If Hollywood asked us to write a biopic for “Weird Al” Yankovic, we’d likely pen an unofficial UHF sequel packed with parodies, fantastical interludes and a loose retelling of the story of everyone’s favorite accordionist. Thankfully, Funny or Die took a more amusing and unlikely approach with their faux-trailer for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, retelling the story of the musical satirist as a satire of serious biopics like Ray and Walk the Line. Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul plays “Weird Al,” who despite his parents’ protests and immeasurable odds rises to become the wearer of colorful shirts and parodist of Top 40 songs.
Along the way, “Yankovic” meets up Dr. Demento — a cameo by Patton Oswalt — who inspires Yankovic to follow his accordion dreams. Later, Yankovic encounters Madonna, played by Olivia Wilde, and the two embark on a torrid love affair after Weird Al’s “Like a Surgeon” mocks “Like a Virgin.” That last part seems fictional, but the real “Weird Al” seems down to parody his own life, appearing briefly as a record exec telling “Yankovic” that no one would want to hear a parody when they can hear the real thing.
And of course, like all rock biopics, the downward spiral of booze, drugs and fame catches up to our hero, even if our hero has a moustache and plays the accordion. It’s safe to say that, if this were a real biopic, it would easily make it to the upper echelon of our past weekend’s Best Music Biopic Rock List.
Related Stories:
• “Weird Al” Parodies The White Stripes, Charles Nelson Reilly
• Flashback: Celebrating 20 Years of “Weird Al” Yankovic’s “UHF”
• Readers’ Rock List: Rock Biopics
Article Source: Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily