While the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards were a dud compared to last year’s unforgettable show, the legendary “Weird” Al Yankovic saved the week with a thrilling performance at the 2014 Emmy Awards. The world’s most electrifying musical parodist performed a bit where he added lyrics to the theme music from several popular television shows. Mad Men, Scandal, Modern Family, and Homeland all got the Weird Al treatment, but the best work was saved for Game of Thrones. Andy Samberg added to the musical number by coming out as King Joffrey. As expected, Weird Al + Game of Thrones = Pure Awesome. Check out the clip below and let me know what you think of Weird Al’s performance at the 2014 Emmy Awards (please!).
Tag: Music
I Missed a Barry Gibb Talk Show!
Gah! I can’t believe I missed this “Barry Gibb Talk Show” sketch from 2013. As a huge fan of The Bee Gees and the Justin Timberlake/Jimmy Fallon duo, “The Barry Gibb Talk Show” is one of my all-time favorite recurring bits from Saturday Night Live. I absolute adore the five sketches that I knew about and am hitting myself for missing the sixth. Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon came back for a very special edition of “The Barry Gibb Talk Show.” Madonna makes a cameo as herself, which is a huge deal (though the bit with her hypnotic teeth was…strange). The big surprise was the actual Barry Gibb showing up at the end of the sketch to lend his legendary falsetto to the show’s theme. That. Was. Awesome!!!
Weird Al Has “First World Problems”
I skipped “Weird” Al Yankovic’s last video from Mandatory Fun, “Sports Song,” because I didn’t think it was very good. Thankfully, “First World Problems” is a lot better. Yeah, it’s not a clever as the outstanding “Word Crimes” or as flashy as “Tacky,” but I found myself cracking up from several lines in the song. “First World Problems” has several things that I’ve been guilty of — getting annoyed that I can’t fast forward through commercials because I’m watching live television, being irritated by having to brush my teeth manually because I let my electric toothbrush’s battery run out, ordering extra items from Amazon to get free shipping, etc. Check out the video when you have a chance, let me know what you think of it, and let me know if it contains any “First World Problems” that you’ve had.
Weird Al Pokes Fun at Iggy Azalea in “Handy”
Today’s dose of “Weird” Al Yankovic’s Mandatory Fun is “Handy.” A parody of Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy,” the song and video are chock full of handyman gags. While it’s sillier and (arguably) not as clever as the other Weird Al videos posted this week, I’m happy that “Handy” exists. “Fancy” is a completely ridiculous song and Iggy Azalea is an outstanding target for parody. Besides, it’s always a good gag when a 54-year old man tackles a song performed by a 24-year old girl.
Anyway, (please) check out “Handy” when you have a chance and let me know how you think it stacks up against the other Weird Al Yankovic videos posted this week.
Weird Al Yankovic’s “Foil” Reveals Illuminati Secrets
Have you ever dreamed of watching a “Weird” Al Yankovic video that has the artist starring in a cooking show and dishing out secrets on the Illuminati? That’s exactly what you’ll see in the video for “Foil,” from Weird Al’s latest album, Mandatory Fun. A parody of Lorde’s hit “Royals,” the video for “Foil” co-stars comedian Patton Oswalt as Weird Al’s producer. While I didn’t find “Foil” as entertaining as “Word Crimes” or “Tacky,” I’m always down with more Weird Al. Besides, making fun of Lorde and the Illuminati is always good fun.
Weird Al Yankovic’s “Word Crimes” Totally Owns
The “Weird” Al Yankovic multimedia onslaught continues. The artist’s new album — Mandatory Fun — is available now and the video for “Word Crimes” is out. This very special single is a parody of the Robin Thicke smash hit “Blurred Lines.” It pokes fun at the numerous grammar and usage errors that have infected society. As someone that has spent a lot of time (both personally and professionally) reading forums and blog-post comments, the “Word Crimes” song and video totally crack me up. As RPadholic N8R mentioned in the RPadTV Google+ Hangout, “Word Crimes” contains a usage error that I used to make a lot, until N8R set me straight on a G4tv.com thread. Ha!
While I really enjoyed the video for “Tacky,” “Word Crimes” takes my love for Weird Al to another level. It’s fun, clever, hilarious, and educational. “Word Crimes” is a stellar example of Weird Al Yankovic’s brilliance — outstanding stuff, Sir!
