'Weird Al' Yankovic Debuts Full 'Perform This Way' Video

"Weird Al" Yankovic has come a long way since he became an MTV darling with "Eat It," his parody of "Beat It," in 1984. Twenty-seven years later, he's still going strong, debuting the video for his Lady Gaga parody "Perform This Way" on Monday.

"Alpocalypse," Yankovic's newest album, is available Tuesday. Check out Spinner's coverage of the album, which also includes parodies from Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and T.I.

After releasing a preview of the video to Spinner on Friday, Yankovic released his "Born This Way" spoof with a single tweet: "So, here’s my new music video," followed by a link to the video. Yankovic also directed the video himself.

The high-concept video features Yankovic's face superimposed on a female Lady Gaga stand-in, and pokes fun at Gaga's ostentatious personal style. In addition to employing absurdist elements to Gaga's persona, he also borrows some of her more publicized choices in the parody, and highlights the oft-accused similarities between Madonna and Lady Gaga.

The video's premiere ends the controversy that erupted when, according to Yankovic, Gaga initially turned down the parody before claiming that the two artists had a miscommunication and allowed its release. Due to Yankovic's belief that Gaga's original song is an "earnest human rights anthem," he chose to donate all proceeds to the single to the Human Rights Campaign.

Yankovic's music video parodies have long been a staple of his career as a parodist. Videos for "Eat It," "Like A Surgeon" (Madonna's "Like A Virgin"), and "Smells Like Nirvana" ("Smells Like Teen Spirit") were in regular circulation on MTV when they were released, and Yankovic won a Grammy for the video for "Fat," his parody of Michael Jackson's "Bad." "Perform This Way" is his first live-action video since 2006's "White and Nerdy," Yankovic's highest-charting single.

WATCH:

Comments

[habanero78]

01:37 PM on 08/13/2011

I'd like to remind everyone that Weird Al is a genius he went to Harvard and he could have done any genre of music he wanted. He also has incredible range and the ability to sing genre which most people can't pull off. He also has written many original songs which shows he's not a one trick pony. For all you haters out there apparently in love with gaga she's incredibly talented as well she just chooses to hide the true talent of her voice behind bizarro behavior adapted from Madonna's collection of craziness over the last 30 years.

[MuscleJockTX]

10:41 AM on 07/02/2011

Choice!

[inezjaffe]

03:41 AM on 06/26/2011

suspect the problem with getting the OK from Lady Gaga due to her manager's initial pocket veto might have something to do with the video not being part of the DVD. Also that allows for the internet distribution free, sort of a jab back at them. http://bit.ly/ku1B8p

[Yank in France]

10:28 AM on 06/23/2011

Hilarious!

[Kid Kryptonite]

12:42 PM on 06/22/2011

LOL, so funny. I've missed Weird Al.

[gorgol]

05:54 AM on 06/22/2011

Have watched this 5 times and counting...Thanks Al...for the boost...what a way to get ones day started.

[roch20]

12:43 AM on 06/22/2011

FANTASTIC!!!!

[Jake Thomas]

10:32 PM on 06/21/2011

I was disappointed with this video it was insipid and unispired, I expect more from Weird Al. It was too easy and too obvious, he has had his day.

[trweste144]

10:08 PM on 06/21/2011

Interesting. Weird Al + Lady Gaga = Jenna Maloney (from 30 Rock).

The video really helps the song a good deal. Before when I heard it, I didn't laugh anywhere near as hard.

[maerouvega]

12:02 PM on 06/28/2011

I was thinking the exact thing! I had been seeing one still from the video before watching and I kept thinking, "Jenna Maroney?"

[wingin it]

09:31 PM on 06/21/2011

Not as funny as 'Eat It'.

[Squiriferous]

08:45 PM on 06/21/2011

Poor Weird Al. Still making fun of those more-talented, relevant artists and substituting silly lyrics like it was 1988.

[SBinF]

10:07 PM on 06/21/2011

Lady Gaga is more talented than Weird Al?

I beg to differ.

They are different genres, but they basically do the same thing, rip off other people's music.

[lightbulb10]

10:12 PM on 06/21/2011

Interesting. I feel like she's walking down the ramp after the ride. An image so outlandish... you'd have to work SO MUCH MORE to keep it fresh for people.

[Squiriferous]

10:50 PM on 06/21/2011

Even that Rico Suave ("Taco Grande" was Weird Al's version) guy is more talented. Weird Al = FAIL. When I make fun of lousy music, I don't karaoke my own version with sillier lyrics and put it in record stores.

[ebert]

02:48 PM on 06/21/2011

Always good to see something new from Weird Al, but the Bob Dylan parody "Palindromes" is still my favorite.

[trweste144]

10:12 PM on 06/21/2011

Good choice. I like this throwback one too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4sALru9IJk .

[Ace Scott]

02:39 PM on 06/21/2011

Is THIS the first parody of Weird Al? Anyone know of another one? http://www.buzzfeed.com/djtimbo/the-first-ever-parody-of-weird-al-1me3

[NortontheCat]

08:16 PM on 06/25/2011

There's one about 50 seconds into this Mr. Show sketch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvCmvSKenzY

[J0E1]

02:29 PM on 06/21/2011

Has he done anything since white and nerdy?  I missed these!

[Brer Orabbit]

02:02 PM on 06/21/2011

When I was a little bunny growing up in the briar patch, Al was my favorite.

Hop, Hop, Hippity, Hop.