OMG I'm 2 degrees separated from Weird Al...must...resist...fan freakout...

Cafe Society
1

Wait, is this 1 degree of separation or 2? My fanfreak is fogging my thinking…

I posted the new Weird Al “Perform This Way” video to my Facebook profile, and discovered a friend (well, friendly acquaintance) of mine from college did all of the background vocals on it (she says “Express Yourself,” along with, well, all other female BGV). Monique is under 5’ tall and ALL voice–she’s an insanely talented soprano who was once heard humming–humming–the soprano line from The Magic Flute in college, which she did for her senior recital. I knew she’d done some BGV work with him on his previous album (“Weasel Stomping Day” and “Don’t Download This Song”), but not this one. FTR, she also was one of the singer/performers on stage with Robin Williams for the live performance when “Blame Canada” was nominated for an Academy Award for original song.

Not only did she do the BGV, but when she went to record, she was surprised it was just Al, his producer, and her in the studio. In the past, his band and practically everyone else was there. They took a break, his family came over, and everyone had lunch together.

I am not one to get starstruck. I have met and interacted with celebrities (I live in Socal, after all), and it’s always just been, “Eh, they’re just people.” But I loooooove Weird Al and have for more than 20 years, so this made me SQUEEEEEEEEEEE.

It was all I could do not get all goofy and “OMG INVIIIIIITE ME OOOOVVVEEERRRR PLEEEEASE.”

She did say next time she saw him, she’d let me know and have him sign anything I wanted; he’s really humble and good about autographs. Musician hubby said he wanted Al to sign his voice, heh.

Al fans, you may line up to touch me to be three degrees from Al. Now now, gentle touch, GENTLE!

2

I believe Opalcat has some kind of tenuous link to him somehow. She’s certainly one of his biggest fans.

3

:: pokes Ruffian (gently) in the arm ::

I’m three degrees from Al! I’m three degrees from Al!!

:: falls into fangirl swoon ::

4

There’s some footage of Straight Outta Lynwood being recorded up on Youtube:

“Don’t Download This Song” starts at 4:15.

5

thirdname, yes, we saw that video when SOL came out. I believe Monique posted it on her wall. FTR, that’s her at 4:19 inbetween Al and the blond girl, comfortably singing an octave higher than the other two.

Amusingly, hubby toured with Monique in college and took photos of them “dancing” together. Hubby is 6’4", so the photos show her standing on a chair–and still about 6" shorter than him. They tease each other for the respective extreme heights, even today.

6

This is my chance to say that I got to see Weird Al in concert last week and it was the best thing! I never thought I’d get a chance to see him live, but I was going down to my friend for a visit (and my 20th HS reunion) and she got us tickets. Squee! We had a wonderful time, it was a great show, and Weird Al touched my hand. Twice!

I had just about the best trip possible all around, really. So much great stuff happened. But that concert–yippee!

7

I have several friends that know Al or have worked with him. I hear nothing but good things about him.

8

My husband interviewed Weird Al over the phone once, but I’ll let him tell the story, since he’ll probably be in here soon. :slight_smile:

9

OK, I’ll bite.

Opal, what is your link to Weird Al? Did you make a web site for him?

10

I’m 2 degrees separated from Barack Obama, Martin Luther King, Jr., and former US Surgeon General Antonia Novello.

Beat that.

11

Oh, Weird Al still wins.

:wink:

12

He does! I’m 2 degrees separated from Vladimir Putin, but Weird Al touched my hand and that wins. :smiley:

13

I really like Weird Al, but I have to say that seeing him in concert was one of the most disappointing shows of all time. The problem was not that he wasn’t entertaining–he was–but that there were HUGE amounts of downtime between each of his songs while he changed costumes, etc. Really killed the mood to have 3-4 minutes of song, then 7 minutes of nothing (except some pre-recorded videos), and then another song.

14

I’m one degree of separation from matt_mcl, Ed Broadbent, and my grandfather, which means that I’m two or three degrees from basically every Canadian politician, which means I’m three or four degrees from the Queen, Barack Obama, and the Emperor of Japan… But Weird Al still wins. :slight_smile:

15

I thought you were related…I’m bitterly disappointed…

16

And ‘Weird Al’ was in Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult with Olympia Dukakis, who was in Picture Perfect with Kevin Bacon.

So you are only four degrees from Kevin Bacon.

17

His “Behind the Music” is HILARIOUS! Here’s a man that does not take himself too seriously, if at all.

18

I’m going to move this from MPSIMS to Cafe Society, there the real fans hang out. :wink:

19

I met Al once, several years ago. He did a concert in Merrillville, Indiana, and a friend of mine and I made the 4+ hour drive to see him. We waited around outside the dressing room door afterward (along with maybe 200 other people). He came out, shook hands, talked to everyone individually for a minute, but wouldn’t sign anything or take pics. The bodyguards said it was a time thing. He had to leave pretty quick to get to his next city.

Hell of a nice guy. I cracked him up. There’s an old episode of “Beavis and Butthead” where they’re watching a Stray Cats video, and there’s a guy that looks a little like Weird Al. Butthead says, “He gets all the chicks cuz he’s Weird Al.” So, when I met him, I looked him in the eye, and said, “you get all the chicks, cuz you’re Weird Al.”

20

I’m occasional email buddies with his drummer.

ETA: Oh yeah, and his daughter was born on my birthday.