Mariano Rivera’s Retirement Means Metallica’s Out of Work (ESPN)
Here’s a funny ESPN commercial featuring the legendary rock band Metallica. As all of you should know, New York Yankees great Mariano Rivera retired last year. If you’re familiar with the (greatest) closer (of all time), then you know that he entered ballgames to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” The gag in the ESPN commercial is that Metallica has been struggling to find work since Rivera’s retirement. There’s even a bit in a break room where guitarist Kirk Hammett tries to get ESPN anchor Stuart Scott to sign up for guitar lessons. Ha! While there have been several great ESPN commercials over the years (love the Pete Sampras one!), this is easily in my top five because, you know, Yankees and Metallica.
Weird Al’s “Tacky” Video Completely Rules! (Pharrell “Happy”Parody”)
The video for “Weird” Al Yankovic’s latest single “Tacky” is one of the best things I’ve seen in 2014. As some of you know, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams bugs the crap out of me, so I’m thrilled to see that woefully overplayed single get the Weird Al parody treatment. As a song, “Tacky” is full of Weird Al’s signature silliness and trademark puns. While the song is what I expect and love from Weird Al, the video took my be surprise. I wasn’t expecting guest appearances by Jack Black, Aisha Tyler, Margaret Cho, and more. It’s well choreographed, fun, and filled with entertainingly horrid clothing (mad props to the wardrobe department).
As a lifelong fan of Weird Al, it’s awesome that he’s still serving up great parodies after decades of success. Unlike the original song, “Tacky” makes me very, very happy. When you have a chance, check out the video for “Tacky” and let me know what you think.
Support These Musician Friends of RPadTV (Please!)
RPadholic N8R’s band has a self-titled EP out, so please, please, please check out The Gray-Test Project. As you longtime RPadTV readers know, N8R absolutely rocks and so does his band. I guarantee you’ll dig the music, especially if you pay close attention to Nate slappin’ da bass. If jazz is more your thing then you’ll love my brother’s latest album, They Come and They Go. This is my brother’s second album and I’m so proud of what he’s done. In addition to his new album, Reggie has recently been sponsored by GoPro. They loved his videos of playing the saxophone while surfing and decided to make him part of the team.
So yeah! Please check out the latest from Reggie and Nate. If you buy both albums from the Amazon links above then you’ll support all three of us. Everybody wins!!!
Coffee Talk #627: Peter Gabriel, Hall & Oates, and Cat Stevens in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
I thoroughly enjoyed the 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on HBO. It was a wonderful celebration of some fantastic and entertaining musical artists. Bands like Kiss, Nirvana, and The E Street Band absolutely deserve to be enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Game for their legendary careers. As much as I enjoyed the show, the incongruity of the ceremony was striking. Personally, I loved seeing Cat Stevens and Hall & Oates perform, but some of my friends had a problem with those artists being part of the show. What do you think of talents like Peter Gabriel, Linda Ronstadt, and Cat Stevens being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…continued
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, David Villa being the first NYC FC signing, remembering Alice from The Brady Bunch, or what you’re hoping to see at Apple WWDC 2014, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on HBO. It was a wonderful celebration of some fantastic and entertaining musical artists. Bands like Kiss, Nirvana, and The E Street Band absolutely deserve to be enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Game for their legendary careers. As much as I enjoyed the show, the incongruity of the ceremony was striking. Personally, I loved seeing Cat Stevens and Hall & Oates perform, but some of my friends had a problem with those artists being part of the show. What do you think of talents like Peter Gabriel, Linda Ronstadt, and Cat Stevens being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Some of my friends feel that only rock and roll artists should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They view Peter Gabriel as a pop act, Cat Stevens as pop/folk, Linda Ronstadt as country, and Hall & Oates as pop. My pals agreed that all of the aforementioned acts had legendary careers, but disagreed with their enshrinement in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. To their point, there’s nothing really “rock and roll” about Art Garfunkel giving a speech about Cat Stevens.
My stance is much more flexible. Rock and roll doesn’t have a static definition and it doesn’t want one. What was considered rock and roll in the ’50s is very different from what it was in the ’80s, and both are quite different from what rock and roll is today. The genre is constantly changing and evolving. While some of the acts might not be considered “pure” rock and roll, at the very least they’ve influenced numerous rock and roll artists, including some bands that are already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Take an act like Hall & Oates, for example. Many consider the dynamic duo to be a pop band, while others classify them as rock or new wave. Those with a little more musical education can pick up the R&B and soul hooks found in many of the band’s songs. Is it fair for anyone to judge Hall & Oates as not being rock and roll? In my book, Hall & Oates deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and every other Hall of Fame solely for the joy of “Rich Girl.”
What do you guys and dolls think? Are you cool with Lind Ronstadt, Peter Gabriel, Cat Stevens, Public Enemy (inducted last year), etc. being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Or do you have an issue with those artists being in it?
