'Weird Al' Yankovic Should Play The Super Bowl, New Petition Argues

[Transcendence]

 

 

"Weird Al" Yankovic collected the first No. 1 album of his 30-year career this year. What's next? Performing during the Super Bowl halftime show, of course.

A new petition has urged the White House to influence the National Football League's Super Bowl halftime entertainment choice and select the parody master, who's hot off a hit with his Mandatory Fun LP. The Change.org petition, created by Ed Ball of Washington state, has collected over 19,000 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 6).

"For decades Weird Al has entertained fans, young and old, with his popular clever parodies and unique sense of humor," Ball writes. "Having him headline the Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show. would not only be overly accepted by the millions of views, but it would remain true to the standards and quality of the show business we have come to love and respect out of this prestigious event. The songs of artists that he is parodying could join him on stage to accompany, as well as other surprise appearances from well-known actors/actresses, adding more prestige and star power. The theatrics alone would be hilarious and a welcoming change, and draw a wider audience of fans that typically would not tune into the championship game or half-time show."

 

Mandatory Fun debuted at No. 1 last month with 104,000 copies sold in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The follow-up to 2011's Alpocalypsefeatures spoofs of hits by Lorde, Iggy Azalea, Pharrell and Robin Thicke, among others.

In Ball's mind, a "Weird Al" halftime extravaganza could feature a slew of pop stars taking the stage to perform their respective hits before Yankovic arrives with the parody versions. "Just imagine him out there rocking with Jack Black & Melissa McCarthy, while parodying Pharrell & Robin Thicke," he writes. "I personally think it would be a hit, and would be more talked about than the game itself."