The American Rosso. Oh, think. Sure. The American. American. Rosso. Oh, right. Of course.

Yeah. Yeah. He's done like documentaries about and stuff. Okay. Cool. Anyway, yeah. So that I thought that was pretty interesting, but also the 1950s is a big decade for Danny. We had Al's born.

That old McDonald's was built there. But also, Danny was in the papers in July of 1955 all around the country because of a strange mystery. I'm going to read you an article dated Tuesday the 5th of July. It was reported on in the Michigan Daily right across the country. And the headline, disappearing hoses annoy Californians. Now, I just want to double check that their word for hoses is the same as ours. Yes. Like garden hose. Garden hose. Like a way to get water from a tap to somewhere else.

Or a bong to your mouth. Correct. Is that our bong though? I don't know either. Is that our bombsweep? I don't know either. So, this story is from Downey, California and it reads, The earth in this Los Angeles suburb seems to have developed an extraordinary and baffling appetite for garden hoses.

It has now swallowed portions of three. Yesterday, however, puzzled homeowners put a stop to the mysterious goings-on. Two severed their errant hoses, the third dug his out. It all started last Thursday when George DePeso's daughter was watering the garden with a green plastic hose. When she stuck it into the dirt, she was unable to pull it out. I don't know how she's watering this garden, to be honest. You can just do it from a top. You don't have to she's watering this garden to be honest. You can just do it from like a top. Yeah. You know, you can just sort of sprinkle. You don't have to shove it into the roots.

Yeah, I don't get that. Yeah, that's right. You can, you know, you moisten the top, it'll get down. The pressure of the hose also, you know, can deliver. Yeah, you could stand up. Yeah, you don't have to shove it. Yeah, I haven't watered a garden in a long time. Anyway, housing crisis and I live in an apartment with the balcony.

Yeah. But also there's rain. There's rain. That's right, I think. With the internet connections, I think it's better for the connection to be direct to the house rather than she's sort of, we got to tell her about, you can water the garden to the node. Yeah.

It's very niche Australian terminology there. But I read today it's not very good. But the government a few years ago had this great idea about we don't need to deliver it to the house. We can deliver it to a node and then you can pick it up from there with like little strings. Or maybe we just have a guy there who could yell out things you're downloading. The libros thought you could get away with wireless watering but it doesn't really work. Yeah, or maybe we just have a guy there. It could yell out things you're downloading. Telepathy. Yeah. Yeah. The liberals thought you could get away with wireless watering, but it doesn't really work. Yeah, that's right. Anyway, so she put in the dirt, wasn't able to get it out.

Even worse than that, it started burrowing downward. The hose has been heading for China at a rate of two or three inches an hour ever since. So, hang on. The hose is getting sucked into the ground? Is that what's going on? Yeah. Wow. Jeez. Until yesterday morning when De Peso got fed up with all the publicity, his hose had been getting and chopped it off.

More than two feet of it had disappeared. Whoa. Before he just said he chopped off and let the ground take the rest. Yeah. Meanwhile, two other nearby residents reported similar vanishing acts. Calvin Barum of nearby Norwalk, sorry if that's an accent, said he stuck his hose a couple of inches into the ground toward the roots of a tree again. Again, just it'll get there.

Yeah, it'll get there. Triggled down water economically. Correct. When he returned an hour later, two feet had been sucked down and he couldn't pull it out. Yesterday morning, with five feet gone, Barham got curious and started digging. He says he found the end was embedded in soft sand, which apparently created enough suction to hold the hose solid.

He reckons that claimed solved the mystery, but authorities, however, said they are baffled by the disappearances. No one seems sure. What force draws the hose down? It is a long article. Hmm. Nearly done. The third case was that of Mrs. Robert Breeze. I love how they used to do that.

Yeah. You used to get not only you got you got the Mrs. but you also got your husband's first name. Yeah. Yeah. You get a new surname and a new first name. You got their entire name with an S added to the Mr. Yeah. It's pretty cool. That is really cool. Bring it back. I agree.

So anyway, Mrs. Robert Brees of Downey stuck a hose in a hole to try and drown a gopher. When she returned, found 15 feet of it had disappeared. 15 feet? Yeah. I'm reckon it's the gopher. I think it's the gopher. I think it's the gopher. They're fighting back and forth.

You're like, oh, I was trying to drown a gopher and now my hose is gone. You were trying to drown the gopher. I think it's gotta be the gopher. They're fighting back and failing. You're like, oh, I was trying to drown a gopher. Now my hose is gone. You were trying to drown a gopher. Yeah. Now the gopher's stolen my hose. I think that maybe you've asked for it. I think you gave the gopher your hose by shoving it in its hole. If I was a gopher and I saw a hose poking into my house,

let's say thank you so much. Thank you for the gift. I was actually going to smoke a few cones later. I was going to say my kids have been asking for a pool. Yes. Now I can feel it. Exactly. With bong water. So she was unable to pull it out even with the help of three big neighbors. Wow. But apparently Mrs. Breeze put a quick end to the nonsense declaring she wasn't going to lose any more hose and she chopped it off and filled the hole. So I was never really, they never really figured out what it was. Some people think it might have been an underground river sort of thing

and the pressure of the water dragging them, but wow. So then why are they bloody watering their plants and there's already an underground river under there? I mean, come on. Geez, always. Anyway, yeah, like I said, I got stuck in a hole, much like a Downey hose. Yeah, like 15 feet of hose. Just finally about Downey, I'll move on. Shout out to anyone listening from Downey. Did we now have a pretty dull life

and you're just needing to pad early? He didn't even go out there, he was just born there. I didn't even start researching. I was distracted and I, but yeah, he's not the only music legend from, there's sort of the Downey Triumphrant and there are three, Robert Triumphrant, Robert Downey. Yeah, Robert Downey. Metallica frontman James Hepfield was born there and Slayer guitarist Kerry King went to high school there. So they're the big three. Okay. Yeah.

They're the big three of Thrash Metal. Yeah. Anyway, we're not here to talk about them. We're here to talk about another rock god, Alfred Matthew Yankevich or Yankevich. Yankevich. He was born in down here. According to Rene Ostberg running for Britannica, he grew up in Lindwood, California. The only child of Nick Yankevik, a factory worker,

and Mary Yankevik, uh, Ney Vivalda. Oh, a stenographer. Yeah, worked as secretary and a stenographer. There you go. Now I'm going to talk for about 10 minutes about stenography. Great. Now I'm going to talk for about 10 minutes about stenography. Great. I've never understood stenography. Yeah, you're a court type. With that weird machine. Yeah. Yeah.

And it's like, you're just able to talk really, really quickly because of this sort of short hand you get from the machine. Yeah. I don't know. It blows my mind. It is amazing. It's almost, they're even more machine than you. It's like, I guess the machine is or the stenographer is

the stenographer. Okay. It must be just like learning another language. Yeah. Um, you know, cause certain combinations of keys make certain words. And yeah, it's pretty amazing. Cause it's yeah, you're pressing multiple at once to do that. Yeah. It's, um, it is really interesting.

I, but now that I think about it, it's probably one of those professions. It's fading out. Thanks to AI and voice recognition and et cetera. Maybe I was only joking when I said we're going to talk about that for five minutes. Oh, sorry. Osberg continues, in the liner notes to his compilation album Permanent Record, Alina Box from 1994, Yankevic recalled that when he was six years old, quote, a door-to-door salesman came through our neighborhood, trying to solicit business for a local music school.

Kids were offered a choice between guitar lessons and accordion lessons. Since Frankie Yankovic, no relation, was America's poker king, my parents opted for accordion lessons. Perhaps because they figured there should be at least one more accordion playing Yankovic in the world. Have you heard of Frankie Yankovic? The polka. The poker king? I have, but only through Weird Out. Weird Out, right. playing Yankevik in the world. Have you heard of Frankie Yankevik? The Polka.

The Polka King. I have, but only through weird out. Weird out, right. Well, great. Let me tell you about him. He's playing to fame for me is being unrelated to weird out. Oh, right. That's the most notable thing about him to me. I'm also unrelated to weird out.

Interesting. Yeah. I didn't know that about you. There you go. Oh, I am related to him. Well, look, boring. I found an article about Frankie Yankevik. There you go. Oh, I am related to him. Boring. Boring. I found an article about Frankie Yankovic in the New York Times. It's actually his obituary, but I was going to mention that.

Oh, he was. That's an article. It's a type of article, I guess. I mean, he died in his 80s. Yeah. You know, late 90s. No, sorry, in the late 90s. Yeah.

Was he in his early years, sir? So, yeah, in in part the article reads, he was a hardworking singer and accordionist who was crowned the poker king at a poker contest in Milwaukee in 1948 and was known by that title through five subsequent decades before my record. I love that, just some Milwaukee event. He's like, that's me, try and take that off me.

I'm the poker king now. But like, is it P-O-L-K? Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Am I saying it funny? You're saying poker, but I would say polka. Polka. Get the L in there a little. Right. Polka.

Polka, polka. Yeah. That's the thing I know most about polka. Because at first I was like, I'm alone. He's a poker king, which has nothing to do with accordion. Wolf. Yeah. Yeah. That's wolf. accordion. Orph. Yeah. Yeah. That's more of fire. Getting fires.

Gotcha. Yeah. Yeah, that's funny. So pop. Yes. I think I thought they were homophones or whatever the word is. Well, they kind of are, but just, you know, you can you can lean into the L. Polka. I think it's Polka. Yeah. I think potentially today we can probably get away with either.

But. Polka king. Yeah. And if I mean, just one or no can probably get away with either. But Polka King. Yeah. And if I mean, just one, I know, but Weird Al is like a big polka guy. So probably with that context. Yes, it makes no sense. Not necessarily known. I mean, he is known kind of, but not really.

He's less, most know for parodies, but he also does a lot of polkas and accordion stuff. So the modern polka evolved from a bohemian dance dating from the 1830s. I love that. Imagine having a dance craze and a couple hundred years later, it's a music genre. Yeah. So weird. Yeah. After the great wave of Polish immigration to the US in the early 20th century, different

styles of the two-beat dance music emerged, mainly the East Coast, Chicago and Cleveland, Slovenian. Mr. Jankovic, Frankie, became the premier figure in the Slovenian style. He sounds like he could have potentially an even more interesting episode about him. He served in World War II, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, and afterwards, he and his band, the Yanks, recorded a song called Just Because for Columbia Records, which had previously been recorded by the Texas Hillbilly Shelton Brothers, just because it became a crossover hit, the first polka record to sell more than a million copies. So it was a huge hit song. Wow, huge.

Yeah, wow. It's hard to think of a polka song being a hit now, but yeah, this was a different time. Yeah. Soon, he went to yeah, this was a different time. Soon, you went to Hollywood where he filmed a movie short. Frankie went to Hollywood. Frankie went to Hollywood. This is the band was named after the poker king's journey to Hollywood. Is it though? I mean, it could be. Is it? Oh, my God, is it? I don't imagine.

Don't send me on another. I can't all right. We're going to talk about Alfre. We're half an hour in and we're barely talking about me. He actually worked with Doris Day in the recording studio as well. Wow. I just really like this quote. So this last thing about Frankie says, I want to see how far the polka can really go.

This is what he said in 1950. There's no reason why polkas shouldn't be just as popular as rumbas. I stand by that today. I think that as rumbas. I stand by that today. I think that's a great call. I stand by that. There's no reason. There's no reason it shouldn't be as popular as rumbas. Yeah.

Can there not be a space in the world for rumbas and polkas? Yes, come on. Everyone's gone rumber mad right now, but. Yeah. Guys. Save a little room in your heart. Still plenty of us who rumble is a fine, but maybe want to hear. It's too good for too long.

Yeah, it was about time someone said it. Yeah. Anyway, so he was a big deal and it seems like without him just happening to have the same surname and being a poker guy, yeah, we'd all might have learnt the guitar and things would have been very different. Yeah, interesting. Another key player in Weird Al's come up was a radio DJ named Dr. Demento. You familiar with this guy, Evan? Yeah, yeah.

To the bit. Yeah. So I watched the movie Weird. Have you seen that pop? I haven't. No. It's like it's very loosely based on the truth, but it's also was kind of a spoof of music bio pics which feels right. If it was a really sincere if it was a rocket man style or like Bohemian Rhapsody style about weird

Owl, you'd be like, yeah, it's a great story, but it should make sense to be a parody. It should be silly. So there's this Doctor Demento character in it. This guy wears a top hat and tuxedo the whole time played by Ryan Wilson. And I'm like, I watched the whole movie thinking what a funny character they've made up to be. Like this is his mentor. And then I looked up and I was like, oh, this is a real guy. I can't believe it.

But anyway, so Doctor Dementoo was a radio DJ and noble profession. Yes. Just saying. I don't do it anymore. But if anybody's hiring, I might be open to it. Yeah. Just I can press buttons. Get in touch. Get in touch. You come to me. I'm not coming to you. If they're good doctor is listening doctor. Yeah. So he had a nationally syndicated show that featured novelty in comedy songs quite prominently. He finished every episode with the funny five, the top five most voted for

songs that week, according to Daniel Cougla, which is one of the best names I've come across, Ronnie for Britannica. Dr. Demento was born Barry Hansen on the 2nd of April, 1941. It is less fun. Yeah, he's from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Minnesota. Minnesota. In 1970, Hansen's friend, Steven Seagal,

a disc jockey at the, I assume a different one. Different? He was going to say it. A disc jockey. I don't know. He has had a lot of jobs, I guess. I mean, his names also spelled differently, but still. OK.

I thought it could have been a typo. Maybe it was the same guy. Maybe he just changed it at some point. He has. I mean, the other Steven Seagal has had a lot of careers. He's been an actor. He's been a he was a chef on that Navy ship. I don't think that was just one of his acting roles.

Yeah. He was also a martial arts expert. Yeah. And a quite a successful musician. Really? Yeah, don't you know his album? God, didn't we play one of his songs once? Yeah, that was on a bonus episode. Oh, right. But man, it was really good. Oh, man, it was pretty offensive. Man, it was pretty offensive. Songs from the Crystal Cave was was the album's name. But what was that?

I can't that song, man. It was offensive in what way? No, I mean, the lyrics or just offensive to listen to. I think maybe it was sort of, but maybe it was like a Jamaican accent. Exactly. He was doing an accent that felt weird. Interesting. Which brings us back to the topic of today.

So yeah, Steven Seagal in 1970, asked Hanson, a guest on his show, and he brought in early rock and roll discs, discs, a spin, including quite rare ones. And he became popular really quickly on the show. Listeners really liked him. So the station gave him his own slot and his programming initially mostly featured blues and do what music. It's such a funny left hand turn. Yeah. But he occasionally would play these novelty comedy songs

and the listeners loved it. Much like Evan, I guess they're going, oh, music could be funny. Yeah. Yeah. And one particular favorite was called Transfusion by NervousNorvis, which was a sound effects later novelty tune about a daring but reckless driver. And it just blew. He got so popular for playing an obscure novelty song. Yeah.

In a 1980 interview with the Washington Post, he recalled that the radio station secretary said that he would have to be demented to play Transfusion. Everyone else at the station had a nickname such as Outrageous Nevada and obscene Stephen Clean. So then and there he became Dr. Demento. The show introduced the work of novelty music artists like Spike Jones, Alan Sherman and Stan of Freeberg and popularized songs such as Dead Puppies by Ogden Edzel and Bill Frenzer and Fish Heads by Barnes and Barnes. And of course, who can forget? Grandma got run over by a reindeer by Elmo and Patsy.

The big three classics. So I mean, I just the more I read that he played, the more I had to put in the list, there's also other classics like Hello Mother, Hello Futter by Alan Sherman, which the Simpsons should when I think did put Camp Granada. Camp Granada. Yep. Hey, you switch their answering machine. Yeah.

