Farenheit Interview

[Orthography Enthusiast]

I don't remember exactly what I asked Al because it was about a year ago that I asked the question. It was more of a rambling rant (possibly incoherent, too) because someone who was interviewing Al criticized him for showing up at the inteview in a Hummer...because he's a vegetarian and I guess he was supposed to be riding a bicycle pulling one of those little carts with his wife and baby in it. I guess I asked him something like "why did they say that?"

Would that be this article?

Warning: tastelessness alert (leave Suzanne out of it, okay, guys?)

Somebody ought to write a manual for young men undertaking to interview Al. Yeah, you want "Weird Al" and you just get Al, but what the heck's wrong with that? I kind of got the impression that Al didn't much want to be a performing seal for these guys. Not much wonder if he didn't enjoy the interview or open up for them when they were obviously thinking, "This is our chance to impress Weird Al with how funny we are!"

[scottidog]

What a waste of an afternoon. I don't know what I would do to pass the time spent with Al, but I would hope it wouldn't leave him sprinting away at the first available opportunity.

And could that guy be any more obsessed with pumps?

[CatraDhtem]

That was the first time I had read that article, and I'm not quite sure how I want to react.

First, the Hummer the writers were obsessed with. One would think they would have understood that since Al was on tour, the transportation just might have been provided to him without any prior input. This would be like blaming Al for the quality of a concert venue.

Second, they really shouldn't have gotten all huffy because Al was in a hurry to get back. They already knew that he was kinda fighting time, and that he already had traffic problems getting there. I think it's been discussed on here before how hectic the on-the-road schedule can be sometimes.

Finally, I can't seem to find any instance in which Al supposedly made some faux pas that made the magazine crew feel that awkward. If Al was really that quiet it's perhaps because he thought these interviewers were going to...you know, ask questions. You can't pick someone's brain unless you first pick a topic.

And again, this just seems to be another instance of an interviewer thinking "All right, we're going to interview Weird Al! This is great because he's all weird and funny and always saying crazy things...we won't need to actually prepare for this!!"

Oh well, at least they didn't whine about him not wanting to share a pitcher of beer with them.

And by the way, did Al actually end his relationship with Baker/Northrop?? I've been pointing reporters in that direction when they want to ask Al about the Rock Hall campaign.

[scottidog]

Split and moved this topic because I think it deserves a discussion. And it was Off Topic where it was. So, you know... carry on.

Al is still listed at the Baker Northrop site, but the last date listed is 2003. Perhaps you should clarifiy that point with Jay, Greg.

Oh and Al? Don't worry. The pics were to die for. You're such a handsome lad.

[TheMeccaOfAlbinoPoodles]

That was the first time I had read that article, and I'm not quite sure how I want to react.

First, the Hummer the writers were obsessed with. One would think they would have understood that since Al was on tour, the transportation just might have been provided to him without any prior input. This would be like blaming Al for the quality of a concert venue.

Second, they really shouldn't have gotten all huffy because Al was in a hurry to get back. They already knew that he was kinda fighting time, and that he already had traffic problems getting there. I think it's been discussed on here before how hectic the on-the-road schedule can be sometimes.

Finally, I can't seem to find any instance in which Al supposedly made some faux pas that made the magazine crew feel that awkward. If Al was really that quiet it's perhaps because he thought these interviewers were going to...you know, ask questions. You can't pick someone's brain unless you first pick a topic.

And again, this just seems to be another instance of an interviewer thinking "All right, we're going to interview Weird Al! This is great because he's all weird and funny and always saying crazy things...we won't need to actually prepare for this!!"

Oh well, at least they didn't whine about him not wanting to share a pitcher of beer with them.

And by the way, did Al actually end his relationship with Baker/Northrop?? I've been pointing reporters in that direction when they want to ask Al about the Rock Hall campaign.

Seconded.

All the way.

[Orthography Enthusiast]

I hadn't thought of that, but since Al was on tour, the Hummer would have been provided (as stipulated in the tour rider) by the concert promoter.

