Comments | prog_schlock: LJ Idol Week #15

prog_schlock

LJ Idol Week #15 - Topic: "Stop laughing"

Mar 24, 2016 21:04

This is my entry for week #15 of therealljidol.

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"They laughed when I said I was going to be a comedian. Well, they're not laughing now." - Bob MonkhouseIf you don't know how to play a musical instrument, you're probably not qualified to invent a new one ( Read more... )

Comments 18

rayaso March 26 2016, 17:43:52 UTC

Inspiration to be stupid is hard to come be, and even harder to follow. I loved the merging of the build-an-instrument section with the Weird Al Yankovic discussion in the final part. Weird Al Yankovic is a singular talent who still makes me laugh.

prog_schlock March 27 2016, 20:53:24 UTC

One of the many great things about Weird Al is that he manages to keep all of his material pretty family friendly. The "dirtiest" phrase I've ever heard him use is "Cunning Linguist" in word crimes and its a pretty good bet that most young folks have no idea what word he's suggesting there.

Thank you for reading and commenting!

bleodswean March 27 2016, 13:25:32 UTC

Hahahahaha! You've definitely exposed part of your younger self here, which, in turn, would assume is still revealing of the older self. This was a humourous and truly delightful read! You've really written a vivid scene/memory with your words and I feel like I saw the younger you emulating Weird Al. I think many of us have "cassette tapes" of this kind in our pasts.

I never was a Weird Al fan, but I know Eminem is/was and he's another singer with a comedic gift -

prog_schlock March 27 2016, 20:57:28 UTC

Eminem is indeed a tremendously talented and often funny performer. While he did, indeed, let Weird Al use "Loose Yourself," I think Eminem was wise to ask that that parody not be made into a single or a video. Eminem was correct that he'd have risked tainting the original a bit. Its a fine line.

Everytime I visit my family, I think about bringing those tapes back here with me. I have no idea what I'd do with them.

Thank you for reading and commenting!

halfshellvenus March 28 2016, 06:30:25 UTC

I have no idea what I'd do with them.
Make an audio shrine, of course. Or laugh yourself into the hospital? \o?

sinnamongirl March 27 2016, 22:17:30 UTC

I LOVE Weird Al. I think you really were able to concisely explain why he's so good. Sometimes he pops up on Celebrity Name Game and you can really see on there how kind and just downright intelligent he is. He warms my heart.

I can almost think of a video with a made-up instrument that popped into my head and it's disappearing. That... doesn't quite suck, but as soon as I read that part I was like "oh that thing!" then it just disappeared.

prog_schlock March 28 2016, 11:20:54 UTC

Yeah, he always comes across as a really sweet, kind man with a genuinely silly sense of humor. He's on my "I hope I meet him" someday list. Someday!

This is my current favorite odd instrument:

sinnamongirl March 28 2016, 19:44:29 UTC

That is so cool!

I... think I was thinking of this... which isn't nearly as cool as I remember it, but is sort of funny: Cat organ.

prog_schlock March 28 2016, 23:38:17 UTC

Cat Organ is amazing.

Thread 5

murielle March 27 2016, 22:19:23 UTC

This was so much fun. I remember the early days of Weird Al's fame. Those were the days. Your entry reminded me of three comedic musicians I reall enjoy: John Lithgow, William H. Macy, and my favorite, Garrison Keellor.

Great read, again!

prog_schlock March 28 2016, 11:24:59 UTC

Oh my god, I love this:

I recognize that's a cover, but John Lithgow's childrens songs are the best ever.

Also, Tom Lehrer:

I would love to be as wonderful as them someday! Just delightful.

Thank you for reading and commenting!

lordrexfear March 28 2016, 04:04:21 UTC

I so disagree with your paragraph on the things from Weird Al that no longer work.

Especially the Myspace line in White and Nerdy. It works even MORE now. He's so damn nerdy he's STILL on Myspace!

Also, I've made a bunch of music. It all sucked. It was more inspired by Merzbow though so there's no comparison there other than... I sucked. Yet I kinda knew it and that was the joke.

prog_schlock March 28 2016, 11:31:43 UTC

They work for us because we understand what he's referencing, but for younger fans, many of his references might as well be to Victrolas and Dial Tones. What is amazing about Al is that he's in tune enough with the world that he can make stuff today that is just as funny as what he was writing thirty years ago. Though, again, it won't necessarily age well.

"Yoda," though, that song will rock as long as people watch Star Wars. :D

My band kind of sucks, but our shtick is that we act like we're the greatest rock band in the world. It works a surprisingly large amount of the time. As comedy. Not as great music.

Thanks for reading and commenting!