March is part of Camp Granada. Something like that. Something like that. Lisa is Lisa, doesn't matter. Yeah. Also, we all remember the cockroach that ate Cincinnati by Possum or Pencilneck Geek performed by professional wrestler Fred Blasey or Make It Love in a Subaru by Damascus. The curly shuffle.

That's just a Thursday night for me. Jump on Settleban and maybe one of the greats rubber biscuit by the chips. So his trademark look, like I said, was top patent tucks with red accessories. We had to have a trademark look as a radio DJ. But I think back then, I guess they are to a certain extent now, the personalities as well. So in their town, they get around to events and whatnot. And he always closed out his show with his top five most requested songs, the 25 and his

trademark sign off. Don't forget to stay demented, which is good. Good advice. I think that's that's up there with my who knew it with Matt Stewart sign off. Yes. Of now that you know what I've been Matt Stewart. Yeah.

I think they're equally good. That's my favorite part of who knew it. Yeah. Yeah. Cause it's a real relief. Yeah. Like, oh, thank God I can go. And by the time he said, I've already kicked the door. I think people can hear on the recordings the door shutting.

That's how the upsides on my end. Oh, do you want me to wait? No, no. Okay, cool. I like it. You said the car's starting in the back room. Jess is gone. So, Yankovic is a kid and he's listening to this show and his world is being opened up. He's loving it.

Yeah. Kordner Osberg, his favorite artists on the show. These are some of them I mentioned, Spock Jones, Alan Sherman, Shel Silverstone. And he was also influenced by the British sketch comedy series, Monty Python's Flying Circus, previous topic of Dugan, as well as musician Elton John, previous topic of Dugan. Those are both mine, I think. Yeah. You're a big influence on Weird Al.

I was just talking about things I liked. You and Weird Al, huh? You both like Evan? I mean, you both remember Evan the day after you meet him? You like is an understatement of how I feel about Evan. I really like him. I think he's alright. In 1973, Dr. Demento went to a high school to talk and that high school had a student named Alfred Yankovic. Whoa, that would be pretty cool. I wonder where this is going.

So, that would have been like if Tripod came to my school, you know? Yeah, that would have been exciting. That would Tripod your weird ale? Oh, big time. Yeah. I was on the forums on their website. Yeah. Like I made friends with people on the tripod forum.

I emailed them a lot and they nearly always responded. They were lovely to me. Yeah, that's so nice. They're so nice. Yeah. And I in starting stand up would kind of talk to people and be like, oh, you know, I love to tripod and it's so nice. The amount of people go, yeah, same.

That's why I got into it. So many people. Yeah. Yeah. So cool. Yeah. The afternoon slot on the triple J drive whether the Bevan the musical

Yeah, that was a song in the song in the house yeah, that's what that was actually that was with Yeah, yeah on American Rosso show I think initially who was the other my other early musical comedy even though they're partially that, but I bought American Rossa's Teenage Mullet Fury EP. Yeah, wow. I'm still kind of starstruck whenever I get to see the truck pod. You're a freaking gay-cy on gamey, gamey game, and I lost my mind. Yeah, he watches the show, and I'm just like. I can't believe that.

Yeah, he's, yeah. It's a, still beside myself. Alistair is going away to Canada thing. Yeah, whenever it was a few months ago Gates he was I'll just sit in there talking and Gates he goes. Oh, hey man, and he was Picking up glasses because his mate run the place something was just helping out Yeah, like this is the fucking nicest guy in the world?

I can't believe it. One time, my best friend was on a school excursion and she'd gotten into tripod because of me. And she was on a school excursion in the city and saw Gatesy and like ran over to him, took a picture of him and got him to sign a piece of paper for me. And she brought it back. She interrupted the class I was in. I'm like, sorry, I just need Jess for a minute. And she's like, okay, yeah, sure. And I'm like, what's wrong? And she showed me this picture on her, on her camera and this piece of paper. And I like screamed and cried. And I was so upset that I hadn't seen it, but I had that piece of paper

like stuck in my journal for years afterwards. And then I've seen him at gigs. Like he's seen me do stand up a couple of, I don't know if he knows who I am, but he's been at like, he was at one of Dave's blind dating shows at the comedy festival one. I know. So great. So great. Just wild. It's insane. It's so cool. And when they were written into a Star Wars book, they had their characters named after

them and I think since they become like a Star Wars, you know, like they changed it so that the books weren't all lore anymore. Right. So they're like a, we're only a legend now. Oh, you're the North Canada't all lore anymore. So they're like, we're only a legend there. Yeah. But I remember when Yon, early comedy festival went to that. One of the first shows, I saw a comedy festival as well at the high five bar. But maybe later that week, I was singing another show and Yon was walking past.

And I was, and I went, oh, hey, and he sort of turned and then I like I lost my nerve Back to weed out. Yeah, sorry So yes, he spoke dr. Demento spoke at Yankevits Yankevits high school and He Yankevich approached him giving him a cassette tape with some songs he'd written and recorded at home. Then three years later, I don't know if anything came of that, but you know, he was kind or whatever I suppose. Three years later, he sent him another tape, this one including an original song he wrote about family road trips called Belvedere Cruising

and Demento played it on his show. So he's still a teenager at this point and he's now getting played on this show that's being I think at its peak it had 200 stations around America. Wow. It was a big national show. Which is rare. Most radio stations are a smallish area. Yeah. Triple J of course. You're a different or some some

commercial shows like Rick D's Top 40, I don't know if it's when I was a kid that was like a Sunday night program on Osteria, I think And then weekly top 40. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that rings a bell slightly and I'm drinking a coffee. All right Yes, you are. So yeah, that was a big moment. One and many, like, you know, with any career, it's so funny to read about a career. And you go, all these little things, his coincidental surname, the fact this guy came door to door

to basically sell accordion lessons, Like what are the odds of that? And they all just one thing after other. The fact that Dr. Demento firstly, we had all stumbled upon him and then he came to his school. So what do they call it? It's luck and preparedness coming together. That's a better way of saying it. But you need more than luck.

He was ready and he had a tape and all that sort of stuff. But he was working hard as well. Yeah. Awesome. According to his own website, Demento, as in Weird Al's website, Demento found a certain charm in the accordion power ditties that Al recorded on a cheap cassette player in his own bedroom. So he encouraged him and he sort of quickly became like a mentor to him.

Doctor the mentor. Doctor the mentor. Yeah. Don't you dare feel ashamed of that. That was perfection. You say that with confidence. Doctor the mentor more like. Yeah.

That sounds like Harry Potter though. Yes it does. Like a yeah. So maybe you should be ashamed of it actually. And there is of course the Hector connection. Yes, yes. He plays him in Weird. Yes, interesting.

Okay, coincidence. Now that makes you think. There are no coincidences. That was placed here by the people who have written this program that we're all in. So that same year he graduated high school at 16. Did you know this, Evan? He graduated young because I think he started kind of a year early and he skipped a grade. He was very smart guy. One of the suggestions I think maybe Gregory Gripman said in his suggestion that he was a valedictorian.

What does that mean? Top of your class? Top of your class. Yeah, highest grades of your class. Yeah, it makes sense you wouldn't know what that means. Never even heard the word before. So I was going to say a lot of most Canadians are quite smart. Not all, but a lot. Australia, I'm pretty sure we call it the ducks, but that's okay. That's true. Yeah, yeah. We do. That's right. Which you still weren't. No. I think I was actually number two in accounting weirdly. Really?

I couldn't tell you anything about it now. I was number one in drama, can you tell? Yes. Because I love to stir it up. You're a really good actor as well. You should do more of it. I'm very good. If anyone is.

I'm not good at all. I think if anyone's casting films like, you know, proper, you know, Hollywood films, we're talking about budgeted films, quirky best friend, big, we're talking about big dollar production. Gonna have enough zeros. If you put like, you know, a bit of a funky hairstyle on me, I'm a quirky person. But also, I'm pitching myself as your representation here, Jess. No auditions, you're either offering other part or you can... Yeah, Perkins does an audition. P.O.

That's right. And we're pretty firm on that here at Team Perkins. That's right. So yeah, he's a young genius and off the accordion. So he goes to study architecture as a 16 year old. What a funny thing. It's going to be like a doogie house or a. Yeah.

Yeah. Peter just on house. I guess. While at uni, he started working as a disc jockey for the campus radio station, KCPR. Love American radio stations. I love radio. It feels like we're in Frigia. Whereas Dr. Demento's radio station was KPPC.

You know, they're like, oh, yeah, they're different. I have to double check. Wait, is Dr. Demento just a student? No, he was on a big professional one. And this is when he started using the nickname Weird Al as his on air moniker. I like it. Yeah, I think it's fun.

I think I guess following Dr. Demento all that time, he must have thought you got to have one. Yeah. And yeah, there's it seems like it's not like there's a few slightly vague different origin stories, but it's just he liked weird music. He was a bit odd. Yeah. And so I'm like parody song. Yeah. And someone. He was doing parody songs and stuff.

Yeah, so he got that. But he had the name from, yeah, pretty early on. Yeah. In 1979, during his uni days, he wrote My Bologna. Or My Bologna, how do you say that? Bologna? Yeah, Bologna. Bologna, yep.

Apparently. But he's got to write with Sharona, really. Yeah, to work. What is it? Bologna? But what is that is that is that what do we call Belona here? Yeah, Belona is that bologna? That's like a lunch meat right? Is it like Strasbourg or something? Yeah, Devon that kind of thing. Yeah, I think it's in that sort of world. That's sort of a lunch meat thing. Yeah, how come is Devon? Yeah, man me too. Devon and sauce. Just like a tomato sauce and a sandwich. I

was always about Strasburg, which I think is a very similar thing. Maybe that was just the country Victorian version of it, but you do the shopping with your parents and the Delhi people would give the kids a slice. Have a slice of processed meat. Thank you. The best. I love shopping with mum. Get my meat. Get a slice of meat. Oh, yum. That'll keep me going. That's just what I wanted, mum.

I'm going to be a very good boy the rest of this time. Oh, man. That's what I would say. Great times. Now I go shopping by myself. Nobody's given me free meat. No one's offering me at all. That's disappointing.

Yeah, what the heck? Come on. So, he actually recorded my balona in the toilets across from his student radio station, KCPR, because he really liked the acoustics in there. So, if you were happening to be wandering past, you're going to have a piss that day. Yeah. You're like, I want to give it a minute. If you happen to be wandering past, you're gonna have a huge hit on the Dr. Demento show. And I believe it topped for multiple weeks.

The funny five. Wow. It's the most voted for song for weeks on end. Incredible. So he's gone from this kid. He loves this show. It'd be so it's like you hanging out with Gatesy, probably. Yeah, yeah, like surreal. Yeah. It would be so, it's like you hanging out with Gatesy probably. Yeah, yeah. It's like surreal. Yeah. And also like, it's so nice hearing the early stuff too, because like artists like this or big musicians and stuff, after a while being played on the radio

is like, it's nothing. But the first time, or you know, like the first few times getting played on radio is so cool and exciting. Yeah. And he's so young and it's, oh, it's really cool. Yeah, it's so sweet. Um, apparently, uh, this story's told differently, but the knack actually, uh, got the got, um, onto the song. The knack, the band, the band, the knack, who big hit was Myrtle and Molly Meldrum famously said the next Beatles. Wow. When Myrtle was a big hit, which of course became there one hit, one down.

The next Beatles. I mean, I'm sure Molly made some good judgement calls in his time, but that might not have been one of them. Yeah. Does anyone all day and all night is that the Knack? That's the Kinks. That's the kinks. Oh, it's the kinks. Maybe they're the next Beatles. I think they were contemporaries of the Beatles, but yeah.

Have we had the next Beatles? I don't think so. The Beatles are used to leave. Yeah, that's true. At least they're music. Yeah. So I watched a video of him telling the story where he went, he was at a knack show for some reason,

and for some reason he talked his way backstage much like a young Evan Monroe Smith. Yeah, yeah. Smooth talk and greasing the people. And he introduced him to the front man of the knack and he goes, oh, you're the my balona guy. And they were like, we love it. And apparently the front man of the knack persuaded their label,

Capital Records, to release it as a single. No way. Oh, that's so nice that they're on board and not like you play two eyes and can't. They're like, oh, we love it. That's so nice. Yeah, because they got onto that vibe earlier than others did, where now a lot of people say, you know, you've made it like big, big, big bands say we knew

we made it when we'd all. Yeah. I'm going to talk about that a little bit, but there that Kirk Abayne said that and others have said that too. That's sick. And the knack, they were on to that straight away, whereas others didn't really get it and they thought, you know, they're making fun of me or whatever. But everyone seems to be, I'll talk about a few people later who said no and then we're

like, I wish I said yes. Yeah. You know, we don't met Paul McCartney. I think maybe in the 90s, it's a better thing. And I was introduced himself and Paul McCartney was like, hey, weirdo. That's so great. That is imagined. I love that. His wife was there and was like, hey, we know, right? Yeah, that is imagine. I love his wife is there or something.

It's like, Hey, it's weird. Oh, that's so great. Do you think like hearing Paul McCartney say your name? Yeah. Must be the weirdest thing. Like, um, so like a famous Australian music broadcaster, Zann, Zann Rowe interviewed Paul McCartney for take five. And I've said this to Zann, but every time he said Zan, I'd go like,

Paul McCartney just said Zan's name. Yeah. I just go to work one day at Zan's at her desk and I'm like, Paul McCartney said your name like five times. It's just so cool. Yeah, yeah, that's really interesting, Zan, because then I'd be like, I said your name, Zan! Yeah, Zan, I picked up the bass.

Yeah, hello, da-plug-a-plug-a-plug-a. I said, oh, yeah, you know what, Zan? I thought it could be a little hit song. I was like, he said Zan's name! It wasn't enough that she's interviewing one of the biggest musicians of all time. It's the fact that he said her name. So can you imagine Paul McCartney being like, we know. You'd be like, well, I'm dead. I'm gone. Goodbye. Gottenaweardal.com. By the time Al graduated from college, he not only had a modest cult

following from the Good Doctors Radio show, but he also had a couple of nationally released singles. So he had My Ballona and also another one Rides the Bus. Classic, classic track. Yes. They're not all food related. No, he did have a reputation there for being, he's been doing food songs. Which is deserved. He has done a lot of his big hit songs. The food album, which was a compilation of his food related songs. But he's not all food. He's not all food. Sometimes it's about a bus. After graduating, he decided architecture was not for him. Good to have spent a lot of time in it then.

Yeah, and imagine a lot of money over there. So he... And here, it's just you should have paid off forever. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think they actually do that there too. It's great how much they encourage 17 year olds to take on huge amounts of debt and normalize it. And go, there you go. Pay that off until you, well the average is what, 37?

Pay that off. Enjoy. Yeah, I think I'll give it all the, I'll put this on my feed, mine off, but something like that. Yeah, it's wild. He, I think he was thinking, this is great fun, I love making music, but I can't have a career in this. So I need a job. And that's why he was going with architecture. But while he was there, he had these songs that kind of blew up and he's like, you know what, maybe I could make a living out of this.

And so yeah, he didn't pursue architecture. And instead he went to the bright lights of La La Land. That's right LA. About 20 Ks. 20 Ks away. Not far from home. Another one rides the bus. 20 Ks to where dreams are made.

I reckon my parents live 20 Ks from me. Yeah, it's not far. I think Australia, for some reason the capital cities will just call Melbourne like this big sprawling greater Melbourne is known as Melbourne. Yeah. I think in America, you know, like they'll talk about inner suburbs. You'll say there's famous places like, you know, Chandler, Arizona, or there's a few places in Arizona that I've heard the names of a bunch of times. And recently realized that they're all just suburb in a suburb of Phoenix. There you go.

