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Straits Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Funnyman Weird Al Yankovic enjoys rock-star moment at sold-out Madison Square Garden debut
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Weird Al Yankovic performing during his show at New York's Madison Square Garden on July 12. The comedy musician has sold more than 12 million albums. NEW YORK – When Weird Al Yankovic, America's foremost song parodist for the past 40 years, took the stage for his first Madison Square Garden show on July 12, his accordion got its own ovation. 'Are you ready to polka ? ' he shouted, and the sold-out crowd cheered as he dived into an altered medley of hits. With videos and elaborate costumes, the Bigger & Weirder 2025 Tour showcased the comedy musician's enduringly singular, lampoonery-filled pop-culture stardom. Along with his signature instrument, he played the keyboard, melodica and harmonica. And with a tight backing band – many of the members have been with him for decades – he performed some of his biggest numbers: his first single My Bologna from 1979 (to the tune of The Knack's My Sharona); Like A Surgeon (a la Madonna's Like A Virgin, but in scrubs) and Smells Like Nirvana, in full Kurt Cobain grunge regalia. At 65, Yankovic still commands the stage like a natural-born rocker, with high kicks and the panache to pull off what few other artistes can (including a fat suit). During Eat It, a riff on Michael Jackson's Beat It, audience members – many in Hawaiian shirts and sporting curly locks – were on their feet. Even a seen-it-all security guard danced. For White & Nerdy, Yankovic arrived via scooter, to the thump of Chamillionaire's Ridin'. Father-son pairs, arm-in-arm, knew every lyric. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore S'pore's domestic recycling rate drops to all time low of 11% Singapore HDB launches 10,209 BTO and balance flats, as priority scheme for singles kick in Business Singapore's digital banks finding their niche in areas like SMEs as they narrow losses in 2024 Asia Japan Prime Minister Ishiba to resign by August, Mainichi newspaper reports World Trump says US will charge 19% tariff on goods from Philippines, down from 20% Singapore Two found dead after fire in Toa Payoh flat Singapore 2 foreigners arrested for shop theft at Changi Airport Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving He has sold more than 12 million albums and won five Grammy s. He had a No. 1 album in 2014 with Mandatory Fun. His career has, surprisingly, continued to surge. Amid the jokes during his Madison Square Garden show, he took time to savour his achievements. 'Oftentimes , b ig moments in your life come and go so quickly that you can't really enjoy them while you're in them,' he said, pausing as the arena's house lights rose. The tour, with a Star Wars-themed finale involving storm troopers and R2-D2, is his biggest production ever. But it is not all pastiche: He did some original (and funny) numbers, and a cover of Paul Simon's You Can Call Me Al that showed off Yankovic's tenor and rhythm. His 2014 song Word Crimes – a parody of Blurred Lines that criticises bad grammar ('I don't want your drama/If you really wanna/Leave out that Oxford comma') – is like an ethos: Get the words right. That's joy. NYTIMES
UPI
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Watch: 'Weird Al' Yankovic leads star-studded Coldplay kiss cam spoof
1 of 5 | "Weird Al" Yankovic spoofed the recent Coldplay "kiss cam" scandal on "The Late Show" Monday. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo July 22 (UPI) -- "Weird Al" Yankovic and Lin-Manuel Miranda led a star-studded Coldplay kiss cam spoof on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Monday. The duo performed the Coldplay song "Viva la Vida," and then spotlighted several "couples" in the audience. The parody was a nod to the recent controversy surrounding Astronomer's former CEO Andy Byron, who was spotted with the company's HR head, Kristin Cabot, at a Coldplay concert last week. When the "kiss cam" zoomed in on Byron and Cabot, who are married to other people, Byron ducked and Cabot covered her face. "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy," said the band's frontman Chris Martin. The moment has circulated widely online and inspired countless spoofs since. Byron subsequently resigned from Astronomer. As Yankovic and Miranda sang, the camera zoomed in on several "couples," portrayed by Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, and Adam Sandler and Christopher McDonald. Colbert said the song was an effort to cheer up his fans after the news that The Late Show, which has been on the air since 1993, has been canceled.
Business Insider
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Every celebrity on Stephen Colbert's first 'The Late Show' since it was canceled
"The Late Show" may be coming to an end next may, but Stephen Colbert pulled no punches in the first episode since CBS cancelled the show, by taking a tab at Paramount in his monologue and filling his audience with celebrities. On Thursday, CBS cancelling "The Late Show" was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night." It added that it was unrelated to "the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount." The surprising move came after Colbert criticized CBS Entertainment's parent company, Paramount Global, for disclosing its agreement to pay Donald Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit in which he accused the company of "deceptively editing" an interview with Kamala Harris on "60 Minutes" in October. "I don't know if anything will repair my trust in this company. But, just taking a stab at it, I'd say $16 million would help," he said on July 14. Afterward, he introduced " Weird Al" Yankovic and Lin-Manuel Miranda, who performed Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" in a spoof of last week's viral Astronomer CEO kiss-cam incident. Celebrities including Anderson Cooper, Andy Cohen, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, John Oliver, Jon Stewart, the "Hacks" star Christopher McDonald, Adam Sandler pretended to be caught on kiss-cam. The montage also included an animated version of Trump hugging the Paramount logo. Colbert ended the skit by interrupting Yankovic and Miranda's performance by jokingly saying he had a "note from corporate." "Your song has been canceled. It says here, 'This is a purely financial decision,'" he said. He added that since they started singing, "the network has lost, and I don't know how this is possible, $40 million to $50 million," referencing the losses that CBS claims explain the show's cancellation.
