Weird Al has been an icon for decades for his creativity and ability to simultaneously astound listeners with his musical talent, and to keep listeners rolling with laughter. I have to admit that there are many songs in which I know the Weird Al lyrics better than the original ones. So why hasn’t he ever been invited to do a Super Bowl show, or in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Like Will Ferrell, Jack Black, and John C. Reilly sang during the 79th academy awards; laughter doesn’t usually win the big awards, and prizes are rarely given to the comedians. (Click here to watch their performance)
Al, now is your time to shine. There are two types of people who watch the Super Bowl: those who care about the actual game, and those interested in the commercials/halftime show. Generally, the halftime show is a balancing act of performers that both groups of people would enjoy watching. But who doesn’t love Weird Al’s funny lyrics and clever cultural references?
This is precisely what sparked people to start an online petition that is already gaining a lot of popularity on change.org, asking the organizers of the next Super Bowl in New Orleans to please sign on Weird Al as the halftime performer. Below is the reasoning that they’ve provided as to why Weird Al would be the ideal performer for next year’s big game:
“Incredibly wide, positive appeal. Not only is he a genuine American icon, and not only has he continued to win NEW fans decade after decade, but if he were a politician, his negative poll ratings would be negligible. To quote The Simpsons: “He who is tired of Weird Al is tired of life.”
Featuring Weird Al is to feature a wide swath of musical styles. “Another One Bites the Dust”…”Beat It”…”Smells Like Teen Spirit”…”Amish Paradise”…”Lump”…”Ridin’”…”Born This Way”. Musically, what do they all have in common? Very little! But through his humor and personality, Weird Al appeals to fans of many types of music. No need to have gratuitous walk-ons by the musical Flavor of the Month. And that’s even before you get to his original songs.
Unparalleled showmanship and production values. Weird Al’s live show is a rock show disguised as a comedy show. All the elements are there: lights, video, costume changes, general spectacle. And given a stadium-sized budget? It would be awesome in every sense of the word. And though he wouldn’t need to include the musical Flavor of the Month, odds are he’d find inventive ways to include them nonetheless.
Nerds are now cool. Yep. Geeks and nerds are currently at the leading edge of popular culture, a trend that doesn’t show signs of ending any time soon. Tech innovators are celebrated. “The Big Bang Theory” pulls in killer ratings. EVERYONE carries little computers around in their pockets. Now is the time to bring one of nerdhood’s heaviest guns to one of America’s most celebrated events.”
Who can argue with any of that? And of course, with the gaffe of MIA’s finger-flip and curse word, perhaps a switch to a clean and hilarious performer is better than trying to pick another too-serious one.