Or like, like, like, like, yeah, exactly. Yeah, there's why don't our singers write more songs about Esmond and stuff like that? Yeah. I think Paul Kelly's good at that. He'll write. Hill name drop. St. Kilda.

Dan Solon's got a good song about old Fitzroy. Uh-huh. Oh, that's a good song. Yeah, I love that song. Anyway, so he moves all the way to the broadlets of LA and there he worked in a mail room at a radio network. So he just says like, I'm just gonna get as close to the industry as I can. That's the way you do it. Launch now for the same. Trent Riznor started off working at a radio station. Oh, sorry, no, recordings to you. But you know, you're doing bits and pieces. RJD2?

I don't know about RJD2. I'm going to look into that. And yeah, so he's working there during the day, but also at night he's performing clubs and working as an opening act for other bands. In 1983, he released his self-titled debut album, and the following year, he released the single Eat It. It was a parody of Michael Jackson's Beat It, and this was another big step forward.

It was a huge hit, and ended up winning the Grammy for Best Comedy Recording. What? It also went to number one in Australia. It was a bigger hit in Australia than America. Wow. I didn't even know that. What year is this, sorry? 1983. 83 and yeah, shit. So it's early on. He's like, he's blowing up. That's cool. Internationally. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He probably never even heard of Australia. Back in the 80s. They didn't know we existed down here.

Oh yeah, because they didn't have the internet. Didn't have the internet. How would you know Australia exists? Well, I think now they have the internet is why now that people are suddenly doubt that it exists. I think the internet has made people know less stuff. Yeah, that's true. But we are all paid actors, of course.

If you want to pay just more for being in other things, get on to me. Go for it, please. I'm starting to have a lot of existential dread. So he is big here, obviously. I didn't realize it was so big. What kind of venues is he playing in Melbourne? So like Hamer Hall or the Palais, the three two places that I've seen him. Pretty big venues. You know, other than stadiums, like it'd be the bigger of the theaters. Yeah. The biggest before hitting arenas.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know how I get thousands. Yeah. I was about 3000. Yeah. So it's where big comedy acts might play.

Same at Hamer Hall is probably similar. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There wouldn't be many like couple of nice rooms. More than that. Yeah. I've seen Billy Connelly at Hamer Hall.

Yeah, yeah. I saw the Finn Brothers. Ronnie Chen played Margaret Court. But I don't know if I love, I don't think I would enjoy comedy in an arena. It's a different vibe. Yeah, I think it's similar. Even music I prefer. Yeah, I saw Flight of the Concords at one of the one of the stadiums.

Really? Yeah. A while ago. But yeah, it just wasn't it's not as good. No, it's great seeing we had L last year at the Pallet. It's just like it's such a nice vibe, nice venue. He has a bigger shell as well. He does costume changes and all that sort of stuff. Flight of the Concords is sort of sitting on stools and drumming guitars. Yeah. He often't cause a sort of sitting on stalls and. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He often will do like. Their humor is in their faces and stuff. Yeah. You can't see it. Yeah. Anyway, we had to see him at a stadium. But yeah. But hey, I mean. Hey, we wish him all the best.

I mean, if you can sell it. Exactly. Yeah. You'd have to be in town doing shows every night for two weeks to get all those people in. So why not do one big night in a stadium? Sure. Yeah. But yeah, it's not usually my preference. There's not many comedians. I'd be like, yes, I will go to a stadium to see you. Yeah. So Aidan is huge. Yeah. And a big part of this, according to Osberg, is its music video.

It was a humorous shot for shot remake of the Jackson video, which recreated the original dancers choreography setting in wardrobe, complete with Jackson's iconic red leather jacket, glittery socks and black penny loafers. The song appeared on Yankevich's second album, Weird Al Yankevich in 3D, which came out in 1984, went platinum selling more than a million copies. So he's at the big time. It does. I'll speak doesn't mention it, but I saw in an interview with weird Alfred that he, I think he even got the same. I think the Jackson was very supportive of the idea and they got the same set.

They record on the same set. Yeah. Just before they're about to take it all down. Yeah. And they're like, oh, if we can use that, be great. And even, and I've thought this in the past, but I didn't know for sure. But the, so the, the, it's all about two dancing gangs,

sort of having a dance off, which is such my favorite kind of street violence. I love to. It's the low clicking sort of. Yeah, yeah. You know. Oh, shit. But the head of the other gang that Michael Jackson fought against in the original, he

was also the choreographer. And he appears opposite Weird Al in Weird Al's versions. Well, he got the exact same guy. That rules. I like that. So yeah, he's killing it and his run of success continues with nine eighty five's dare to be stupid, which also went platinum with parodies such as girls just want to have lunch.

Parodies parodies. That's what's so good about comedy. Yeah. Is the best comedy lies in the truth. Yeah. You know, you know, girls just want to have lunch. You know, that's best comedy lies in the truth. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I'm nearest to society. I'm nearest to just want to have lunch. Yeah. Yeah. That's what it all comes down to. It's all I'm ever thinking about is lunch. Right. Yeah.

Yeah. That's probably a cut scene from, from the weird movie, but it's him going, I just want to have dinner. No, it's not quite right. He's screwing up paper here. Come on. Think I think. It also has like a surgeon, parodying like a virgin. Yeah. And yeah, so Al, he says that he does not want people to suggest him ideas. He actually has people go through his fan mail and they'll take out any letters that suggest parody songs. So he never reads them because he doesn't want anyone to think that he's stealing their ideas or whatever.

So he never reads those ideas. But this is the only occasion where he's ever used someone else's suggestion and it was suggested by Madonna. Okay, I think that's probably fine. Yeah. Because apparently at the time, when he was told, like, I think maybe a mutual friend heard her say it. She was saying it and they passed on to him and he's like, yeah, that's perfect. That's actually really good.

That's actually very good. Yeah. Because there's not that many things that rhyme with Virgin. So, Surgeon's pretty good. Yeah. Yeah. Like, Sturgeon. Like, Sturgeon.

Yeah, that's all I could really hear. Like a Sturgeon. I reckon that's all I could really. Like a Sturgeon. I reckon it's another scene from the movie. It's like that Mergeon. Yeah. Like a Mergeon. Not as good. Not as good. Yeah, Sergeon. That's why he's living legend. That's that's right.

Sergeon was the right way to go. So he is most famous for his parodies, but this is something that Evan taught me a few years ago. He also, his albums all feature original tunes as well. Is that right? That's right. Only about half of the songs on his albums were originals. Yeah.

And so he writes the music and the lyrics. Yeah. A lot of them are what he calls style parodies or pastiches. Yeah, that's right. Like there's a Devo one that it's not a Devo song, but it's. You listen to it and you're like, that's a dip. Like, Devo is stupid, I think is one of those. It is a Devo.

It's like, you listen to it and you're like, that's, he's clearly going for Devo there. Bob is as well and genius in France. Yeah, I don't know who genius in France is referring to. Great song, but I'm not sure. So there's still sort of funny songs? Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All is tracks are comedy tracks. Yeah.

I'm just trying to think if there's any that aren't. But yeah. Yeah. And so, and a lot of them are, yeah, these style parodies. So they're like a, you know, this one that's a, he does a Nine Inch Nails, uh, Star Parity. That's a Frank Zapper, Star Parity. Okay. Who he has said is that they're normally from what I understood from one of his

interviews was they're normally acts that he just really likes and admires. Yep. And Frank Zapper was like an influence on him. He loves Devo. So I think that that's why he, Yeah. Star Parity is them Where he's off. I think he is more concerned with the parody direct parodies. They have to be big, zeitgeist-y hit songs for him to make work. Usually. Is that right?

Yeah. He's usually, usually parodying hits, not always like mega hits, but like, you know, that I mean, it's just a smart thing to do, right? Like leverage off what's popular already. Um, I, but it was interesting as a kid listening to it. I kind of wouldn't really know a lot of the ones that he was parodying anyway, because they like references to songs from that I, yeah, that maybe we're older or whatever. I think weirdly I knew, uh, nine channels at the time that, um, I must have, I think known, um, nine channels at the time that I must have, I think, known Nine Nights Nails at the time.

I heard that his Nine Nails style parody. Oh, it's closer or something. Oh, no. It's a, yeah, it's kind of a mix between terrible lying closer. So it's like, which is what would have been Nine Nights Nails be kids at the time. So it's, you know, he sort of grabbed a couple of those like the melody is kind of like this, the sound of its structure of its kind of like this or whatever, and he's sort of mushing it so it's recognizable but it's an original composition you have to be a real music nerd to be able to like copy and and make parodies or whatever of like styles of music and that's recognizable but it's not

a direct color like you have to be a very good musician to do that. Yeah and to have these recognizable tracks. Yeah, you have to be a very good musician to do that. Yeah. And to have these recognizable tracks, he's he is very, very good. He's a really, really good, talented musician. He knows like and as a record producer as well, like he's he's just he's very good at all that stuff. He's also a great he's a talented performer. He's at it. He's he's great at like

he's got a great voice and great range. Yeah. So he can kind of like mimic different different artists, which obviously helps a lot when you're trying to parody them. And also, oh, sorry. And he also had and his band is going to say, yes, his band sound like they are particularly strong musicians. Yeah.

And he's had the same main three guys. Yeah. Pretty much from the start. Yeah. From the, yeah, from the, yeah, yeah. He's never had anyone. Should I look him up? Do you know their names? Oh, geez. Jon Bermuda Schwartz is his drummer.

The brief thing I heard about him was that he, another one rides the bus. He needed someone to sort of make a beat on his accordion case. And that guy was like, oh, I'm a drummer actually. And he's been his drummer ever since. Wow. And then the other two came from, I think they did, his manager was like, you need a band. And so they did a call out for all the auditions

and they got the other two. So I think Steve J, I think this is guitarist and Ruben, obviously it's our same. This is keyboardist and I've forgotten. I should have taken note of that. Ruben. Oh, this is our same keyboardist. I've forgotten. I should have I should have taken note of that. You should have taken really easy. Yeah, yeah. This is a lot.

Actually, but we're now. Yeah, yes, yes. Here's the vocals. We've got an accordion. That's it. Rick Derringer was briefly his producer. All right. I don't know. For actually for his albums from the early 80s to the early 90s.

Okay. Jim Kimo West was the guitar slash mandolin and backing vocals. Then you had Steve J, who's bass banjo and backing and Ruben Valterra, who is Piano's keyboards, occasional live percussion backing vocals and John Bermuda Schwartz drums percussion backing vocals. But yeah, it's funny, like they're interviewed a bunch over their careers as well. And they talk about how they different challenges. Some songs are like really easy. And that was, I forget what the song was, but they were all being interviewed. It was like a, you know, a written history of a certain song. Maybe it was the Nirvana, smells like Nirvana.

I can't remember, but the drummer and the bass player are like, yeah, this was a really easy one to do. And the guitarist was like, I had like 17 different instruments to lay down. How is that fair? They get to do and the guitarist was like, I had like 17 different instruments to lay down. How is that fair? They get to do one part and I've got to do a mandolin on top of multiple different kinds of guitars and.

Yeah, wow. But yeah, that is another big part of his success is he's just got a super talented band. But I mean, it's something about them as a group that no line up changes over quite a long career. Yeah, they obviously, yeah, obviously all all mates and obviously all work well together. And that's, it's, I mean, you know, it'd be the best job, right? Like if you, I, you know, why would you do anything else? You can tour and you can record funny music and you basically can still be kind of anonymous outside of this. Yeah, I can't be, but the band could just be. Yeah, I wouldn't know them walking down the street.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so good. And being able to do so many different things, like every track is going to be, you know, a different style or something, and sometimes you're trying to copy something exactly. Sometimes you're just trying to, you know, pastiche sort of other styles and stuff.

And that's like, I don't know, it just seems like it would be a really fun thing to be a part of. I should say if anyone wants to stop me in the street, that'd feel fine. I just mean, if I was a weird Al's level, yeah, it would be nice. You don't have to be stopped. Not all the, yeah. Every two or three steps. Walking down the milk bar and you take like three days.

Yeah. You know, now I'd love to be slowed down a little bit. Yeah. Yeah. Honestly, I'm making too good a time. So he's on a hot streak, but that all comes to an end with 1986's poker party. This one kind of bombed a bit. Didn't have any huge recognizable hits.

I think one of the singles was addicted to spuds. Come on. That's pretty good to love. That's right. It's a great song. Yeah, it sounds great. Is that album any good? I'm guessing it's probably just as good as the others but for whatever reason.

It's not one that I owned so I'm not sure. Well that sounds like that was the problem. Well okay so I because I was thinking about this, I'm like, I'm a big long time fan, but there's still like I was doing some reading recently and I'm like, there's still lots of gaps in what I know of his like I didn't have all of his albums, which is kind of weird for someone who's a big fan. I mean, he's had a lot of albums. But also like this is like as I was growing up, he's still of like even though either

was a hit, right? He's still of like even though Eater was a hit, right? He's still an alternative artist. He's hearing him on the radio really. Yeah. And you know, I only discovered him because I think triple J did a like a piece like a special kind of a bit of a, I think it must have been with the release of Running with Sizz, which was 1999. So it would have been around that time that I first discovered him. And so I think they took that opportunity to sort of like go over his career and do this sort of special thing. On a J-Files or something.

Yeah, I think it was J-Files, probably. And you know, played a bunch of his songs and I'm just like, that's when my mind was blown. I remember in the car driving to ScienceWorks. It was just like, must have been the best day of my life thinking back at that. What a day! But like, but I'm a race Kathy Freeman. And yeah, for people out there who aren't from Melbourne, it's a science museum, interactive science museum. Yeah, it's yeah, yeah.

My favorite place to go for school holidays or whatever. But other than that, you don't hear it. And you go, you know, you go to the shops, there might be one or two cities if you're lucky that that are there And certainly not like a back catalog of all this stuff and we didn't have the internet really like they can't I mean They kind of was but we had dial-up at home kind of thing Yeah, didn't have music streamers. Yeah, you couldn't be streaming music. I'll be looking up stuff on like lime wire or whatever But I don't know if you if mentioned this, but there was a big period where a lot of people were doing like parody songs that were like they were calling it,

they were misattributing it to weird Al. And so when you would, you know, at my age then like when I was first getting into all this, it was you kind of didn't really know. You're like, yeah, that's this sounds like it's probably weird. It could be someone kind of doing a doing weird Al kind of thing. That's funny. That's addressed on his fax page on his website. Oh, yeah. Which is like, I'm sure it's flattering for him, I guess, but it meant that like, growing up, there's still like,

that you didn't have access to all this stuff. Yeah, of course. I desperately wanted the Al in a Box permanent record, which was a big collection of the mentioned earlier compilation of all this stuff. But you know, you could only get it for like hundreds of dollars online. And as a kid, I'm just like, well, I'm never going to have this. So I just, yeah, there's there are still gaps in my, my weird, you know, it's stuff that I've rediscovered later. I'm like, oh, there's a whole album that I just didn't, I heard maybe one or two tracks,

but hadn't heard some of those deep cuts, which is kind of a nice little treat. That's such a good point though, with like buying, physically buying music. Yeah, that's the same in like Paul Kelly's one of my favorite artists. And only a few years ago, I just, I started at the very beginning of his first album

and listened through all of them. But I could only do that on like Apple Music or Spotify because the same thing, you'd go to the shops and they'd have a couple of these albums or a greatest hits, but they wouldn't have the entire back catalog. So back then it makes sense to have gaps in your knowledge. Now you have no excuse. And also a lot of that stuff you cannot, like you could not get, like because it was out

of print, especially like some of the more obscure ones. It's just like, that is not, you know, like we at ours more obscure. They're just not making them like they're not distributed here. It's just like you just you can't get them unless it's like paying like top dollar of someone selling it like a collector selling it on eBay or something like that. And you know, it's too expensive. That's something that he wrote a song about. Yeah, eBay.

eBay. Yep. How do you just? I sported on eBay. Something like yep. Yeah, parody of Jazz eBay. I bought it on eBay. Something like that. Yeah. I'm gonna use that as a question on who knew it, that's why I know. All right, yeah. But, and did the guest knew the song?

