Is Anything in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story True?

Liz Shannon Miller
·4 min read
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The post Is Anything in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story True? appeared first on Consequence.

Look, the whole point of Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is that it’s the “Weird” Al Yankovic approach to biopics — which is to say, a gleeful parody that refuses to take itself seriously and makes a ton of shit up. So very little about the movie should be considered actual truth, beyond the fact that the genre-defining musical artist (played here by Daniel Radcliffe) does in fact play the accordion and does in fact write musical parodies of songs. (His kung fu commando skills… remain unconfirmed.)

So consider this humble fact check less a ruthless interrogation of Weird as a narrative and more an opportunity to reflect on Yankovic’s journey, and all the joy he’s provided to fans over the years. For while the film might play fast and loose with the particulars of the man’s life, in doing so it ends up being a very apt tribute to his legacy.

Also, believe it or not, there are a couple of nuggets of truth buried in this film — you just have to look past the massive number of celebrity cameos and copious drug use. Read on for our fact check of the “Weird” Al movie.

[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.]

Did “Weird” Al Yankovic’s Father Really Hate His Passion for Music?

It seems that as opposed to the film’s depiction, both Nick and Mary Yankovic were loving and supportive parents. (They very sadly passed away in 2004, due to carbon monoxide poisoning.)

In a 2021 podcast interview, Yankovic talked about how his parents felt about his career, saying, “They humored me — I mean, they didn’t try to talk me out of it.” In fact, maybe the earliest resistance to his career came from his mother, who didn’t care for Dr. Demento and tried to forbid young Al from listening to the show. Later in life, his father would literally bring a photo of Yankovic to stores, so he could brag about his famous son.

So Al’s Dad Didn’t Really Lose a Hand in a Factory Accident?

I’m assuming not, based on the video above.

Did Yankovic Really Get His First Accordion from a Traveling Salesman?

Shockingly, yes. Yankovic told Boulder Weekly in 2018 that a salesman presented his parents with a choice between guitar and accordion when he was a child: “My parents thought, ‘It would be nice for young Alfie to have some musical training. We want him to be popular in high school, so of course, accordion.’”

Was “My Bologna” Yankovic’s First Radio Single?

1979’s “My Bologna” (a parody of The Knack’s “My Sharona”) was his breakthrough hit. But his first song to be played on the radio was 1976’s “Belvedere Cruising”, an original song featured on Dr. Demento’s weekly radio show.

So Dr. Demento Was a Real Guy?

Oh, you sweet summer child. He is a real guy! He still puts out new episodes of The Dr. Demento Show to this day! Dr. Demento (born Barret Eugene Hansen) is a DJ and broadcaster who has long celebrated novelty songs, and was an early champion of Yankovic’s work, even lending Yankovic money to produce the debut EP, Another One Rides the Bus.

Did Yankovic Really Record “My Bologna” in a Bathroom?

Another actually true thing! Except that he recorded it in a bathroom at California State Polytechnic University, where he was studying architecture — not the bathroom of a bus station.

Did Yankovic Meet at Least Two Dozen Famous Musicians and Artists at One Pool Party?

C’mon, man. But a fun fact about that scene: Director Eric Appel tells Consequence that it was shot in less than a day (of the film’s 18-day shooting schedule), noting:

“God, to shoot [the pool scene] in four hours, when you take into account how long it took all of those people to get ready and into costumes, and we kind of staggered them and we were losing the sun, it was February, it was cold… There were supposed to be people in the pool, but it was too cold to put people in the pool, even with a heater. The logistics behind that day — it’s a miracle that we even got everything in the cameras.”

Did Yankovic Really Write “Eat It” Before Michael Jackson Released “Beat It”?

It really needs saying? No, “Beat It” was first released in 1982, and “Eat It” was released in 1984.

So About All the Booze and Drugs…

Yeah, so in real life, Yankovic is a mostly-vegan vegetarian who’s never done illegal drugs and doesn’t drink. “Maybe when I’m 75 years old I might be ready for them. We’ll see what happens,” he told Rolling Stone in 2014.

But Did Yankovic Really Kill Pablo Escobar?

Okay, y’all, this is a parody movie and I refuse to descend too far into madness. Go watch Narcos if you really can’t be bothered to Google that.

But I’ll allow one last question…

Did “Weird” Al Yankovic Really Have Sex with Madonna?

That’s between Al and Madonna.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is streaming now on The Roku Channel.

Is Anything in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story True?
Liz Shannon Miller

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