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Bullseye with Jesse Thorne is a production of of maximum fun.org and is distributed by NPR.

I'm Jesse Thorne. Aside from maybe Dolly Parton, is there any recording artist in America more universally beloved than Weird Al Yankovic? Forty years of making records, millions

sold. He has an iconic voice, the chops for pop, and a sense of humor, both

distinct and approachable. And look, if you're close to my age, maybe sit down for this one.

Weird Al just celebrated his 65th birthday. Happy birthday to the goat. When I talked to Al back in

2022, he'd just been the subject of a biopic,

Weird, the Al Yankovic story, which he co-wrote himself. True to the biopic genre, it chronicles

his life from childhood to present day, but unlike most biopics, it is not probing or emotional or dark. It is not grounded,

not realistic. There are no facades lifted. If you're looking for any of those, I don't know,

go watch I'm not there or something. What Weird Al does to popular music, he does here to biopics.

It's a very silly, joke a minute parody. Weird stars Daniel Radcliffe as

Weird Al and Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna, Al's main love interest. As I said, the film,

not grounded. Before we get into my interview with Weird Al Yankovic, let's hear a clip from Weird.

This comes from early on in the movie.

In this scene, Al's father has just learned that his son has been secretly playing the accordion,

which is a forbidden instrument in the Yankevick household.

His dad smashes it to pieces.

A wounded, enraged owl replies,

You! You think you're going to stop me from playing! You'll see. One day I'm going to be the best.

...