You never know who's gonna be in our head. Yeah, yeah. Tell me why. I bought another tooth flake. Something like that, yeah. It's harder than it looks. It is harder than it looks. Tooth flake. Tooth flake. Something like that. It's harder than it looks. It is harder than it looks.

Tooth flake. Tooth flake. I had a go. Has anyone tried? Because you know, capital A, small L, looks like AI. Has anyone tried doing a weird AI, Jankovic album? I don't think so. But.

It would be funny for a bit. And then you'd be like, all right, we get it. That's not quite right. I doubt it. I think MTV is one of the things that his career would probably never have happened like it did if it wasn't for it. Yeah, I think he, like, he's very smart to do videos

and do like videos that like referencing, you know, like tying into popular culture and yeah, getting videos on MTV would have been a huge thing. Yeah. And that, yeah, they all look like, you know, a lot of money put into them to make them look yeah, like the originals. But yeah, so there's this question on his website on fax says, I found some songs on the internet that are supposedly by Al, but I've never heard them on any of his albums. What the hey? Unfortunately, there are a lot of song parodies floating around the internet being attributed

to Al, which were in fact done by somebody else. If you want to verify whether or not a song is actually by Al, check the catalog page. So that obviously comes up a bit. Yeah, wow. Hang on, one of my favorite songs is who let the Poggs out. Right. Yeah. I mean, a lot of them were right. That's good stuff.

That's really good. If I could somehow get an automachine, take that back to me when Poggs would be. Yeah. You'd be here. You wouldn't be here right now. No. You'd be on your yacht. Yeah. But a lot of his songs were like, a lot of the songs that were misattributed to him were

like a really filthy or whatever. And so and which is another way to tell because he doesn't really he's pretty family friendly. Right. And what do you write? So yeah, poker party didn't do so well. So made the top 200 but it didn't go gold or platinum or anything. The last his first three went gold platinum platinum and then this one fell off. That's wild. From the album before, which was a real big hit there to be stupid, made the top 50

weird Al-Yang Fik in 3D, made it to number 17, then poker party on 77. So a bit of a flat spot. But then he followed it up with a with an album called Even Worse, which I think is real funny. I don't know if you like to me, it's fun like a, you know, self deprecating like that album didn't do so well. Well, this one's even worse. But it's also play on Michael Jackson's Bad. Yes. So the cover of the album is I don't know if he was using it as a double meaning there, but it's fun anyway.

Well, yeah. I mean, it's a double meaning to bad, but is it also playing on the fact glass album? I'm not sure, yeah, maybe. But anyway, that album featured Fat and he said this one came from him. He said, normally he's got to work real hard on them, but this one, the first time he heard bad work real hard on them. But this one, the first time he heard Bad, even before the song ended, he knew he had to write Fat. He said, I got a whole picture in my mind. The film clip will be me as Michael Jackson only Fat. He's like, it just, it all came together. He's like, it just, it all came together.

Genius strikes in strange ways sometimes. And it went on to win a Grammy for best concept music video. Wow. And it was, it was another massive hit. I think they were for a long time, they would have been the two songs of his I knew. Yeah. Bad. I feel like he almost probably I would have been like, yeah, you know, the Michael Jackson parody guy. Yeah. Yeah. But they were the only two. It was yeah, you know the Michael Jackson parody guy. Yeah. Yeah But that was a lot of it was the beat it guy. They did it guy. Sorry

And obviously he's he's like it's perfect as a sequel to eat it. Yeah, this guy ate it and now he's fat And that's like that's the kind of genius of weird. Other people don't talk about. Yeah That's the validictorian coming out of you got a beginning You got a beginning, a middle, and an end or something. You got a beginning and an end. Maybe anyway. Yeah, he's got a beginning and an end. Yeah, he later said that Jackson's blessing was a big deal, thinking if a megastar like Jackson says yes, then it'll make it more likely that others would also say yes. And it'll make it more likely that others will also say yes. And while fat and ate it were two of his massive hits, Jackson finally stopped giving him permission with his next request when he wanted to parody a song Black or White and turn it into Snack

All Night, which obviously would have completed the trilogy. Yes. But, okay. So, Jackson said, oh no, I'm not so sure about that. He doesn't technically need to get permission from the artists because they're parodies. Legally, he'd be fine to do them anyway, but he still likes to do it as his website writes, while the law supports his ability to parody without permission,

he feels it's important to maintain the relationships that he's built with artists and writers over the years. Plus, he wants to make sure that he gets his songwriter credit as writer of new lyrics as well as his rightful share of the royalties. Which you always hear about that other bit that he just wants to maintain the relationships. I like that his own website's like, it's also kind of about the cash. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. In hindsight, Yankevic has said that he's glad Snackal Knight was rejected. He just come off the making of his film, UHF. Have you seen this, Bob? I haven't seen it. No.

You've seen it. It was a cult classic, UHF. Yes, it was a cult classic, but I think they were hoping it was going to be a mainstream hit. It's got a Michael Richards. That's right. And Fran Drescher. Yeah. Two future sitcoms. Yeah, this would have been before both.

I think 89 was the year Seinfeld started. Maybe it's around that time. But yeah, pre-NAT, the Nanny. Anyway, in an interview with Spin Magazine, Jankovic said of this time, had a really nice run through the 80s and things kind of stopped for a while after UHF. It was sort of a dark period. The movie tested extremely well. It was Orion Pictures highest testing movie, so they thought it was going to be a big hit. They were internally pumping me up as their new Woody Allen. This was going to be the start of a franchise. pumping me up as their new Woody Allen. This was going to be the start of a franchise. And you can't help but get sucked into that frame of mind. I was thinking, okay, great, I'm

going to be a movie star. And then after the first weekend, I was basically a ghost. No one at Orion wanted to establish eye contact. Isn't that, that just feels like such a classic Hollywood story. Yeah, you're going to be a. Oh, there's a little blip there. Yeah. We don't want to know. Yeah. That was the beginning of three years where it was kind of hard for me to recover. I had failed at the box office. The soundtrack to the movie didn't go anywhere. In fact, at one point, I was sort of desperate and I thought,

maybe I should do another Michael Jackson parody that worked the first two times. Thankfully, that didn't come to pass because that was an obvious cry for help. That's what he talked about snack all night. He's like, I'm so glad that he didn't give me permission because I would have done it. Yeah, it might have been a hit. And then he gets really stuck.

Yeah, he gets really stuck. Yeah, or you're missing one more and then it would be like, but instead, as I'll talk about soon, the next big singly released was the Nirvana one instead. Yeah, yeah. Changing, you know, getting new fans and all sorts of stuff. Just quickly, because I haven't seen it, the Rotten Tomatoes synopsis reads. Do you like it as a film?

You HF. Yeah. Yeah, that was fun. It says, after losing yet another job, George, played by Widow, wonders if there is any career that can handle his outrageous personality. When George's uncle hands him the deed to a local TV station, George creates a series of television shows based on social satire and hyperactive humor with the help of his best friend Bob. However, Arrival Station's bitter CEO tries to destroy George's wacky programming, forcing him to fight back.

Wow. The new Woody Allen. Yeah. Yeah. I talk about Demento. He appeared in a bunch of Young of It's music videos like Ricky, which is a parody of Mickey. Hey, Mickey. Yeah.

I love Rocky Road parody of I love rock and roll. I lost on Jeopardy, which is parody of a single Jeopardy, I think. But my heart's in jeopardy or something like that. Or maybe that's just the lyric. Yeah, maybe. Yeah. And Demento also apparently has a cameo in UHF. Do you remember that?

Not specifically, but there's a lot going on in that show. There is like sketchy. There's a lot going on. So I'm not sure. It's on Rotten Tomatoes. It's got a 61% rating with critics and 77% with audience. So it's like solid. It's a cult. It's got a 61% rating with critics and 77 with audience. So it's like, you know, solid. It's a cult. It's for fans. It's a cult, you know, it's a cult film.

I read some of the reviews I read. It sort of were like some of it has dated a bit, but generally, if you like sort of pretty silly comedy, it's a lot of fun. Yeah. The director, Jay Levy, who I also met with his manager, Flays Gandhi, which I think probably wouldn't hold up these days. Oh, that, I mean, this says something about me. I, in my head when you said Gandhi, I pictured Gandalf. I'm like, why wouldn't that hold up?

Oh, my God. Why? I think, yeah, you can't play Wizards anymore. Oh dear. But that's the card. I think I'm too far into the Weird Elb mindset. Gandy. Gandalf. Good.

So we're going to do a movie parody of Gandy. It's a Gandalf on a hunger strike. Okay. Right. If you want to if you want to stop suffering, Gandalf just cast a fucking spell, mate. Yeah. Anyway, classic Gandalf. Alfred was in a slump. And that's why I want to go back to what worked. Michael Jackson parodies.

But he obviously doesn't hold the rejection against, hold the rejection against Jackson. He's happy he did it. He later said, at the time he was saying that black or white was this big social political statement and he wasn't comfortable with the parody. Yeah, I get it. I can understand that. Yeah. Yeah. I'd like to think that he was actually doing me a favor saving me for myself. He was the adult in the room going out. Come on, really? Are we going to do this again? Yeah.

Um, yeah. I mean, I don't know if you know this about Michael Jackson. He did some bad stuff. So I don't know if he should really be up on his high horse. You know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah. No, he's also dead, I think.

Oh, okay. Oh, I don't even have to say allegedly anymore. He definitely did it. Um, can you justame dead people? No great Can you? No Okay, that's why I think hit low was a You might have to be hit was a states gonna come up here. I I know we just said you can't defame

But that feels like going too far yeah you're not gonna get away with that there was no I don't know what like in my head I was gonna do yeah that doesn't work what I needed to do was call someone good a yeah yeah we don't give it Betty white Betty white oh that's why I'm gonna say Betty White was a c***. Yeah. Yeah, I don't feel good about it. No, that felt better. That felt better. AJ, bleep or cut.

Bleep or cut. Split the game. Or both. Bleep or cut. Bleep. Oh, cut. Today's contestant, as it is every week, is AJ. AJ, what are we gonna do?

AJ, what are you going to do? Hey, what are you going to do to save me? I imagine AJ is going to let out a big sigh. He's going to call you. And then go, oh, yes. I'll cut it out. Sorry, AJ. You can see, AJ, can you see the kind of check I was going for? Anyway.

So, yeah, so he gets rejected by Jackson and as it turned out, it was all for the best because instead Al turned his attention to the next big thing in music, Nirvana. When he first heard Nirvana, he said, oh, this is really great. I wish it were popular enough for me to do a parody, but that's never going to happen. And of course, very quickly, he found out that they were actually super popular. They were a phenomenon worldwide explosion. They changed music forever. They signified the end of hair metal and the beginning of grunge, even though grunge had already sort of begun, but it was grunge coming into the mainstream. Yes. The next step was getting permission. According to Al, for whatever reason, my manager tried and tried and said he couldn't get through to Nirvana. He contacted them again and again and they never

got back to him. So he said, if you want to do this parody, it's on you. You've got to talk to the band. That's his manager saying directly to Al. Friend of mine, still in Al's voice, friend of mine was in the cast of Saturday Night Live, his UHF co-star Victoria Jackson. I told her, if you ever get Kurt Cobain, a loaned in a room, put him on the phone because I'd love to talk to him. And she did directly. So he's in the green room or whatever. It's Saturday night live and casting. Do you mind talking to my friend, Weird Al Yankovic? He's like, sure. Al continues, he was sweet and he got it in like five seconds and said,

of course you can do a parody. The famous quote from him was, is it going to be a song about food? Because at that point, that's primarily what I was known for. Yeah, at that point. At that point, definitely not now. Yeah. Back then. And I said, well, no, it's actually going gonna be a song about how nobody can understand your lyrics

This sounds like you're mumbling or whatever and he said oh sure of course. Yeah, that's funny That's one of those phone conversations. I wish I had recorded. I'd love to hear it That does that mean you are recording some conversations? Yeah, and some you're not this is the one I wish I had you regret I now record them all just in case It's not a bad idea. Yeah. Yeah, you're not. And this is the one I wish I had. You regret. I now record them all just in case. It's not a bad idea. You can do that, yeah. Yeah. I think it's probably worth doing. You'll notice if you're ever on the blower too, weird owl.

Yeah. There's a beep every few seconds. I've got phone calls that I wish I had recorded. Yeah, for contractual reasons. Legal reasons. Legal reasons. Yeah. People welching out of deals.

No. I think my credit card company was trying to lead me Australia recently. Oh, yeah. That's that right. I think they were giving me some pretty dodgy maths. I'm like, hang on, after the call, I'm like, that's definitely not right. They're recording it from there and in case. Yeah, I was wondering, should I call them and like request it? I think you can just request and they have to give it to you, right? Freedom of information is that a thing? Yeah, if you're a cop and they have to give it to you right freedom of information. Is that a thing? Yeah I don't know if you're a cop you have to tell me yeah Anyway, I didn't I didn't I should have gone down that road, but I didn't you know I should have though you should have

Cuz fuck them right. Yeah, they're fucking credit. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa Evan anyway I don't mind you just besmirching certain people but not credit card companies just besmirching certain people, but not credit card companies. And we had Al's mentioned briefly in one of Kurt Cobain's journals that were found, I guess, after he died. And one of the, oh, I'm so sorry. Yes. This is how I find out. I just started listening to one of these weeks.

Do you know what this means? Well, we can defame him as much as we like. Oh, yes. Kurt Cobain, what a c**n. And you said it with confidence, and I think that's important when defaming. I don't feel good about it. I don't know him. No, never met the man. Yeah, I couldn't.

Wouldn't know him from a block of cheese. Is that the same? I think so. And I can recognise a block of cheese. I go, that's... Gouda. That's... Oh, I just meant I'd be able to say cheese. Oh, yeah. Oh, that's Greg, my friend, the block of cheese. I go, that's good. I just meant I'd be able to say cheese.

Oh, yeah. Oh, that's Greg, my friend, the block of cheese. So anyway, the line in Kierkebaan's journal reads, Weird Al Yankovic is America's modern pop rock genius. Just a problem already put down. Imagine reading that. Oh, Paul McCartney knows his name. Jesus Christ.

Kierkebaan. Evan, do you want me to start mentioning you in my journal? Yes. In case it's ever found. Yeah. I was just playing a horror game yesterday. What does that mean? What do you mean? Like a video game? A video game? Yeah, a video game. Sorry, a video game. A scary video game. Horror. I've never heard of I've never I didn't know that was a thing. Really? So you're going in there's like jump scares and stuff. Yeah, kind of. Yeah. It's spooky. It's like, you know, you're running from monsters. I just never heard of it. I love it. Anyway, and I was and one of the tropes of horror games is that these you sort of come across like journal entries and stuff like that. The sort of drip sort of feed you story elements. It's like,

oh, this thing's gonna happen. This diary entry is coming from within the house. Yeah. But I, but I, um, one of my thoughts was that we don't, we don't journal much anymore. Yeah. Everyone in these games is constantly writing journals and leaving them everywhere. Yeah. But, um, I don't do a lot of journal. I think livejournal.com probably ended it. Is that a thing? Then what ended livejournal.com? The Facebook.com. Yeah, I guess so. Micro blogging and vlogging.

Yeah. YouTube and MySpace. I guess YouTube is a modern journal. Yeah. I guess I don't do that either. But anyway. You twitch. That's the even modern art.

Yeah, you're right. You don't see a gamey gamey game as a journal. Dear gamey gamey gamey game. I guess it's documenting some aspects of my life. I guess what's nice about finding someone's journal is like seeing what they think about stuff or just being able to see their handwriting or like get a little glimpse of somebody that you love and miss. Yeah.

