Brian Damage
07-13-2009, 12:48 PM
For the first time since Michael Jackson's death, 'Weird Al' Yankovic, the parody king who had some of his biggest hits spoofing the King of Pop's tunes, is speaking out about Jackson's tragic death.
"The first time around I pursued Michael Jackson about a song parody, it was a shot in the dark. We're talking about the most popular and famous person in the known universe, and here I was, this goofy comedy songwriter. He not only returned our phone calls, but he approved it. He thought it was a funny idea," Yankovic writes in a Rolling Stone tribute to Jackson.
For the first time since Michael Jackson's death, 'Weird Al' Yankovic, the parody king who had some of his biggest hits spoofing the King of Pop's tunes, is speaking out about Jackson's tragic death.
"The first time around I pursued Michael Jackson about a song parody, it was a shot in the dark. We're talking about the most popular and famous person in the known universe, and here I was, this goofy comedy songwriter. He not only returned our phone calls, but he approved it. He thought it was a funny idea," Yankovic writes in a Rolling Stone tribute to Jackson.
Weird Al Yankovic's Classic Michael Jackson Parodies
'Eat It'
'Fat'
"The first time I met him in person was long after I had gotten permission to do "Eat It" back in 1984. There's a contract somewhere that has his signature next to mine, proving that we are the co-writers of "Eat It," which is surrealistic in and of itself," Yankovic says.
He goes on to say that "seeing him [Jackson] in person was amazing, it was otherworldly. He was and continues to be so iconic, it's hard to even conceive of him as a human being. He always was bigger than life."
Yankovic also says he realizes just how much Jackson's songs impacted his own success. "I don't know what kind of career I would have today if it hadn't been for Michael Jackson. In a very real sense, he jump-started my career. 'Eat It' basically changed me from an unknown into a guy that got recognized at Burger King," Yankovic wrote.
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/29050662/michael_jackson_remembered_weird_al_yankovic_on_imitation_as_flattery
"The first time around I pursued Michael Jackson about a song parody, it was a shot in the dark. We're talking about the most popular and famous person in the known universe, and here I was, this goofy comedy songwriter. He not only returned our phone calls, but he approved it. He thought it was a funny idea," Yankovic writes in a Rolling Stone tribute to Jackson.
For the first time since Michael Jackson's death, 'Weird Al' Yankovic, the parody king who had some of his biggest hits spoofing the King of Pop's tunes, is speaking out about Jackson's tragic death.
"The first time around I pursued Michael Jackson about a song parody, it was a shot in the dark. We're talking about the most popular and famous person in the known universe, and here I was, this goofy comedy songwriter. He not only returned our phone calls, but he approved it. He thought it was a funny idea," Yankovic writes in a Rolling Stone tribute to Jackson.
Weird Al Yankovic's Classic Michael Jackson Parodies
'Eat It'
'Fat'
"The first time I met him in person was long after I had gotten permission to do "Eat It" back in 1984. There's a contract somewhere that has his signature next to mine, proving that we are the co-writers of "Eat It," which is surrealistic in and of itself," Yankovic says.
He goes on to say that "seeing him [Jackson] in person was amazing, it was otherworldly. He was and continues to be so iconic, it's hard to even conceive of him as a human being. He always was bigger than life."
Yankovic also says he realizes just how much Jackson's songs impacted his own success. "I don't know what kind of career I would have today if it hadn't been for Michael Jackson. In a very real sense, he jump-started my career. 'Eat It' basically changed me from an unknown into a guy that got recognized at Burger King," Yankovic wrote.
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/29050662/michael_jackson_remembered_weird_al_yankovic_on_imitation_as_flattery