Almost by law, every Weird Al web site features a list of "Frequently Asked Questions," but we here at All Things Yankovic think that only scratches the surface of Al knowledge. There are questions that, although not asked often, are equally as important as "When is Al's birthday?"

To rectify this biased ignoring of such questions, All Things Yankovic proudly presents....

"Weird Al" Yankovic
Rarely Asked Questions
(R.A.Q.)

Is Weird Al a man or a woman?
Although we cannot get any confirmation from Al or his management, it is strongly believed that he is male.

Is Weird Al a cannibal?
(spit take)

Is Al ever going to make the movie Stir Crazy 2?
Since Al had very little if not absolutely nothing to do with the original film, the likelihood of his being involved in a sequel is nil.

Yo, check it out. You got any Wierd All songs you can send me?
Sure, holmes. Got a benjamin on ya? If so, then you can go out to a store and buy approximately eight "Wierd All" CD's yourself, you lazy cheapskate.

Why didn't Al put "You're Pitiful" on any album?
Because you didn't buy enough copies of Polka Party!

Hey, isn't Weird Al also known as "The 'Eat It' Guy?"
On the contrary, "Eat It" is known as "The Weird Al Song!"

Which album has the song "What If God Smoked Cannabis?"
Um....that's only on Permanent Record: Al In The Box, which is out of print but can still be purchased on eBay or from individual sellers on Amazon. Now, it will be listed on the packaging as "Eat It," and it may even sound like a Michael Jackson song, but trust us, that's the song you're looking for.

What's this rumor I keep hearing that Weird Al also sings songs that aren't parodies?
There is absolutely no truth behind it. Every song Al has recorded since 1973 has been a parody. For example, Al's seemingly original Running With Scissors closer "Albuquerque" is in actuality a parody of the Hogg Whitman song "Pass The Turkey."

I heard that Weird Al is on the commentary track on the Orgazmo DVD. Was Al in the movie or something?
Was he?? Oh, surely you remember that one Orgazmo stunt-"double"....

In the same vein, why did Al appear on the Ren and Stimpy: Adult Party Cartoon DVD?
Because Al doesn't always want to be associated with just things that are funny.

I have a copy of Alapalooza with two stickers on the cover. One sticker says something about the album not being the Jurassic Park soundtrack. Is this a variation of some kind?
Actually, no. The real variation has one large blank sticker placed over the entire cover of the album.

How many Academy Awards has Al won?
Um....none. However, these are the Oscars Al has been elligible for:

Best Original Song, 1984 ("This Is The Life" from Johnny Dangerously)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role, 1988 (The Naked Gun or Tapeheads)
Best Original Song, 1989 ("UHF" from UHF)*
Best Score, 1989 (for "Fun Zone" in UHF, with John DuPrez)
Best Actor in a Lead Role, 1989 (UHF)
Best Original Screenplay, 1989 (UHF, with Jay Levey)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role, 1991 (The Naked Gun 2 1/2)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role, 1994 (Naked Gun 33 1/3)
Best Original Song, 1996 ("Spy Hard" from--oddly enough--Spy Hard)
Best Original Song, 2000 ("Polkamon" from Pokemon the Movie 2000)

*Now before you say "What about 'Money For Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies,' you punk??", keep in mind that the category is Best Original Song.

How come my Bad Hair Day CD disc has the Alapalooza image on it?
Wow....you may have the special secret limited edition version of the album. Volcano made a small run of these, and a very few are actually made out of solid platinum. To be sure if you have one of those, rub a magnet all around the back of the disc. The platinum discs will immediately cling to the magnet.

What's the difference between The Food Album and Running With Scissors?
About seven bucks, depending on which store you're at. (rimshot!) Ha!

I noticed that Al sure is targeting a lot of black artists on Straight Outta Lynwood. What does that mean?
Why, it clearly means he's going to Hell.