But like our loved ones have currently over 400 episodes of a podcast to go listen to. Well, there's like there's so much evidence of us everywhere, you know, you wouldn't forget the sound of my voice. You know, and that's comforting, I'm sure. Yeah, I think there's got to be enough of Jess Perkins to put together an AI Jess. Oh yeah. I have said before, I think I tweeted at once that I take great solace in the fact that when I die, Evan has a lot of footage of me and can make a really like really like really make him cry. A lot of slow motion laughing. Yeah. I will remember you like that. Why don't you do it? You know, like kind of fair programs

do and just always have ready to go. Yeah, they always have one for the queen. Right. Yeah. You should constantly updating it for the queen. Right, yeah. You should, I'm the queen. And you're just constantly updating it. You just update it. Yeah. You should have that ready to go. I don't believe I'll have after you use it for the queen, but yeah, bad example. But yeah, others, I think it makes sense.

Other world leaders or others. You should get onto that, Evan. What's the opposite of posthumously? Presthumously? I guess so. Presthumously. Presthumously. They probably doesn't need to be an opposite of posthumously.

Because that's sort of things that are awarded after death, right? Yeah. So otherwise it would just be an award you were given. Well, no, but he's recording this. Pristumously. Yeah. I think you just say while you're alive. Anyway, do go on, Matt.

Yep. What was I talking about? Oh, yes. So he gets permission from Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and they made a video for the song that is probably like beat it or eat it was super accurate. This one takes it to another level. It's incredible how accurate it is. According to Jay Levy, one of Evan's friends and the video's director, All the stars aligned. We were able to track down and book the same sound stage. The sound stage in essence is four bear walls.

So you could be in any sound stage and not know it was the one, but from a karmic standpoint, it was pretty heavy to be in the exact same places where they shot theirs. The vast majority of the fans in the bleachers were from the original Nirvana video. So that because Kurt Cobain was on board, you know, the team behind it were like really open with you. Yeah, you can have all the details.

That's so good. That's awesome. One of the kids we had out in Find Out for 20 years later or something was Tony Hawk. Really? Yeah. So you could see split second on the screen, Tony Hawk and the crowd. That's cool. And the janitors, you know, I don't know if you know the film clip, the original. I know the weird L one, I don't know if I've ever seen it.

It's the same janitor in both clips. And according to your mate Jay, he says, I don't even know that he knew anything about Nirvana. I believe he was a real janitor. Uh, and yeah, the, there were cheerleaders in it. And most, if not all of them were the same cheerleaders. So it was so accurate to the original. That's cool. And then do you happen to know, cause the, the, the album cover is a copy of the baby

in the pool cover. And I, part of me is like, I think it was like the same photographer who did it, but that's another disordered bit, but I'm not like, I'm not 100%- What's the album? Is the album called Smells Like Nirvana? So this is called Smells Like Nirvana, but what album is that?

Hang on, it is- Sorry, I don't have all the facts. Is it Bad Hair Day? No, that's the cool one. Yeah. Oh, Off the Deep End No, that's the cool hair one. Yeah. Oh, off the deep end. Yeah. Yep.

Let's see. Is he he is he still got his glasses? Yeah. It's interesting. He went from his trademark glasses look and mustache and glasses and mustache. And he got Lasik and he got Lasik surgery. Yeah.

And shave off the mustache. That's also an FAQ. That's a fact on his website. What happened to the glasses and mustache? Yeah, he got Lasik surgery, corrected his vision. And laser on the mustache, so he has to put it back in now. He got his Lasik surgery was live on TV. He got it for free because like a morning show

or whatever agreed to broadcast it live. I believe it. What? Yeah. That looks like Kirk Weddle looks like he did take both photos. Right. It was just a little of, yeah. Sorry, what did I just miss then? So, we at Al had his Lasik surgery done.

He got it done for free live on TV because like a morning show paid for it. Oh, is he okay? Yes, he's fine. Financially? Is that what you mean? Yeah. That feels like... Yeah, that seems like a, I'm sure he's fine, but I'm not sure

I don't know how much LASIK costs. I can't imagine it's cheap. It was like, five grand an eye or something. Wow, yeah. And he did both. All right, got the double. Yeah. I reckon I just do one.

Yeah. All right, I'm gonna go talk to him about it soon. My old boss, when I worked for the air conditioning company. Air conditioning. It's funny. I wasn't very good at it because I can't even pronounce the business. Hi, I'm Matt from air conditioning. Would you like some air conditioning? I'm here to measure up for air conditioning.

He got the laser. Can he tell me in two? I'm like, I don't want to hear about this. And he's like, you can smell the burning of, and I'm like, I don't want to hear this. I want to get this dump on day. I don't, I just want to go in blind, basically. Well, I guess that's how you got to go. No, you go out blind. I love that joke on one of the Future Simpsons episodes where Ned Flanders was blind in the future and they're like, oh, what happened to your sight? And he said, oh, I had Lasik surgery back in the 90s. They didn't realize at the time, but a few years later, if you got it, everyone's eyes

just fell out. It's pretty incredible though. Like, in the broadcast, he's like, you know, he has 21,000 vision without his glasses. And like, in the same live, at the end of the same live broadcast, he's reading letters off a chart and he's like, that's 20, 40 vision. Like, and he's like, you'll obviously recover more

and essentially, whenever you're glasses again, kind of thing. So it's pretty incredible that that's a thing. That's like medical science. It's amazing. I think maybe the best thing about getting it done on TV like that live is that the doctor will put in his best effort. That's something that I worry like you go.

I was assuming that maybe the doctor paid like I don't know if the morning show paid for it or the doctor did it or the clinic or whatever did it. Yeah, well. Surely he didn't get it done for free. He got it done for and was paid for the ad. Well, maybe. I don't know. Yeah, well, you didn't get it done for free. Got it done for and was paid for the ad. Well, maybe I don't know. Yeah, hopefully I don't know. Otherwise that is a weird.

Al if you're listening, call me. I can represent you, mate. Yeah. Yeah. That's a really fun fact. Yeah. Yeah. So that that was that became a big hit. This album bounce back. The song was a big hit as well. It was

his first single to chart since Eid at reached as high as number four in New Zealand and went gold in Australia. To this point, he's starting out a top 10 hit in America, but yeah, he's had top 10 hits down here. So being rejected by Michael Jackson led to a bit of a career comeback. It was, you know, the best possible scenario, really. Yeah. Who would have confirmed himself as a Michael Jackson cover artist almost. Yeah. But this, yeah, gave his career more longevity and a bigger comeback. I guess, you know, Michael Jackson was probably on the edge of being

it was becoming less relevant through the 90s and on. Black or White was still a huge album, dangerous, I remember that, but anyway, that wasn't the only time he failed to receive approval from Michael Jackson, happened a few other times. Most of the time they're happy to do it, but according to Gil Kaufman for Billboard magazine, part of the reason I would make such an effort to get permission from the Axie parodies

is linked to the time he thought he had the high sign, he had the sign off from rapper Coolio to remake Gangster's Paradise's Amish Paradise. After the 1995 release, Coolio balked and said he never approved and he never liked the song and Al felt really bad about it apparently. There was like quite bad blood between them. Coolio would say stuff publicly about it. There was quite negative. And as far as there was cross wires somewhere, Al and his team thought they'd given permission, but it seems like someone from Coolio side

gave permission without maybe talking to Coolio. Yeah, right. According to Ross and Coolio held a grudge about it for a few years before eventually admitting that the parody was funny as shit. According to Yahoo. Yahoo serious. Yahoo serious.

Kulio is quoted as saying, I sat down, I really thought it out. I was like, wait a minute, Kulio, who the fuck do you think you are? Speaking to yourself in third person. you're Loon, Coolio. He did Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson didn't get mad. Coolio acknowledged that his ego got in the way.

I was being too magnificent and too terrific about myself, and that's not what you want to do, he said. I love that phrasing. I was being too magnificent. You know what I'm like? Sometimes I can just be a bit too magnificent and that's on me. I'm working on being less magnificent. It's just such a fun way to say my ego is getting out of hand.

Being too magnificent. I was literally about to say I love this self-awareness and this self-reflection and you've ruined it a bit with me. I was being too magnificent. Yeah, it's fun. He later made a mental weird out saying, I've since apologized to him. Again, that was so stupid. That was a stupid thing for me to do.

That was one of the dumbest things I did in my career. So I really, really regretted it. Nice. And it sounds like that is pretty common for the acts who don't give permission. They usually come to regret it later like, ah, why was I was being silly. I was being too precious about my art. I was being too magnificent.

Yeah, I was being too magnificent. Yeah. I was being too magnificent. I was being too terrific. Yeah. I can't remember the second one. I was just, oh God, I can be too terrific sometimes. Oh, sorry about that.

I'm so sorry. You know what? You know what it is? I get terrific when I'm hungry. Oh, God, I've had my coffee and I can be really terrific. What the fuck are you talking about? I could snack all night. That's a Michael Jackson reference.

Who's regretted doing it? Oh yeah, okay. Well, so here's some examples. Beck says he regrets turning down the parody of loser, shmoozer. Saying, I regret denying him permission to do it. I think it would have been an amazing video. I'm actually really sad it didn't happen. Daniel Poulter, does he?

Yeah, yeah. Matt McIrdle, had a song, had a bad day. No, you had a bad day. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Daniel won 10 diseases and turned around, said you don't mind, said you don't know disease. So that was a 2006 hit. Yep.

And he didn't give permission for had a bad date, which we don't want us to do. He changed his mind not too long after and gave permission. But unfortunately, it was too late. As our later put it, quote, the train had already left the station. Yeah. Yeah. It was a bit of a one hit wonder anyway. So I wonder if he uses that now with artists. It's like, like if you don't give permission you'll regret it. Yeah. Yeah. He doesn't feel like he's kind of energy though, does it? No. Because he's not so he's not so terrific. That's right. Yeah. He he just doesn't get as terrific or magnificent. He didn't get permission from Lady Gaga. It gotta be poker face. He didn't get permission from Lady Gaga. Oh, it got to be Poker Face.

No? He actually did Poker Face, Poker Melody, mentally later. Yes, he did, yes. That's what I'm thinking of. But he wanted to put parody born this way, as performed this way. And Lady Gaga's team knocked him back. But apparently they did that without talking to Gaga herself and when she found out she reversed the decision. She loved his version and it ended up being on his 2011 album Alpocalypse great song great so she was like what the heck apparently James Blunt had a similar thing where his label was like, no, you can't do your beautiful as whatever.

You're pitiful. Which I think I can see why the label would be. He was like he was keen, but he didn't overall the label. Like he didn't quite have the same power probably that Lady Gaga did. He could have. We had Al said that he technically, if I got his permission, I didn't need the label. So I got his permission, but he didn't feel like he was probably in a position overall. The label is still trying to keep him good with them. Whereas Lady Gaga's like, what are you gonna do? Fyme? Yeah. So your pitiful did come out, but I think maybe it missed an album because of that. It was released as a single.

So some of the ones he's already recorded and doesn't get permission for whatever reason, he'll release for free online. And I think that's what happened with that one. According to Kaufman, our man who we've already talked about, Paul McCartney, said yes to Al doing a take on his Bond theme Live and Let Die. But then when Yankovic told him the title was going to be chicken pot pie. McCartney said, oh, I can't because I'm a big and strict vegetarian and yeah, so we can't. But interestingly, Al's also vegetarian. Yeah, that doesn't being a vegetarian or vegan doesn't mean that chicken doesn't exist. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, that other people. You don't want to be promoting that, do you? Oh, yeah. I mean, it's probably a song about how great chicken pot pie is. Chicken pot pie. That's just so hot. Bow. Bow.

That would actually rule. That would be so good. Chicken pot pie sales would skyrocket. I imagine it could. I can't. His band would have had fun playing that as well. Yeah, what a song. That would be such a great live song too. Yeah, I get that, but yeah.

So McCartney played that a few years ago. It was great. The fireworks on the pfft. Dunno-no, dunno-no, pfft. That would have been sick. That's so good. The great if he's saying chicken. If he's chicken.

Chicken pot pie. Who was it that was, um, uh, that said he he ah the Star Wars song the American you know the Star Wars song the the the the saga begins as the song is called and it's it's a parody of a long A long, long time ago. Oh, American Pie. Yeah. Ah. Who's that? Who sings? McLean. There you go. What's his name? McLean.

McLean. What? The singer? No. I don't know. Oh, no, the parody version. No, the what? The original.

The original. Who's the original singer in this song? The original's Don McLean. Don McLean. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was going to say John. I think it wasn't quite right. I think he said he's on stage.

He's like mixed up the lyrics with the parody because it like his kids It's about Star Wars about yeah, yeah No, but yeah like so I was saying it's interesting that But yeah, like I was saying, it's interesting that McCartney said no because he's a vegetarian, but Al is a vegetarian too. His website says that he changed his diet in 92 after a fan gave him a book called Dye for a New America. He currently eats no meat and tries to avoid eggs and dairy products. Imagine being that fan. Yeah. Having an impact on someone's life like that.

Geez, they must be like, all right, I guess I do have to dedicate my life to spreading the good word. I'm quite resistant to that. I've had people like Sammy Jay was trying to give me go vegetarian. Oh, Sammy Jan ready both was separately. We're just like, you should check out this film. What's the film? What it's like a really full on like, oh, yeah.

It's on YouTube anyway. And I'm like, I don't want to watch that. But anyway, respect if you are. When the went reverse. Yeah, back when reverse, she was registering for like 10 years. Haven't spoken or it seems to have. Seven times. Yeah.

No, they're actually quite good. They don't. It is hard to be to get a moral, a moralizing lecture from a purple puppet, I guess. Yes. Well, there weren't ever lots to be fair, just to set the record straight. They were never like, I mean, I'm putting pressure on you. I don't think Randy eats. You should, you know what?

I don't think Randy eats. Yeah. No, you're right. He's like a cookie monster. It's pretty easy for you to have a restrictive diet when you don't eat. I didn't really think about that. Yeah. Yeah, he said, I don't eat that.

He really does that perfectly proof. I don't eat anything. I don't eat anything. I'm a puppet. Purple proof. I'm a puppet. I don't actually have about that. Yeah. Yeah, I don't think they- He really has that purple proof. I don't really know anything. I don't know bloody anything, man. I'm a puppet. Purple proof. I'm a puppet. I don't actually have an esophagus. But you are publicly calling them out, which I think is right.

I think that's right. And that's obviously been a long time brewing. Yeah. So I hope that gets back to them. I say fuck both of them. Yeah. Yeah. Especially Sammy Joe, who's always been nothing but wonderful to me.

No, you're right. He's been so nice and kind. Very good. Such a beautiful human. I can't believe it. Yeah. How does somebody be so talented and so nice? Doesn't make sense.

Well, that's what the cracks are appearing now from what we've heard from Evan. Yeah. You know, but you know who also is very talented and very nice? Weird Al-Yankovic. Oh! I thought you were going to say me for a second. Genuinely. Genuinely thought you were going to say Jess Perkins and I was going to say Evan, you stop it.

But unfortunately, you were trying to get Jess Perkins and I was going to say Evan, you stop it. But unfortunately, you were trying to get us back on track. I was trying. This, um, Rosson actually says about, um, why they got uploaded. Uh, he said, uh, in the MySpace days with the blessing of the actual artist behind the tune, Al just released it as a free download to avoid it. Avoid any hassles. Oh, yeah. So it's like, because Blunt's happy.

I'm happy to put it out. You're not making money off it. Like it's a little simpler. Right. Yeah, I can't kick up a stink. Maybe the most famous rejection or rejections that come came from Prince. He just apparently rejected him quite a few times, but it was always a dream of we'd all to do a song of his

and he said soon after Prince died, sorry that you're finding out about this. What? But you know what that means. My favorite actor from New Girl. He's in one episode of New Girl. Really? Yeah, apparently afterwards I was like, I always kind of had this fantasy that one day you have another song and you're like, you know what? You can. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. He repeatedly turned down his request. This is Rossent writing. At one point, Prince's management team sent Al along with other people apparently, a letter warning him not to look Prince in the eye when both were scheduled to appear at the AMAs. Amazing.

Also, not only is like, you can't do the songs, but don't even look at him. Yeah, wow. In response, Al sent Prince a letter back warning him not to look Al in the eye. And yeah, this was his quote about the fantasy. I had this fantasy that he'd come out with a new song. I'd have a great idea. He'd finally say yes, and it would erase decades of weirdness between us. But that's obviously not going to be the case.

Yeah. What's your name? Um, she's we're coming towards the end. It's hard. Biography story is always hard to know what to put in and what to put out. I remember you saying this a bunch of times, Jess. You're like, they had a whole life. I don't know what to stop.

It's hard with people with such big back catalogs. It's all like discographies or filmographies. It's hard to be like, and then the next year they did this. And then this episode would have been just as fun to just read a list of all these parody songs. Totally. But just quickly, because Gregory Gritman said that, where is this thing he said? Oh yeah, he said, this topic has everything aside from the sheer insanity

that is his success and humor. We'd all is surprisingly smart and talented. Many artists don't think they've made it into weird our parodiesodies their music. There's also his healthy marriage and family life. And I'm like, oh yeah, okay, I should look into this. I mean, there's not much to say, but it caught on Osberg. He married in 2001, marketing executive Suzanne Krojewski, and had a daughter, Nina, born in 2003. But Gregory also mentioned this, that he tragically lost his parents when the house he bought them burnt down, which I did not know about. But talking to Evan this week about doing this episode, you also mentioned that.

Yeah, what year was it? Because it was, I remember it was on my birthday. It was April 9th. Oh, wow. We had coincidence, obviously. That's the only reason I remember the date that it happened. Yeah. I think it was 2002. But yeah, it was like a carbon dioxide. No, sorry 2004. Carbon monoxide leak or something like that. Which you don't smell or something like that. Yeah, that's why you need those detectors. I've got an article from that week from the LA Times. It wrote, the parents of Grammy-winning recording artist,

Wiedahl, Jankovic, were found dead in their home, apparent victims of carbon monoxide poisoning. Awful. The bodies of Nick Jankovic, 86, and his wife, Mary 81, you know, they were... Getting on. You know, that's brutal anyway, but you're like, oh, thank God they lived a pretty long lives.

They were discovered by members of the family, said Sheriff Sergeant Conrad Grayson. The relatives went to the house because they had not seen the couple in a while and were concerned. Paramedics found Nick. That's not true. And I'll tell you a weird old talks about all the incorrect things in this. Oh, yeah. Paramedics found Nick Yankov not true. And I'll tell you weird, I'll talk about all the incorrect things in this. Oh, yeah. Paramedics found Nick Yankevick in a chair in the front living room, his wife was lying on the bathroom floor.

A fire had been recently set in the fireplace. The house was full of smoke and they opened the door. We examined the fireplace. They were burning wood. The relatives had found the flue closed and they opened it. So I think it was just because the flue wasn't releasing the carbon monoxide to the house. Oh. Filled with it.

The article also says attempts to reach Jankovic by phone through his agency, the William Morris agency, were unsuccessful. He was scheduled to appear in Grand Forks ND, was that North Dakota as part of his tour for his new album. A neighbour of the parents described them as nice people who were proud of their son's accomplishments. Everybody who came to the neighbourhood knew Nick said, John Boomin, who lives across the street. They're going to be missed big time. So it's super sad. Yeah.

But I just thought just reading about this before, it's so strange how many things they got wrong in that article. Jankovic put out a statement, I think it was the next day maybe. He said, in fairness to the memory of my mother, in some of the press reports also said she had Alzheimer's. He said, although she was starting to have a problem with short-term memory loss, my mother was never diagnosed with Alzheimer's. As long as I'm pointing out errors that the press had made,

it was my aunt who found my parents when she was bringing them lunch that day as she routinely did and not a group of relatives concerned that they hadn't heard from them in a while. Like it wasn't, they'd been there for weeks. It wasn't a welfare check, it was just a routine. She brought them lunch. So he's like, oh, it really makes it seem like we're disconnected. He said, the family was close and caring

and saw each other several times a day. Also, my aunts and uncles all live in separate houses, not together, as some articles implied. And for what it's worth, I'm not represented by the William Morris Agency. Oh, wow. There's so many. It's like, how could so many details be wrong?

I guess that's why they couldn't reach him. Yeah, exactly. I tried calling and they said, we don't represent weird ale. And I said, oh, I can't get this guy on the phone. He said, like, it was a really lovely statement though. He said, needless to say, I feel pretty much the way you would expect me to feel shocked and devastated beyond words.

I love my parents so much. And this is all still seems like a horrible nightmare that I can't wake up from. I want to thank my family, friends and fans for the incredible outpouring of love and support that they've shown me. It's quite long, I won't read all of it. I take a small measure of comfort in knowing that they died peacefully and that they never had to suffer through the pain and loneliness of living without each other. I'm also grateful that they both lived long enough to see me happily married to Suzanne and particularly happy that they got to meet our beautiful baby daughter Nina. She filled their lives with so much joy this last year. Nina may be too young to remember playing with her grandparents when she gets older,

but don't worry, we'll have some great videotape to show her. Oh, it's really sweet. That's really nice. And he goes on to talk about, you know, just how much he loves him and all this sort of stuff, but also about his dad's kind of dark humor. Apparently he talked about death a lot and Al was like, I don't like this. I don't like it too much. But apparently his dad Nick made the joke a few times that he was planning to go on

a diet so that his casket would be easier to carry And he said I guess that's where I got my sixth sense of humor from and he was always talking about how much he was looking Forward to seeing his old army buddies again in the next life. I sure hope they're having a great reunion right now Oh, that's so nice. It's a really really heartbreaking. Yeah, it's so heartbreaking and but yeah That's heartbreaking. Yeah, it's so heartbreaking. But yeah, one last paragraph where he says, as unthinkable as this tragedy is to me, I just know that my mom and dad were very much at peace

with the world and with their lives. And I guess I can take a small amount of comfort in that too. Thank you all again for your overwhelming kindness and support. It means more to me than you can ever know. He's so lovely. He's so lovely. And Evan, we were talking about this the other day.

And you said that you thought he kept going on with his tour and he talks about that as well. He said, I can sit at everything, but in the end, I decided to keep going with the tour because I thought that would be the best thing for me to do personally. He said, I know that people in the past have said really nice things about my finding comfort in my music.

Yeah. I'm hoping that I will find some comfort in my music at the moment. And he said that he felt so loved and supported at those shows. Um, that yeah, it was almost like, you know, it was kind of a nice thing almost. Can imagine there'd be something quite cathartic in performing his kind of music and he's kind of you know, because it is he does get to have fun and be quite silly and maybe that would be nice in that kind of yeah, it's a way to escape the grief. Yeah, I think so.

Yeah. I think, you know, leading into your work, you know, something to sort of take your mind off things, sort of senior at home and there's no one way to deal with people deal with things in really different ways and it can be very confusing to witness. Yeah. You're like, really? This is what you're okay. But that's what we're doing. That's what you do.

That's okay. Imagine you wouldn't know until the time necessarily. I feel like I couldn't. I'd be probably canceling personally, but maybe I wouldn't. I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. Um, yeah.

So like I said, it could talk about all sorts of things. I thought maybe just briefly at the end, Evan and I have seen it, obviously just hasn't. But he's kind of back in people's minds recently because of the 2022 film Weird, the Al Jankovic story, which is a parody biographical film, premiered on the Roku channel and it was co-written and co-produced by Yankovic starring Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame. And in 2024, the film won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie and an Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or anthology series movie or sequel.

Oh, cool. So it was super successful, critically acclaimed, so much fun. Yeah, it's great. A really funny, fun movie. And I didn't know his story at all. And I really enjoyed it. I wonder, I think if I, and I probably will go back and watch it again, I realize, you know, some like big chunks of it are kind

of based in truth. Yeah, there's like, there's the door to door accordion guy. Yeah, to me, like, honestly, I'm like, that's such a funny way to, yeah, do origin stories like a guy came to your door. Oh, that's not that's one of the real things. But then he leans into the trope of like his disapproving parents and he's always a rebel and stuff like that when really his parents were very supportive. So there's, you know, some bits are going to be the truth and some of them are just completely broken. Rock and roll parties that are just full. Like there's this one scene and they every it's just full of cameos like quite big celebrities playing other celebrities.

Right. Yeah. Which is really fun. I think Conan plays like Andy Warhol or something. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, Jack Black is in there. Yeah, Jack Black is the Wolfman Jack. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, who I know it of as well.

But yeah, apparently I think they were all real people and it was, you know, I think they're all favors and that it was like all done in one day and it was a really tricky schedule to put together but yeah really fun alright yeah I think you'd enjoy the movie. Yeah and rain Wilson plays a real person doctor. Maybe we can finish with you you said you you met him again more recently was It was a nice sort of way. So he hadn't toured for a while. Around here. Anyway, he did, he did a tour in the state, a smaller tour. I can't remember what it was called, but like the ridiculously self indulgent something to a, he did a little, a few things in kind of in the meantime.

Anyway, he came to Australia and did this sort of like, he was calling it a more indulgent sort of tour because he wasn't, the idea wasn't to play hit so much. It was like, this is something for the fans and played kind of a different sort of set lists each night. So I wish I went to both nights. It was in Melbourne. But yeah, it was cool to go see him play a lot of like originals as well, like a lot of those tracks that Albuquerque, you know, in this video I watched earlier, he was saying that he wrote this original that was almost, he's like, I was almost trolling my fans by making it longer and longer and it's like, I can't believe they love it. It's one of the most requested songs I do. Yeah, no, I don't think you played that the night that I was there. I think you played that the night the other night, the night that I wasn't there.

Anyway, great. Um, uh, great show. And I, um, managed to go backstage again, not because of anything that happened in the past, um, but because I, I'm known around this office as a weird Alfvén and, um, kind of by chance, the Any Donna guys had, they were doing their Netflix show. Oh, which he had a cameo in. Yeah, which he had a cameo in because it was produced

by the guys that the comedy bang bang guys and we at AL has been the music guy on comedy bang bang, the TV show at some point for a season, I think. So they're all mates and stuff like that. And so they sort of wrangle them into a cameo on that show, which is obviously very fun. Yeah, it plays a vampire or something. Yeah, yeah. It's a little part, but yeah, it's great. And I was very jealous of that. And I remember Broden messaging me like the day they were filming and I was just like, oh my God. And so I, but anyway, he's a big fan and then did you react to that like just did when a friend came and told her they'd met tripod

Yes, scream screaming screaming on the inside. Yeah, but I was just like Oh, because you're an adult and a professional, you know, you scream so But then we were weird I was going to to Melbourne and he the I think the donors had organized to do it have them on their podcast or something like that as a part of the program or two or something like that. He invited them to come along and Broden's like, I'm going to get you backstage. I'm like, yes, I'll have an in. And so, yeah, I was really lucky to go backstage.

Saved you from waiting at the door. At the door. Yeah. Stage door. Yeah. Stage door. Yeah. Well, it's like it's, it's, it's, it's interesting now. Like he's, he's got a different company managing the tour and it's like a much bigger thing. And it's like, there's a whole like system for like meet and greet stuff afterwards.

Um, and we're very like a, like bypass that. So before he did like the actual meet and greet, we kind of went backstage or only like half a dozen of us or whatever that went backstage and just to sort of say hi in his dressing room, which is really, really nice. Anyway, it was nice to, you know, say hi again and get a photo with him and I posted on my Instagram, maybe this is show notes or something, but there's a photo of me like, well, 15 years ago or more, with a photo of with him and then one from last year, a photo of him and it's just, it's nice to do it. Evan's crying in the second one.

Can we just post it? Yeah, of course. I don't know how podcasts work. I don't know if I've ever been in it, it's just, it's nice at all. Evan's crying in the second one. Can we just post it? Yeah, of course. I don't know how podcasts work. I don't have a podcast. We got social media, people can follow us, Dagon Pod, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. Wow, TikTok. Yeah, we're amazing.

YouTube, incredible. We've got it all, man. We've got it all. We do have Twitter. I don't, I always forget to tweet. So sorry about that. I always remember. I'm always tweeting. Matt's picking up the pieces when I don't post anything on socials. He just sort of quietly just does it. And I go, fuck, thanks Matt. We really should get someone to help us with that. I want to do that on Game

of Game. It's a social media. Why don't we do yours and you do ours? Yes. And we can be incompetent for each other. That'd be nice. But it'd be nice to have somebody else to blame for the incompetence. I do it myself. I do it myself. I do it myself.

You could be easier to do someone else's social media than my own stuff. For sure. One thing I'm just thinking of all the things I didn't put in the report. But one thing I thought was kind of funny was, so I think it was Capital Records that he got that first sort of I guess it was my balona I think and so he that's the one he recorded in his in the toilet yeah and great so they paid him 500 bucks for it yeah and then when he wanted to put it on his first album with this does this line up with my Blender also on the first album doesn't matter whatever the song was. Yeah.

He went to them and they so they owned the masters then and they charge him a thousand bucks to record, re-record it. So he lost 500 bucks on that song. Yeah. The record business is wild. He leans in the interview, he sort of leans in the camera and he says, that's why they call it show business. Yeah. I mean, that's why they call it show business or something. I don't know.

Yeah, I mean, that's it, right? Yeah. He comes across as a cool guy. I think just the fact that he's like, no, I won't do it if I don't have their permission. Even though we can, he's like, nah, I don't want to piss anybody off or, yeah, I like that. It comes across as very sincere,

like for a guy who is kind of always taking the piss a little bit. It feels like it's not really at anyone's expense. Yeah. I mean, interviews and stuff, it seems like that as well. There's no meanness to him. Yeah. Exactly. He's never really being sarcastic. Yeah. It's all kind of being sincere and genuine, which is probably a bit different in comedy. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's part of his longevity. Like he's, he's lasted so long because he's,

he's not screwing anybody over, he's not starting any beefs. He's just like, he's just. Pipe him with coolio. Obviously. Yeah. Oh and Prince. Don't look at me. That's so funny. Yeah. Don't look Prince in the eye. But it's such an incredible career and like, and like still like last year, WannaGrammy, like he's still winning stuff and, you know, and he's got bit like fans. And in his first Emmy was last year, right? Like that's for this, for this movie Weird. It's like, that's incredible. Like what a. Kurt Cobain's writing in his journal that is a genius. Yeah. That's something I don't think I've ever fully got it. I really, I think I like him and stuff, but it still feels, it's like, is it genius?

I guess it is. Yeah, but it's not just it's like, I mean, he's good at writing parody songs. You I've heard a lot of bad parody songs. Yeah. Yeah. When you hear a bad parody, you're like, Oh yeah, I appreciate a good one. But it's you know, incredible attention to detail and stuff like there's it like this is like a ten minute like behind scenes documentary he made when he was recording poodle hat I think. I love talking seriously about. So making poodle hat yeah. We laid down the base tracks and that's when we knew we had another. The melody to poodle hat actually came to me in a dream.

Yeah, they're filming that. I think he might have been his wife just filming that while they were in the studio. And they cut it together and released it with the album. It's this 10 minute documentary behind the scenes. It's just like it just looks like he's like he's all over it. He's just like he's every little thing. He's just like he's he's across everything he's got. You know, he's got a lot of like different instruments like he's not just working with his band

But also like other guests, you know Sessionals and stuff and choirs and the you know recording engineers and stuff and it's just like He's just so you know, he's impressive to watch work like he's just the man's impressive Yeah, he's not just some some guys silly guy writing some silly songs like he's he takes it all very seriously and You know his stuff is his work in Dewars. Yeah. Evan, would you be up for hanging around for everyone's favorite section of the show? Yeah, probably.