Boston Globe
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
From doo-wop to hip-hop, ‘Weird Al' Yankovic brought ludicrous range to Boston
Cool enough, at least, for the Boch Center Wang Theatre – sold out and packed to the rafters with Hawaiian shirts – to cheer at the very sight of one on Tuesday. Also extraordinary was the ludicrously wide-ranging span of musical styles covered in a single concert, from doo-wop to hip-hop, punk to funk, and boy-band to Afro-pop and Bach. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Yankovic's not-so-secret weapons have always been his own ears − not just for trends, but for sounds − and his longtime band's staggering versatility and skill. Augmented by four additional musicians who gleefully threw themselves into silliness while still showcasing their chops, the group nailed every note. Advertisement And silliness there was. Some of it was dead simple, like the 'Polkamania!' medley of recent-ish hits that provided the video image of Bruno Mars and his crew slickly dancing to a polkafied version of 'Uptown Funk,' and offered creative cat-sound workarounds to the explicit title of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's song 'WAP.' Advertisement 'Weird Al' Yankovic (right) plays the accordion alongside his touring bandmate and guitarist Jim West during'Bigger and Weirder' 2025 Tour at the Boch Center Wang Theatre on Tuesday. Ben Pennington/for The Boston Globe Other parts were a great deal more elaborate, like when the stage was covered in stormtroopers and droids for the 'Star Wars' summations 'Yoda' and 'The Saga Begins.' Neither song, strictly speaking, had many jokes, but Yankovic's instincts were sharp enough to know that straightforward retellings of the movies' events using the tunes of warhorses like 'Lola' and 'American Pie' offered plenty of comedic juice. Unfortunately for songs like 'White & Nerdy,' 'Everything You Know Is Wrong,' and 'Dare to Be Stupid' – which all relied on a breathless barrage of words and imagery – the sound mix was muddled enough that anyone who didn't already know the words by heart (which was unlikely) might have struggled to pick up on them. Though 'Mission Statement' (corporate-speak gobbledygook filtered through Crosby, Stills & Nash) and 'Word Crimes' (Robin Thicke for 'Elements Of Style' pedants) were helpfully accompanied by lyric videos. 'Weird Al' Yankovic performs 'Dare to Be Stupid' as a part of his 'Bigger and Weirder' 2025 Tour at the Boch Center Wang Theatre. Ben Pennington/for The Boston Globe A few performances seemed iffy in a modern context, none more than fooling around with 'It's All About The Pentiums' – a parody the song 'It's All About the Benjamins' – two weeks after the Sean Combs He even gave advice on how to address him in public with Paul Simon's 'You Can Call Me Al,' played dead straight by the singer and his crack band. In that moment, Yankovic was simply a guy in love with pop music. 'Weird Al' Yankovic holds his microphone toward an audience member during a performance in his 'Bigger and Weirder' 2025 Tour at the Boch Center Wang Theatre on Tuesday. Ben Pennington/for The Boston Globe 'WEIRD AL' YANKOVIC Advertisement With Puddles Pity Party. At the Boch Center Wang Theatre, Tuesday. Marc Hirsh can be reached at or on Bluesky @ Here's the setlist from Tuesday night, according to
Boston Globe
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Five things to do around Boston, July 14-20
Tuesday Weird World See wacky comedian Weird Al Yankovic perform live on his Bigger & Weirder Tour. At 8 p.m. at the Wang Theatre, Yankovic will take the stage in Boston for the first time in years. Watch him perform original songs (and parodies) with an eight-piece ensemble, orchestrate wild costume changes, and more. With special guest Puddles Pity Party, the 7-foot, sad clown. From $265 at Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Thursday Advertisement Square Affair Savor the season at the 2025 Dedham Square Summer Stroll, a free, family-friendly event. The square will close to vehicles starting at 6 p.m., to make room for pedestrians, local musicians, pop-up shops, outdoor dining, and more. Listen to live music on two stages, browse clothing and art from over 50 street vendors, eat food from local restaurants, relax at the square's beer garden, play games, and more. Food and drinks available for purchase. Saturday Barrio Beats Celebrate Latino culture at Festival Betances: Our Music, Our History, Our Community. Enjoy a lively parade, sample recipes from across South America and the Caribbean, shop for Latin American clothing and artwork from pop-up vendors, and make your own crafts. Plus, dance to the sounds of Puerto Rican and Afro-Caribbean musicians including Raíz de Plena and Lorna Marcano as they perform live. Food and drinks available for purchase. At Boston's Plaza Betances from 1 to 9 p.m. Free. Advertisement Saturday Sleigh What? Feel holiday spirit all year at the South Shore Conservatory's Christmas in July. From 6 to 9 p.m. at the conservatory's Hingham campus — adorned with ornaments, tinsel, and festive decorations — watch the Commonwealth Wind Symphony and guest vocalists perform timeless Christmas songs. Sing along to classic carols with the musicians, or just sit back and enjoy. Find tickets, starting at $25, at SHARE YOUR EVENT NEWS: Send information on Boston-area happenings at least three weeks in advance to week@ Adelaide Parker can be reached at