Does Al really have a hyper glandular problem like in the Fatman cartoons?
Of course! How else do you think Al puts on all that weight before singing "Fat" at concerts?? Although, how Al loses the weight in time to sing "The Saga Begins" is another question....

Where is Al's cameo in The Importance of Being Earnest?
Al does not appear in that movie. You may be thinking of the unproduced Jim Varney vehicle The Importance of Being Ernest.

I just bought a copy of the UHF CD at a store. I have heard that it is rare, yet the store had several copies. What do I do next?
OH MY GOD!!! You found a copy of the UHF soundtrack?? That has been out of print since 1984! Wow! Okay, you have to buy all of the copies and sell them up on eBay for three times the amount your paid. Never mind The Authorized Al...you found the rarest Al item ever! Whaaaaa--!! (jumping out the window)

Wikipedia is saying that (blank) song was/wasn't released as a single. How come this site doesn't list that as well?
Because we're more interested in facts than in appeasing whining people in a discussion thread.

Speaking of which, there's something on Wikipedia that looks a lot like something on this site...?
Yes, a number of facts and images have been stolen from this site and added to Wikipedia without our permission or due credit. Wikipedia doesn't care, but we do.

Where are the Easter eggs on the UHF DVD?
Easter eggs? What the heck are you talkin' about?? It's a movie! Unless it's an Easter movie, then you won't find any Easter eggs! Geez....stupid kid.

As of May 2007, there are only three songs left on Straight Outta Lynwood that do not have music videos. Are they going to get videos anytime soon?
Of course, with each one utilizing a unique animation style. The video for "Canadian Idiot" will be produced with Gilliam-esque cut-out animation, while "Confessions Part III" will use rotoscoping, and "Polkarama!" will use sand animation. But that's not all, as Al also plans to go back and produce additional animated videos for every other remaining video-less song in his released catalog. The first eighty-one videos will be released over the next year. No DVD release is planned.

Hey, I put Running With Scissors into my computer. Is that movie file supposed to be there?
Yep, but if you want to see something really cool, trying putting the CD into the toaster!

So, is Weird Al still alive? I heard on the radio that he died. What's the truth?
(an actual letter)
Actually, there has been more than one "Weird Al," you know. The character of Weird Al has become kind of like Bozo the Clown, where as performers rotate portraying him.

The current Weird Al is played by Edward LaFong, who has performed the role sporadically since 2002 and full time since 2005. Edward's strange journey as the new "Weird Al" began when VH1 approached Jay Levey with having Weird Al appear on their first I Love the '80s series to offer on-the-spot "wacky" quips on a variety of subjects. The problem was that the current "Al" was not an improvisational performer by any means, and was actually quite camera-shy because of that. So Jay approached laid-back Edward, an up-and-coming member of Los Angeles's famed Groundlings acting troupe. Jay was able to explain the goateed Edward's more hippie-like look as Weird Al merely trying to look more "casual." VH1, unaware of the switch, loved Edward's performance so much that they wanted Weird Al back to do other similar shows of theirs, as did such other networks as E! and TV Land. This marked the first time in well over a decade that two different performers were handling the role of Weird Al. Things changed, though, during The Poodle Hat Tour, when constant demands for frequent periods of vacation became a growing source of irritation for Jay. When the tour ended in 2004, Edward was quietly being groomed to take over all aspects of the Weird Al mantle. The switch was made official in mid-2005 shortly after a delay in the recording of the twelfth Weird Al album, Straight Outta Lynwood. Edward insisted on keeping his facial hair for the album's photography, primarily as a transition before going back to the older, "classic" Weird Al look for good to appeal more to the "'80s retro" crowd.

It is believed that there is a 1999 picture somewhere on the web that has all of the Weird Al performers up to that time posing together, but the URL is unknown just yet.

Anyway, it might very well be true then that one of the "Weird Al" guys have died...although we here at All Things Yankovic haven't heard anything.