Well, the way this works is we talk to people who support the show on patreon.com. Patreon.com. We're saying Patreon, Brandon. Dingers. Yeah, you can fuck with Do-go on. Do-go, put it on. If it's not Do-go on, it's not Do-go on. Anyway, so. I love that.

Can we get that happening? Yeah. Can we get that in the merch page? Easily. So Evan, we thank people in we get that happening? Yeah. Can we get that in the merch page? Easily. So Evan, we thank people in a few different ways. Yeah. So if they want to, if you are listening, you want to get involved, patreon.com. So go on pod.

And the first thing we like to do, we spend about half an hour even. So feel free to bail at any point. But first thing we like to do is the Sydney Schaumburg level. This is people supporting us on their get to give us a fact quote or question or a brag or a suggestion. And if you are on that level, please do send them in because we've only got a few left before all caught up. So, Ev, I read out their name.

They give themselves a title and they ask a fact, well they ask a question, give a fact, a quote, brag suggestion, really whatever they like now, jokes we occasionally get. Oh yeah. And then we just, you know, we go from there. So the first one comes from Drew Forsberg. I should also say I don't read them out until I read them out. And actually, I think this section has a jingle goes something like this.

Fact quote or question. You say ding. Ding. You always ding. Ding. Huh. He always remembers the ding. She always remembers the thing. I like that better. I like his ding better than that.

Yeah, ding. It's sort of like, like, what does Dave do? Ding. Yeah, he really, he leans into it a bit much. Which like, if you're in a shop and it goes like ding, you're like, that's obnoxious. Yeah, imagine that all the way. You just need some service and there's no one there and it was just ding.

I like that way better. Yeah. Anyway, you can use that just copy and post. Thank you so much. Absolutely. Drew Forsberg has the title classic early nineties elementary school bully. Okay. And he's calling himself a bully.

I'm not sure that's the title. Anyway, Drew is offering a brag classic bully behavior, writing my uncle works for Nintendo or Evan, what an appropriate. This is such a trope that the whole my uncle works for Nintendo. Is it? It is. Yeah. That's funny. It's like a kid when kids are bragging.

Yeah, my uncle works in Nintendo and and this game's going to come out. Oh, my uncle works in Nintendo and this game's gonna come out. Oh my God, I think that might be what he's doing. I was going to do it again. He's doing a bit. He's bang it. He's doing that bit. My uncle works for Nintendo because he's a bully from the early 90s. Of course.

This makes sense. Now I get it. Sorry, Drew, that we've over-explained a bit. Now my uncle works for Nintendo and gets to test the new Mario game. It's got 200 stages and it has a secret bonus levels where you get to play as Metroid and Zelda in it too. And it's not even on a Super Nintendo cartridge. It's on a system.

I haven't even released yet. Huh? Pictures. I'm not allowed to take pictures. It needs to stay a secret. Plus the game and system need to be flown back to Japan every night. Don't believe me. Whatever.

Dad could beat up your dad. And that's not a threat. It's a promise. Whoa. That reminds me of the kid at school who said he won a world surfing championship on the holidays, but he couldn't bring the trophy to school because it was too big to fit on the plane. So.

Wow. He also said he got bitten by a shark, but couldn't show us the bite mark because it was too cold to bring up his shirt. And it was fair enough. Yeah, yeah. I mean, you gotta take his word for it. Yeah, yeah, scars hurt in the cold. He wasn't a bully though.

I think he was just a compulsive. Why he was actually my sky anyway. And you know what like kids behaving like that once gone on at home. You know what I mean? Yeah, you gotta ask that question. You should. You should. I think you should butt in. I think you should probably drop by and say, Hey, what's going on at home? Maybe even like gossip about it. I think so. Yeah. That's probably the healthiest. With the idea of like we're concerned. Yeah. That's why we're chatting about it now. That's right. Behind their back. Thank you, Drew. Next one comes from Rupert the dog. Oh my god. Oh my god

The dog you've got a Rupert the dog. No, I know Rupert the dog there's sometimes a game-of-game supporter as well Rupert the dog as title is the okay as Dane Not a great one. Yeah. Very, very okay. And it's a question here from Rupert the dog. I imagine it's going to be like, I love you. You're a very... The question is, what's the best thing you know about dogs? Any cool facts?

Oh, this is great because Dave, you're feeling it for Dave, Evan, and you've got a dog. Whereas Dave, I know Dave has a dog too. What have been better for me to not be here? That's right. It's always better if you're not here. Sorry, you walked right into it. I had to take it. You understand. As I always ask, Rupert has answered their own question here, writing, here's a fun fact about Norwegian lunderhunds. I hope I'm saying that right. They have six fully functional toes on each foot instead of the usual four. It helps them excel in navigating the rugged terrain of Norway, especially useful for hunting puffins in narrow cliffside crevices.

Wow, hunting puffins. Poor puffins. Yeah. Nah, good on them. Everyone's got to eat. Everyone's got to eat. That's true. So the question is, what do you know about dogs?

What do you know a great fact about dogs? Any cool facts? No. Um, I, um, I, yeah, no. You don't know any. What, what's something interesting about Gonzo, your dog? Is there anything interesting about Gonzo? What are you talking about?

Gonzo is the weirdest looking dog I've ever seen in my life. Yeah. And you're like, is there anything interesting about him? Yeah, but he just is. He's missing hair on most of his body. Yeah. Yeah. On purpose.

I mean, maybe that's interesting. He's a Chinese crested, and they naturally don't grow hair, except for sort of around their little feedies. It's so cute. Did you tell me this fact recently? Jess, I might have even been on this podcast or probably on an account, but teddy bears are based on dogs? I believe that's what I've heard.

That my friend who owned a Chao Chao said that teddy bears are actually based on Chao Chao, the appearance of a Chao Chao. Let me show you a Chao Chao, Evan, and you tell me that's not a freaking puppy dog. Teddy bear. Right, OK. OK. Hang on. Hang on. Yeah, maybe that one. Like that's what teddy bears look like.

OK. Yeah, I see. Yeah, yeah, yeah. OK. Yeah, totally. They got like a bit of a bear face. Yeah. I thought I thought they'd be best on bears, but I suppose you maybe you're right. There was there was some sort of reason why.

And again, this is coming from a this is secondhand information, probably third. Maybe it's because bears are scary and chow chows look cute and they wanted to be more cute and scary. Yeah. Teddy bear based on chow chow. All right, Jess. Yes. I'm on American Kennel Club. There's a list of cool effects here. Fact number nine, the most popular breed in 2022, French Bulldog.

Yeah. You know why? Because you're basic. Because I'm a basic bitch. No, because more and more people are having to live in apartments rather than houses and they're a low energy, really chill, fairly quiet dog. I mean, some Frenchies, like they essentially scream. They don't just bark, they go like,

ah, luckily mine doesn't. So he's very quiet, he doesn't really bark, he doesn't shed a lot of hair, he needs very little exercise and he sleeps all day. Did you know this fact number four? All dogs dream, but puppies and senior dogs dream more frequently than adult dogs. Do you want to know the noise Goose makes when he's dreaming?

Sure. Oh yeah, that's a good noise. It's so cute. Gonzo is very cute when he dreams as well. He'll just sort of like twitch a little bit and sort of like do a muffled bark. Oh, that's cute. Yeah. Very, very cute.

I just realized that if your two dogs were to be found in like some sort of a CD library, they'd be right next to each other. They would, alphabetically. G-O, G-G-O. And they get along those two as well, so that'd be nice. Yeah. I don't know why I put it in CD library terms, but CDs. It's the way your brain works and organizes information.

I mean, where else are you going to alphabetize a dog? Exactly. So yes, I think we did not beat your six toe fact, I'm afraid. But Rupert, hopefully a couple of facts there for you. If any listeners in the Sydney Schomburg section of the Patreon have more dog facts, feel free to chuck them in the fact quota question. Yeah, that can be a fact or any other of any facts. Yeah, I liked that one because it was a question and effect. This one comes from Piper Gellarher,

or, OK, God Emperor of Dayton, Ohio, working remotely. And we've got a quote here. My quote is also a suggestion. It's just the song lyric that I find really beautiful from my all-time favorite band Bleachers, whose second album, Gone Now. I couldn't recommend more. The song is called Everybody Lost Somebody. Oh, great song. It's got a good hook with the saxophone.

That sounds like R2JD. Yeah, you could definitely sample that and put it in an RJD2 song and it would fit right in. It did work. Yeah, for sure. It's one of the most honest and profound explorations on the feeling of loss that I've ever heard put to words. The lyric is from The Bridge, which goes like this. There's a reason I wake up alone in strange places.

A reason I see myself in a million faces. A reason I can't stop at all from changing. So come on, motherfucker, you survived. You got to give yourself a break. Is a guy sort of like that? Yeah, so kind of. I helped him out. He's very, he's very, yeah. It's, um, what's his name?

He works at Taylor Swift. Jack at Antonoff. Oh, yeah. Jack. Yeah. Right. He, uh, he's, uh, I really like that he did a tiny desk. He played this song in his tiny desk. And it's great. That version of it is my favorite version of it. I

think I like that way better than the album version. Cool. You stole Piper's bonus fact, which was a singer of Bleachers is Jack Antonov prolific pop producer, producer of Tales with Lana Del Rey Lord and others and former guitarist for the band Fun. Sorry if this was a bit long and a bit earnest. It's my first time. I haven't honed my fact quote question BS skills yet. There's no one way to fact quote a question. You can be sincere in here or you can be very silly. We'll take it all. Nothing in between.

That's a great song. Check out Bleachers doing Tony Disc. I recommend it. I like Bleachers. I don't know that particular song, but I like that stuff. Yeah. Good. The final one this week comes from Ben Johnson. OK, a sheep named Madeline.

And we've got a question here. Ben writes, hey, guys, my last title, Shmoison Taste Tester, was referenced to a riff from the Taaman should Summerton man. Wow though because I remember we were like what is rings bell and we weren't quite sure. Now I bet you don't remember the time we didn't remember. I don't know we're doing 400. I know when you're saying it's the summited man episode is that it yeah I'm like. I couldn't tell you what you that was.

Ben says, though, that is episode 82 from 60 years ago. So understandable. You couldn't remember. So my question is, do you have any favorite or especially memorable pod riffs from over the years? No. For me, it's almost impossible to choose, but a classic that never fails to make me laugh is from the sheriff from episode 65, the Roswell conspiracy. Oh, yeah.

Oh, that was Dave. Dave to be a sheriff. Um, Ruff Ruff was one of his one. Yeah. Yeah. He has high pitch voices. Oh, wow, shapes, sounds like that.

Yeah, that was a good one. Sometimes Dave will get quite lost in the character. His drama degree really comes out. His days move to the middle distance. It does. And you like, you'll ask him a question and something will come out and I'm like, there's, how is he doing this? Full method. Yeah. It's beautiful. It says other do go on a mission from that is incredible. A more recent favorite is the

sheep named Madeline from episode 403, the beast of Javidon. I don't remember that at all either. There are hundreds of incredible rifts from every episode, but those are just two of my favorites. I remember having fun in that one where we joked that one of the guys who came to town to capture the beast had shot so many wolves in the past and then we got an or rift where it was like shooting wolves in a barrel, but because they literally only ever hunted wolves when they're already in a barrel because he literally only have a hunted wolves when they're already in a barrel. Yeah. Can't miss.

But yeah, it's a bit, uh, Evan, what's some of your favorite rifts we've done? I mean, the Digo animations were good for that. Yeah. Yeah. There was the megatrotts. Yes. The big horse. You go to jail because you picked a dog up against its will.

Oh man. I got home from a birthday party, not home, I got to the after party from a, and there's a, the dog was this cute little dog, it was a pug or something. It was about to run out the door, so I picked it up and someone snapped a photo of me and it looks like I've picked it up again. I guess I did pick it up as well. And life imitated art there. Oh, that's good stuff. I guess I did pick it up as well. And life imitated art. Oh, that's good stuff. I call this podcast art, by the way.

Yeah, obviously. Appreciate that. Yeah, that was fun. Yeah, been a great question, but not one I can answer. Yeah, yeah, they'd be. I mean, people ask questions like that in the Patreon group and it starts this long thread, but it's always all new to me. I remember at release the slugs. I remember I've got memories of memories.

So when people point things out enough times, then I'll remember them better. Release the slugs did make me like cackle laughing. It was so dark again. Dave just getting lost in a character. Yeah, he's had a few. His Sydney Schamburgs are always always good. What else has he done? So much easier to talk about this sort of stuff when the person's not here.

And Evan, that really funny thing you did. It's like, whoa. But yeah, everything Dave's ever done. All right, thank you, Ben, Piper, Rupert and Drew. Shmoizen, I think is Dave's. Well, that feels like Dave. Yeah, that does feel like Dave. Nothing clever has ever come out of my mouth.

Yeah, nothing clever like schmoison. Even sometimes like the Twitter account of like do go on quotes or do go on out of context. What is it? What is that? Do go on wisdom. Oh yes. A very out of context quotes from us

and reading that sometimes has made me laugh out loud, which feels awful because it's ass. It's very self-indulgent, but I have no recollection of any of it. Yeah, that's funny. It's great. It's great to do something and then forget about it. That's nice. Evan, the next thing we like to do is thank a few of our other great Patreon supporters. And Jess normally comes up with a bit of a game based on the topic at hand. So I guess we got to do a what are we thinking? I was thinking parody song. That's so fun. I was like, I can either look up weird L1s

and just allocate them a song or I was just going to see if there's a parody song generator. Oh, what a, I liked that. But what about, how about we put Evan on the spot here? Yeah. When you read out a name, I say a real song, Evan Parryd, is it? When I say a name, you say a real song, Evan Parryd, I say a name you say a real song Evan Parry

does it. Oh, that's tough. Putting it all on Evan. Sure, let's try. I mean, we can. But bad is good here. Okay. In everyone's favorite section.

So if I can kick us off. So you and I are just naming a song. We just got a song and see what Evan does. Based on the person. No, we could be any song. I'm just going to write list of songs. But you know, just in case, all right, I've got the 500 song, Chris, so all the time I No, we could be any so I'm just gonna write list of songs. But you know just in case I got the 500 song grace all time I should do it. Okay.

All right first up. I'd love to thank from Nanaimo in British Columbia Canada dog Marta. Oh yeah another another gamey game. What's a song? Oh, the dogs out. Yep. I've already done it but can you do better than who let the pogs out? What else rhymes with it?

Who let the clogs? I've got one. The clogs is good. Who let the sodge out? It's about misogyny. That's good. Who let the sodge out? Yeah, yeah.

Very political for her. Yes. I want to do something about shower grout. Oh, wow. I just want to try and go a bit further than what rhymes with dog, you know. Okay. Wow. I thought who let the sojett was pretty good.

No, no, no. It's good. I'm just trying to, you know, I want, you know, sitting it, I'm trying to hit a high bar. Wow. Even higher. Just good, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, you're, I'm trying to hit a high bar. Wow. Even higher. Just good, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Well, you're right. Who cleaned the tile grout? Who cleaned the tile grout? I think that's maybe something. I think that's very good. Yeah, that is actually pretty good, huh, Dee? Jess, what do you reckon? You want to do the next one?

I keep going for a bit. I'll do it. From London, I would love to thank David Robinson. Any songs coming to mind? What about I'm leaving on a jet plane? Is it related to the person at all? No, it's just a song. Do you want me to do one? Mrs. Robinson. The previous one was related to you. How about Mrs. Robinson then? Jesus.

