World of Weird Al Yankovic

This blog post has absolutely nothing to do with Al, but the writer is being unusually honest about fame, and I thought it might be interesting to talk for a bit about Al as a famous person, since he will soon be in one of those lots-o'-time-spent-in-public periods of his life again. So, discuss if you wish.

Great blog. If I had to be famous, the blogger's fame would be the type I would want - well known for something but not recognized by the general public. It can't be easy to deal with fans on a daily basis, and I imagine Al is faced with that all the time.

I volunteered and later worked in an elementary school for years. Kids would spot me in the grocery store or at the swim club and stare or talk about me as if I couldn't hear them - "Look, Mom, that's my reading teacher! Why is she at our grocery store? Why is she buying food? How did she get here?" (we won't go into the swim club comments, ha) Thank heaven they weren't asking for my autograph...

I think fame comes with its ups and downs. Even though I'd love to be famous, I wouldn't want to sacrifice my privacy.

I don't suppose many people would recognise Al in the UK. He could be very private here I reckon!
People might stare at his hair and clothes a little maybe, but that'd be it... loads of people look weird here anyway.. Al would look pretty conservative in fact.

How awesome it would be to spot him on the street and be the only person who knew who he was!

lol, Al in the UK, invisible or not?

I know if I saw him here, me and all my buddies would freak out!

It has to be hard sometimes for Al to feel like he can't just walk around without someone coming up to him. As much as he obviously loves us fans, I'm sure there are times he just wants to be left alone.

When it comes to being approached by fans, how and when it's done can be a big factor too. If Al is just trying to have some time with his family, it might be a little intrusive to do anything other than say "hi". Having someone yelling at the top of their lungs as they run toward him full speed would be a little unnerving too.

At least, as far as I know, Al has never had a problem with paparazzi lurking outside his home or chasing him in their cars or trying to get pictures of Nina. I was watching something on tv a couple of nights ago and they showed Miley Cyrus riding her bike and she was being pursued by a guy on a skateboard, filming her. I'm no fan of hers, but it has to be horribly stressful to have that type of intrusion on your every day life, not to mention dangerous. Let's face it--there are a lot of crazies out there which often concerns me with Al. He makes himself so available to fans that sometimes I worry an unstable fan might get to him.

Ambra @ Apr 2 2008, 07:06 PM wrote: I worry an unstable fan might get to him.

bad thoughts. Al does have a better kind of fame than Miley or Zac Efron lets say but there are still crazed fans.
i was amazed to see Suzanne's pictures of Al and Nina trick or treating... i guess his fame leaves him SOME liberty (in the dark)

Well, to be fair, you can't see Nina's face in any of the pictures Suzanne has ever posted. The only one where you can is the picture of the three of them together, taken shortly after Nina was born, that was used on the Biography special. I think Nina's identity is still pretty well protected at this point, and we needn't worry.

toin9898 @ Apr 11 2008, 01:50 AM wrote: bad thoughts. Al does have a better kind of fame than Miley or Zac Efron lets say but there are still crazed fans.
i was amazed to see Suzanne's pictures of Al and Nina trick or treating... i guess his fame leaves him SOME liberty (in the dark)

Luckily he lives in a no-through road, and some other famous people live there too. I guess they all look out for each other and just stick to visiting the other houses there

ah.
*phew*
i just LOVE the nina in a peacock costume