So what's the situation here? Al's tired (he's been on a pretty hectic touring schedule). He's been stuck in traffic, which has to be frustrating since he knows he's inconveniencing/disappointing these guys he's promised to see for an interview, and Al hates inconveniencing/disappointing People He's Made Promises To. Then these PHMPT are obviously nervous, but instead of admitting it (which would have gotten a sincere, putting-at-ease reaction from Al, it always does) they cover it up by trying to wisecrack wiser and crackier than Al, who probably did not enjoy this pressure to perform at all, especially since he's not familiar with the publication and probably has no idea what kind of "performance" they're expecting. They were lucky to get even a modicum of "zany wacky funster" out of him. And lastly, every minute Al spends with these guys is a minute he's not spending with Suzanne and Nina in a very beautiful and historic hotel. Sheesh.

This is what they should have done:
1) Commiserated on the traffic & apologized for the wrong directions. This takes the "guilt trip" off Al and puts it back where it belongs: on Circumstances Beyond Our Control and their own directional cluelessness.
2) Gone ahead and ADMITTED that they've been big-time fans for a long time (with an example or two, maybe) and that they're nervous. This lets Al know that they're on his side, aren't looking to score "coolness points" at his expense by zinging him in the article (which they did anyway, kind of, but I think that was mostly just a reaction to their feeling they'd been such dweebs-- and they had). "Boggling star-struck fan" is OK; that's a category Al's familiar with, he can deal, and in fact, as lots of us know, he has a real knack for pulling fans out of boggle-mode quite expeditiously.
3) Fercryinoutloud, let Al get a word in edgewise! Ask him about Frank Zappa and then SHUT UP AND LISTEN.

Man, I hate it when I see somebody blow a perfectly good opportunity to get a non-boilerplate interview from Al.

[scottidog]

I hadn't thought of that, but since Al was on tour, the Hummer would have been provided (as stipulated in the tour rider) by the concert promoter.

Or possibly by Sea World, since it sounds like he was there as their guest. And even if Al had philosophical objections to a Hummer, he's too polite to say anything.

Man, I hate it when I see somebody blow a perfectly good opportunity to get a non-boilerplate interview from Al.

Really.

From the interview:

That may not be fair. Both Stern and Yankovic are the type of guys who have to be the funniest person in the room -- and I'm that way too, for better or worse. So, maybe it was just too hard to have that much, ahem, comic dynamite in the same room. You know what they say, an immovable force and an irresistible object can't co-exist in the same universe. The physics of being funny.

This guy is really full of himself. I don't know about the rest of you, but I didn't see any funny from this guy.

What a waste. I keep wondering what I would say or do with an opportunity like that.

[CatraDhtem]

What a waste.  I keep wondering what I would say or do with an opportunity like that.

I know what you mean. Especially in this case where they arranged this interview with a purpose, to chat about Frank Zappa.

Just off the top of my head, here are some rather basic questions I would have posed throughout the little tour:
"How much research did you do in preparation for the song?"
"About how many specific Zappa song references do you think you made?"
"Did Dweezil make any suggestions?"
"How long had you been wanting to do a Zappa tribute?"
"What was it like to meet him all those years ago?"

Granted he's answered some of these questions elsewhere, but as said already, why waste the opportunity? This would have shown Al that these guys were not only interested in showing him some Zappa landmarks, but that they were also interested in talking about Al's work.

[sailorsilver84]

Oi. I could just feel the tension and awkward silence in that car and during the whole time they spent togther. The interviewers were idiots, falling over themselves like that and making completely unnecessary comments about Suzanne. Where's my ninja pole? These guys are going DOWN...

[algonacchick]

Man, that was the oddest article I've ever read about Al. Not sure what to think. It certainly doesn't sit right with me. They really did blow a perfectly good opportunity to do a really good interview, didn't they? Idiots.

Bobbi, you're right about the pics. They were the only good thing I saw.