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Fairytales for a Practical Princess - 2008-11-30
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10:03 a.m. - 2003-07-14
Far and away the coolest thing that happened this past week was the Sage Family attending a Weird Al Yankovic concert. I ADORE Weird Al. I've always been a fan of his music. It's witty and it's not too rough on the performers he's sending up. He never crosses the line from parody into cruelty. He seems like a totally decent person too. In interviews that decency shines out. He speaks of his parents, coworkers, and fellow performers with genuine affection and respect. VH1 did a "Behind the Music" on him and I laughed aloud when he said, "I don't sleep with band members. I've never trashed a hotel room. I never went bankrupt. I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs. I have no idea why VH1 wants to do one these about me." Seeing him onstage with his shiny wedding ring and a picture of his baby daughter taped to the mike stand I realized that Al's been at this a loooooong time now and I felt a bit old. I remember when Al's debut song "My Bologna" was in heavy rotation on "Dr. Demento". And here we are 23 years later. Al's still doing his thing, but alas I am not a giggling teenager goofing over midnight broadcasts from the college radio station anymore. In fact, my KIDS are giggling over Weird Al's music and Alex is hoping to score a gig on Oswego's campus radio station doing his own version of comedic parodies and original silly music. I'm for this 100%. There are far worse performers my son could have chosen to emulate. (I can only imagine how Marilyn Manson's parents must feel.) I took Alex to his first Weird Al show about 4 years ago. It was Halloween night and Al pulled out all the stops. The house ROCKED. But even more impressive than a 39 year old guy who could put his foot behind his head and DANCE, or that he and the band wailed for over 2 hours (no wimpy prima donna 5 song set for Al), or that the ticket and t-shirt prices were astonishingly inexpensive, no what got me was Al's firm insistence that his show be clean and family friendly. The opening act was a DJ from a local radio station. The guy was a foul mouthed pig. Not 5 minutes into his disgusting routine the guy got the hook. The stage lights went off, the DJ was forcibly removed from the stage (he wouldn't go quietly when asked nicely), and Weird Al's road manager came out and apologized. The DJ's filth was NOT Al's idea of funny and was totally not in keeping with his standards for entertainment. How cool was that? So I had no qualms about taking Wolf to see Weird Al last Friday night. I think Wolf might have been the youngest audience member, but not by much. There were lots of families there, as well as the usual throngs of geeks, weirdos and social misfits. When Alex and I were in line for t-shirts he looked around and laughed, "So THIS is where all the guys like me hang out!" It was true. There were many, many tubby guys with ponytails and scruffy beards in the crowd. Almost inevitably they were accompanied by a tall stoop shouldered gangly guy with moppy hair hanging in his face (zit camouflage, I guess). Alex pulled a mournful face and sighed he had no Mutt to his Jeff. I smirked and told Alex he was the KING of the dweebs, he was at a concert with his MOTHER. He laughed and gave me a high five and a hug. (I really have to give Alex snaps. Mr. Suave Jock Popular Guy he’s not, but he DOES have a good attitude about his supposed geeky-ness. He says he’s a dork with style.) Wolf hadn’t made the connection between the face on Alex’s many Weird Al shirts and the guy on stage until Al did “Amish Paradise”. Alex has several videos downloaded on the computer and “Amish Paradise” is one of Wolf’s favorites. When the song started and Al came on stage in his beard and Amish costume Wolf sat up and nodded like, “Oh, THAT guy!” and proceeded to rock out. He didn’t rock for long though. It had been a long day. Soon he crawled into my lap and drowsed even though we were two rows back and the sound was blistering. The music sank in anyhow and the next morning I heard Wolf singing in his room. My boy was belting out “Dare to Be Stupid” and “Pretty Fly for a Rabbi”. While not a rabid Al fan like me and Alex are, Mike had a great time too. He was impressed that a guy his age could dance and cavort around like that. Mike said he’d be trying harder from now on to stay in shape but didn’t think he’d EVER be able to put his foot behind his head like Al does. I patted his arm and told him I don’t think I’d want him to anyhow. Especially if he was naked at the time. On that disturbing mental image, I’m outta here. ~LA Today’s Pick: “I Love Rocky Road” by Weird Al Yankovic
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