What song is I don't know what that song is? This is Mrs. Robinson. Simon and Garfunkel. Oh. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Lemonheads did a pretty popular cover of it too. Goo Goo Gichu. They also mentioned Joe DiMaggio.

Yeah, right. The baseball player. Yeah. Where's my bobbins gone? He's trying to knitting. Where am I? If you took two more seconds, I would have abandoned this as a concept. I had the song name generated.

I've been ready to go. Next up, I'd love to thank from Wilson in Western Australia. It's Christy. What about Wilson, the Beach Boys? Yeah. Next up I'd like to thank from Wilson in Western Australia. It's Christy. What about Wilson, The Beach Boys? What about Little, what is Dooscoop? Oh. Oh.

It's about a car. I did not know that song. Little Dooscoop. Little Dooscoop? Is that none of the song? I've never heard of it. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Little Dooscoop.

Little Mellow. Yeah, a little Toot Toot. Little Dooscoop. doesn't exist. Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot,

Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot, Little Toot, Little Maybe it's a bit of a double meaning kind of thing. Yeah. That's when it gets really clever. That's fun stuff. Next up, I'd love to thank from East Grinstead in Wessex, I reckon in Great Britain, Katie Fitzprice.

Katie Fitzprice, Ella Fitzgerald, At Last. The song is called At Last. Yes. At Last. Oh, that song. I know that song. That is Ellaphant's show, right? Yeah. Yeah. Agast. I don't know. Agast. Yeah, that's good. I know.

Surprise about something. That's good stuff. That is at last. That's so well. I love the word agast. That's a good word. You don't hear that much these days. I recently described a belly button as agast. I will not explain further. Does it look surprised? Yeah.

That's good. It's pretty funny. It's pretty funny. I would love to thank somebody if I may. From Northcott right here in Victoria. Wow. Fitzwilliam Gertler. What?

Is that a real name? Fitzwilliam Gertler. Sounds made up to me. Yeah, probably is, but. But good. Fitzwilliam Gertler. I made up to me. Yeah, it probably is, but. But good. Fitzwilliam Gertler. I'm just saying. That's incredible.

All right. What about bedroom philosophers already comedy song North Kits so hung over? Yeah, right. OK. That's one of the lyrics. Is that what you're doing? Yeah, no, it wasn't. OK, yeah.

Now, that is a good song already. Gels in that film clip, I'm pretty sure. Really? How'd you go about it? I like the bitters. I think they came up together, I think. Wow. I've already forgotten the name of the song.

Speeding Soap Allover. I don't know. name of the song. A speeding so pullover. I don't know. Yeah. Speeding so brackets so pullover. Yeah, of course. You understand why Weird Al says like this takes time. It is genius.

Yeah, it's hard. Speeding, what about sirens so pullover? Yeah, that's probably better. Some other reason to actually. New coat. New coat. No pullover. So you don other reason to actually new coat. No pullover. Okay, good. Yeah. You don't need to bring a jumper because you got a new coat. Yeah, that's good. You're very good at

this. I'm pretty weird, I guess. I've been saying that behind your back for years. From Maple Grove in Minnesota, I think, man, in the United States, Samuel Walter Reeves. All right, EBS. What about the darkness? I believe in a thing called love. Oh, yeah. Yeah, OK. Shove.

Yes. Yeah. This is it's difficult to go up with like something good. Yeah. That's why you got to abandon that. All right. Bad is good here. Yeah. I believe in a turtle dove. A turtle dove.

I believe in a turtle dove. Yeah. I don't know what that would be about. That would be a Christmas one. A turtle dove. Yeah, sure. It's in the 12 days off. Yep. I think that's fantastic. That's great. To me, that could be a weird album track. That's how a Christmas one. The Chattel Doves? Yeah, sure. It's in the 12 days off. Yep. I think that's fantastic.

That's great. To me, that could be a weird album track. That's how good that is. May I thank someone? I would like it if you could. I would like to thank from Collaroy Plateau in New South Wales. Gorgeous.

Lucky Twos. Lucky Twos. Lucky Twos. Twos. That is so fucking cute. Yeah. It's TWS toes. Twos. That is so fucking cute. Yeah. It's TWOS. Twos.

What about Goodie Two Shoes by Adam and the Ants? Oh, yeah. Okay. Come on. Do something poo related. Yeah. Yeah. Goodie poop.

Goodie poop. Goodie poop. Well, it wasn't out of an answer. It was just out of a solo. Oh, there you go. Good. So much the same. Lucky, sorry. Well, was it pooey poo poo? Goodie poo poo.. Lucky. Sorry. What was it? Pooie poo-poos. Goodie poo-poos.

Goodie poo-poos. Come on, man. Have some respect for the art. It really feels like there was room to move there. No, there wasn't. There wasn't. That's the thing. It's goodie poo-poos.

Finally, for me, I'd love to thank from Gawbridge in Great Britain. MLN. Where'd that be? Doesn't matter. I don't know. Great Britain. Gawbridge. I'd love to thank Nathan needs a username.

Another gaming game supporter. What is crossover? There's a lot of crossover. Okay. I've got a song. The traveling wheel breeze end of the line. Oh yeah. Men's the clothes line. What men? I'm just, I'm just, I'm just showing out some ideas to make it harder for you to think of.

Uh, just while you're, you're, um, lemon and lime, acidic things. Yes. Lemon and lime. Yeah. Squeeze and juice in the, uhuh with my lemon and lamb. Yeah, great. That's nice. That place that I didn't know what it meant was Midlothian in Scotland.

That's where Gorbridge is. Cool. What a place. Jess, do you want to thank a final one? I'll bring it home. Finally, Evan, you have one more. All right, I'm going to have to make this good. So, you're so close.

From St. Austell in in also in Great Britain Bailey Sage And the song that song Give me a good one for the last one Bailey something with a lot of rhymes Okay, something with a lot of rhymes. I'll just quickly let's look at this one greatest songs of all time list Let's look at this greatest songs of all time list. Oh, here we go. Old Town Road, we mentioned it before. Oh, yeah.

Mold. All three of those words have plenty of rhymes. Too many? Maybe. Gold, brown, toad. Yeah, I was going to toad. That's? Maybe. Gold brown toad. Yeah, I was going toad. That's pretty good. That is pretty good.

Mold clown. Load. Load. That's the shortest horror story I've ever heard. Mold clown load. Mold Clown load. Um, yeah, uh, yeah, no, they're all good. Um, sold download. Sold, sold, sold download. Yeah, that's all right.

I could be something. Oh, sold download, not sold, sold. I like that. Sold download. Yeah, I imagine how the devil gets you. Download your soul. Yeah, maybe it how the devil gets you. Downloads your soul. Yeah, little Mars got the devil. Yeah. Yeah.

And I remember them saying, we got to move on. Some of it came in the news a few months ago. And there's a quote is like, yeah, that was years ago. Okay. So what are we looking in, Ev? This is very important. Bailey Sage deserves you to come up with something really good here. I should say Bailey Sage, Nathan, Lockie and Samuel all message me because I told people if they think you've been missed, please DM me on the Patreon and I'll

people if they think you've been missed, please DM me on the Patreon and I'll obviously put you on the top of the list. All right, Evan, you can. I do want to come up with something good for this. You can, we've still got one last section to go, so you can come up with it right at the end while you're still thinking. Let me say thank you so much to Bailey, Nathan, L Locky, Samuel, Fitzwilliam, Katie, Christy, David and Dogg and the last thing we need to do is welcome some people into the Tripditch Club. Jess, you reckon you could quickly explain how this works?

Absolutely. So the Tripditch Club is for people who have supported us at patreon.com slash jogan for three consecutive years on the shout out level or above. And what it is, it's like, I like to think of it as an airport lounge, but some people think of it more like a cool, like gentleman's club, but not in a gross way. Just like it, like an exclusive cool place to hang out. Yeah. Like somewhere that, you know, there's velvet everywhere. Yes. Frank Sinatra's. Yeah. There's a bar.

There's a, we we got pickleball now. That's taken off. Yeah. A couple pool tables. We got all sorts of fun stuff. Activities for you. Some arcade games, you know, fun stuff. Fun. It's fun.

It's actually actually if you think about it, it's great that you're not allowed to leave. We do have Guitar Hero, but I do ask that if I want to play it, you fuck off. I get first dibs of guitar hero at all times. Because there's only one of them. But when I'm not playing, you can have a go.

Yeah, you can fuck off. But when I want to play, fuck off. Yeah. Yeah, so what we usually do is I'm behind the bar. I've got some drink specials going, some hors d'oeuvres. Dave Books Abandoned. And Matt usually, he's behind the velvet rope, he lifts it up for you, he brings you in, he welcomes you, gives you a comforting little pat on the bum, but not in a weird way.

Not in a weird way. It's actually quite nice. It's not weird in any way. It's actually really nice. It's actually lovely. I'm sick of people saying other words. Oh, boy. I bought this riff. Have you booked a band this this week?

You wouldn't believe this. What? But I've actually got Prince. Isn't that wild? Wow. And he said, please look into my eyes. Oh, we're allowed to. So everybody can look into the eye. He said he'd prefer it if we did. Oh, we're allowed to. So everybody can look into that. He said he'd prefer it if we did. Okay, great.

It's quite intense. And it's actually turned out that him and Weird Al have made up and Weird Al's gonna support him. Oh, that's so nice. Yeah. Okay, great. Evan, do you have any requests for Weird Al? If you could go and replay one song live, what would it be?

It's one that I think he's never played live because it's quite difficult to do. But one of my favorite of his, it's an original of his called Hardware Store. Oh, yes. He mentioned that on that interview I watched as well. Yeah. He's like, people request all the time. It's like, it would be really hard to play this.

It's like fast harmonies or something. It's very, very fast. Yeah. And yeah. Wow. It would be very difficult to try and do cleanly. But hey, I. If anyone could. If anyone could, he's the one who could. Yeah, and yeah, wow, it would be very difficult to try and do cleanly, but hey Anyone could he's the one who I think he's selling himself short. I reckon he could pull it off

I've got a drink special behind the bar as well if you're gonna cast I've got a cocktail this week Yeah, it's the weird al yank gin fizz Yank Jinfiz. Oh. That sounds like that's the kind of drink that would jerk you right off your seat. If I can put it into those sort of terms, Evan, I don't know if that means anything to you. That's a phrase that Evan coined on a who knew it recently. Jerk you right off your seat.

Jerk you right off your seat. That rules. So yeah, I've got that. I think I cried laughing when I read that one after a minute. It's pretty good. Pretty good. How much are they? No, everything.

It's all free. Free? Is that included in the, wow. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Amazing. Yeah, it's a really good deal. I mean, once you enter the club, you can't leave. Yeah.

But. Which some say is a negative, but that's actually a positive. What if I still leave the Patreon? No, you're not a, yeah. Sorry. You're in. You're in. some say the negative, but that's actually a positive. What if I leave the page? No, you're not. Yeah. Sorry. Yeah, no.

You're in. You're in. Once you're in, you're in. Incredible. Yeah. Yeah. And it's a good thing that you just trapped. Yeah.

Trapped is a weird way to phrase it. Trapped isn't how we like to word it. You just have to remain there. You just have to remain there. Yeah, not. So it's not trapped at all. Not in a weird way. Some people talk about it like being trapped.

It is not being trapped. Yeah. In any way, actually. Yeah, absolutely. So's not in a weird way. Some people talk about it like being trapped, but it's not being trapped in any way. Yeah, absolutely. So just one inductee this week. Wow. Okay. Short list.

Okay. So very excited. And the way this normally works, you're in Dave's position. So you're on stage. You're the hype man. Yeah. I am. I'm on the door.

I'm reading out their name and all you've got to do is just hype them up in whatever way you would as an MC. Dave would normally do some weak word play, weird ale style on the on their name or their place. Or their location. You can do it. The fields are from Goldman and they're gold to me.

That's no burn. That's something he probably has said before. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. That level of shit is acceptable. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. That level of shit is acceptable. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Um, if you can do really good, that's also fine. And you're in the middle. You know, what are we doing? Sure. All right. So just the one inductee this week, are you ready, Evan?

Yes. And I hope you up. So don't worry. Just leave the card out. No matter how bad it is. You cannot bomb because I'm here. Excellent. You know what I mean? Yeah. All right. So the one inductee this week comes from what Sonya North here in Victoria, Australia. It's Jill Welch. What's the only? Yeah. What's that? Welch it's I forgot her name. Oh, Jill. Well, it's Jill. Yeah, Jill's here.

What a thrill. We won well John this deal, and that deal is you're coming on in. Yeah. What a thrill that's Jill was. What a beautiful cherry you put on top of that cake. That probably would have been enough. Would have been enough. And now before we go, we've only got one last thing to do,

and that is give Bailey sage and old town road The best I've come up with I think you know try make it like it could actually be a song yeah is a is is iPad pro Oh, yeah, I'm gonna watch that film I think you've nailed it Good stuff. Unfortunately, he doesn't accept suggestions unless you're Madonna. Yeah, which is a hard bar to try and reach. I think of you as Australia's Madonna.

I do. I've said that for a long time. In what way? You're often backstage at a Weird Elf show. And she's often backstage at her own show. You're both pointy boobs. Yeah, you both more pointy boobs in the 80s. Yeah, very conical chests, I see. Yeah. Conical chests, more like conical visits.

What? No, that's nothing. All right, time to go. I was trying, I'm still trying to weird aleck. So Jess, what do we need to tell people before we go? Just that we love them. That if there's a topic you would like us to cover, you come across a story and you think that'd make for a fun Duga On report.

There's a link in the show notes. It's also on our website, which is Duga On pod. Anybody can suggest a topic, so go do that. Duga On pod is also where you can find stuff about upcoming live shows. You can check out information about the other podcasts that we have on the Do-Go-On network. And you can find us at social media at Do-Go-On pod across everything, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook. What else is there?

TikTok, we're Do-Go-On podcast. And that's it. Yeah. God, we miss Dave. Until next week, I'll say goodbye. Later. Right. Thank you so much for having me.

What a thrill. Oh, yeah. Love you, Evan. And watch Game of Game of Game. Do we plug any of your stuff? No, but that's fine. We're just starting a new season of Game of Game of Game. I don't know when this episode comes out, but there's episodes of the new ones coming

out. It's great. It's a good show about video games. So sorry, AJ. Can we just quickly get asked Evan about that and you can put it a little bit more prominently? We can just do the end again. I reckon. OK, great. Sorry, AJ.

We'll just do that again. So I said, like, that's it. So why don't you just ask Evan? Evan, people love you. They want to get more of you. Where can they have it? I want to give it to them. Go to YouTube and look up GAMIGAMIGAME.

It's a show that I host about video games. It's a very silly panel comedy show. Both Matt and Jess have both been on. We've just started a new season. There's a very funny episode out as we speak with Greg Larson and Michael Hing. You might know if you're sort of fan of the comedy scene. Very, very funny stuff.

So go check that out. It's on YouTube, Gamey, Gamey, Game. Thanks so much for joining us, Evan. Thank you for having me. What go check that out. It's on YouTube. Game of game of game. Thanks so much for joining us. Thank you for having me. What a thrill to come and talk about my interest. Yeah. Send us some weird, those weird owl pics so we can post them. I will. Yeah. And just, could you just reassure everybody that Dave's fine?

Oh, yeah, you'd know. Look, I mean, I haven't spoken to him recently. No, no, no, just say, Just don't. Okay, he's fine. Say you saw, and he was reading today's paper. Can you say? Yes, I saw a photo and he was reading today's paper and I don't think you can fake that. No you can't.

I can only assume that was... No in today's technology. Yeah, so he's fine. And so yeah, I guess that's everything we need to say. Until next week, I'll say goodbye. Bye. Bye. Bye.

Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.