# Eminem, Humorless Turd Extrordinaire **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 10, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294 "2003-05-10T06:45:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/1 "2003-05-10T06:45:41Z")
Hear, hear! ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/2 "2003-05-10T06:49:16Z")
Weird Al is doing one of his songs, yay! ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/3 "2003-05-10T06:52:28Z")
Fuck you Eminem. You think you have so much talent that a true genius like Weird Al shouldn’t be allowed to parody you? “The only reason I could glean was that making a Weird Al music video would detract from his legacy as a serious hip-hop artist,” Yankovic said Thursday. Other larger and infinitely more talented performers have permitted Weird Al to do parodies of their songs. But you? You’re so fucking great that no one should be allowed to make fun of your so-called work? Ass-muching little maggot! PS: Mods, I tried to open the “Fuck You Marshall Mathers” thread and it only showed Ogre’s post without any OP. If this thread is redundant, please lock it. ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/4 "2003-05-10T06:55:35Z")
What did he do, steal the OP? That’d be just like him, all those hotshot punks from Warren, pretending to be from Detroit! ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/5 "2003-05-10T06:56:35Z")
Meh. I hate Eminem as much as the next Eminem-hating guy (and like Al as much as the next Al-liking guy), but it’s certainly his right to not want a parody of his material done, and he really doesn’t owe anyone an explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/6 "2003-05-10T06:59:26Z")
I love 'em both, and I’m excited. And for the record, the song was allowed (“Couch Potato”), it was the video that was denied. Coming out May 20, yay! ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/7 "2003-05-10T07:02:52Z")
IIRC, Wierd Al doesn’t _need_ his permission, he can go ahead and do it anyhoo. (I could be wrong about that) It’s Al’s custom, though, to ask permission. This may be the first time anyone said no. Coolio _says_ he said no, but that’s not very clear. ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/8 "2003-05-10T07:05:39Z")
I’ve seen old interviews with Al where he mentioned he’s been told no before–he didn’t name names, but nudge-nudged strongly that it was Prince-formerly-known-as-the-artist-formerly-known-as-Prince. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/9 "2003-05-10T07:07:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spooje \* > \*\*IIRC, Wierd Al doesn’t _need_ his permission, he can go ahead and do it anyhoo. (I could be wrong about that) It’s Al’s custom, though, to ask permission. This may be the first time anyone said no. > > Coolio _says_ he said no, but that’s not very clear. \*\* Weird Al would just have to pay a higher royalty rate under mechanical license(which is when you record someone else’s song without their permission). ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/10 "2003-05-10T07:09:56Z")
Thanks for the clarification, but he still restricted Weird Al’s own art. I find that extremely hypocritical in someone who refers to himself as an “artist.” Yes, it’s his right, but it shows him to be rather insecure and incapable of seeing anyone else work with his material. Weird Al is such a genius, it’s hard to imagine how having him do a takeoff isn’t a lot like being asked to star on The Simpsons. * * * Yankovic said Thursday … “It’s very disappointing. This could have been my best video ever.” * * * Think of what we missed. * * * "Yankovic said the rapper allowed Yankovic to redo the theme song from the hit movie “8 Mile,” but said he would need to hear the final mix before granting the video rights. After receiving the final version of the parody – which pokes fun at television addicts – the rapper’s representatives said he would not allow a video. “We started preproduction on (the video) already, because we just assumed that there wouldn’t a problem,” Yankovic said. * * * It also sounds like Weird Al got jerked around too. I have to admire the fact that Al always gets permission to do his videos, but just this once I wish he’d forego such a requirement. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/11 "2003-05-10T07:11:28Z")
I believe it is the first time Al’s been turned down. Comedy, parody and satire are all protected against copyright infringement. Weird Al could just go ahead and do it, and I wish he would. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/12 "2003-05-10T07:11:45Z")
**Zenster** wrote > [@](#): > > Other larger and infinitely more talented performers … So how exactly do you define “larger” and “talented”? Eminem is pretty large no matter how you define it. The definition of “talented” may be a little softer, but still, he’s certainly appreciated by very many of the fans in his field, and is respected by peers in his field. I think Britanny Spears sucks, but I’d hardly call her non-large or non-talented. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/13 "2003-05-10T07:24:54Z")
It’s a shame Eminem won’t allow it, but I _am_ glad Weird Al is choosing to respect his wishes. It’s rare enough when you can find a high-profile person with the (relative) power to parody anything he likes, but the integrity to not abuse it as well. Besides, it’s probably a good idea that Weird Al remains cooperative. The moment the targets of his parodies see them as anything more than good-natured ribbing, well…tis the season to be litigous. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/14 "2003-05-10T07:38:29Z")
Weird Al is stopped from doing the video…seems that ol’ Marshall is afraid of being taken less seriously upon such a video being released. What an ignorant prick. However, all the better; perhaps this will decrease his possible future fanbase. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/15 "2003-05-10T07:39:31Z")
Right; I missed the other thread…sorry. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/16 "2003-05-10T07:39:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\*I believe it is the first time Al’s been turned down. Comedy, parody and satire are all protected against copyright infringement. Weird Al could just go ahead and do it, and I wish he would. \*\* [Found a mention](http://www.cord.edu/dept/concord/101300/aande/aande.html)–not the first. > [@](#): > > Though most artists are generally flattered, there have been a few who haven’t been so eager to be parodied. > Prince, for example, has denied Al permission to parody any of his works. He is the only artist to do so consistently. Well, now he has a companion in asshattedness, is all. ---
**Author:** ![Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linus_Van_Pelt)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/17 "2003-05-10T07:43:40Z")
Although it has been his long-time custom to ask, I know of at least one song from his early days for which he neither asked nor received permission - “It’s Still Billy Joel to Me” - which is at least part of the reason that it’s never been included on any of his albums (If I had to guess, I would say that he also didn’t include it because it’s a rare song that makes fun of the person rather than just the song or style). He had a pretty funny depiction permission-requesting process in one of his videos during the 80’s. The video shows him grovelling to Micheal Jackson, then at the height of his pop-stardom, for permission to parody his current hit (I think it was for “Fat”, but I’m not sure). ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/18 "2003-05-10T07:45:36Z")
Actually, given Al’s blistering good job of savaging Nirvana’s _Smells Like Teen Spirit_, the fuckwad’s probably afraid that his fans will desert him for Al! (Frankly, I swear that Al just borrowed the master tapes from Nirvana and just laid his own vocals on top of them. The video looked _identical_ to Nirvana’s.) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/19 "2003-05-10T07:45:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Drastic \* > I’ve seen old interviews with Al where he mentioned he’s been told no before–he didn’t name names, but nudge-nudged strongly that it was Prince-formerly-known-as-the-artist-formerly-known-as-Prince. Sure, but we _knew_ he was a humorless turd already. 🙂 And didn’t some famous musician once said that you knew you were successful in the music biz when “Weird Al” does a parody of you? ---
**Author:** ![Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linus_Van_Pelt)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294/20 "2003-05-10T07:51:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > \*\*And didn’t some famous musician once said that you knew you were successful in the music biz when “Weird Al” does a parody of you? \*\* That was Kurt Cobain of Nirvana who said that he felt like he had officially made it when their song, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was spoofed by Weird Al as “Smells like Nirvana”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-humorless-turd-extrordinaire/174294.md?page=2)