Comments on "Weird Al" Yankovic @ The Central Washington State Fair, Yakima, Saturday Oct. 6

Thank you Terry! That was an awesome piece.

Much as Mad Magazine used humor to introduce me at a very young age to a lot of big words and political ideas, I think Weird Al probably indelibly marked my introduction to pop music. The only albums I actually owned until 7th grade were Weird Al albums and I heard most of the big pop songs of my first decade of life in their Weird Al form first. I haven't listened to him for years now, but I still have an enormous well of respect for the man.

His stylistic satires (rather than the straight 1:1 parodies) are some of my favorites and Mark Mothersbaugh has publicly stated that Al's "Dare To Be Stupid" was the best Devo song ever written.

On top of which, he is an incredibly nice guy by all accounts, my friend Lauren still talks about going to see him at a state fair down in Utah and how he was totally cool with people coming to say hi at his trailer and hang out and eat pizza. I've always enjoyed the fact that, however deranged it got, there was an inherent kindness to his humor that was lacking in most of the mass-produced parody songs that get tossed around by "morning radio zoo crew" shows.

Anyway, kudos for taking your son to experience the Al. The bit about fighting with you parents over playing the tape on a family trip was spot on. :-)

goddam i wish i was there. al goes all out for his shows. this a funny man we all need to take very seriously.

ok not really, but dudes freakin brilliant and ive loved him since i was 7.

Great review, lovely reminiscence of your childhood. Thanks, Terry.

Thanks for the article - I was hoping to get to see him in BC, but there wasn't a ticket in sight when I tried to get them. =) Maybe on the next tour.

Agreed.. great piece of writing Terry.

What's funny is, after 20+ years or perfecting his craft, Weird all can do hip hop live better than 90% of the "serious" rappers performing today. I've only seen it televised, but I know when it's being tracked and when it's live, and he's incredible.

"Weirld Al", of course I should have typed.

weird al is one of the greatsest men who ever lived long live weird al