Weirdal
Photo by phone thang

When “Weird Al” Yankovic appeared at The Ohio State Fair this week, my son and I were there. My son finds his parodies of popular culture funny. I’ve always agreed that he’s talented, but I didn’t have high hopes for this concert.

I was wrong. If “Weird Al” comes to your hometown, go see him. Here’s why:

1. “Weird Al” has a very tight band. (Today’s youth get groovy when I describe a band as “tight.”) The musicians aren’t wincing at the idea of working in the “Weird Al” band. They are rockin’. Even the woman signing in ASL for the deaf was rockin’. This was a first-rate rock concert. (For credibility: I saw Elton John in 1973, Pink Floyd in 1977 and the Grateful Dead sometime in the 1980s — I can’t remember exactly when.) Costume changes, great lighting, big sound worthy of Kleenex in the ears. More than two and a half hours.

2. “Weird Al” is really very funny. And he’s a great performer. I was surprised and impressed. He’s what today’s youth calls “tight.”

3. From a marketing perspective, “Weird Al” dominates his market space. Spike Jones invented the wise-guy-does-silly-things-with-music genre. SpikeBut “Weird Al” has pre-empted anyone who might try to do this. You can’t horn in on his positioning. Do you own your positioning with such strength?

4. “Weird Al” is only 47 years old. He must have started when he was a wise guy in junior high school. It’s inspiring to see someone who is clearly still having fun with his boyhood passion. (Most of us should not exercise our boyhood passions as adults.)

Now, join me. Wave both hands in the air while chanting: “Weird Al, Weird Al, Weird Al….”