Those who remember Spike & Mike'sSick and Twisted festivals might also recall that the creators ofNo Neck Joe , Peyton Reed and Keith Alcorn, were simultaneously dosingThe Weird Al Show with a similar bizarre humor. Not until one revisits this freakish TV series does one realize how "Weird" Al Yankovic really was. Like Jerry Lee Lewis, he perfected the art of being corny, with his frizzy, long hair, gaudy Hawaiian shirts, and nerdy voice. Known mostly as a musician who spoofed radio hits, Weird Al's show placed Yankovic in stand-up situations, albeit scripted, involving props like x-ray spray or an electric toenail-cutting machine. Each episode was thematically established for kids, with lessons like, "Be Yourself,""Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep," and "Settle Conflicts with Peaceful Communication," setting Al up for comedic failure. Watching a grown man turn infantile harkens back toPee Wee's Playhouse , as doThe Weird Al Show's colorful, kitschy sets. In "One For the Books," Al accidentally microwaves his best friend, Harvey the Wonder Hamster, turning Harvey into a "grotesque radioactive mutant." When Harvey gets into the Guinness Book of World Records for Largest Rodent and gains several groupies, Al gets jealous and begins searching, in vain, for his own records to break. Al learns that it isn't record-breaking that counts, but the effort that goes into a given task. Each of the 13 episodes showcase classic Weird Al, at best when he sinks into his Skull Chair to watch self-invented commercials on TV, like one for Pirate Roofers, or for a barber who gives terrible haircuts. Random guest-appearances, like those from John Tesh and Alex Trebek, add mystery, and the commentaries by Al & cast are authentically entertaining.The Weird Al Show is so stupid it's funny.--Trinie Dalton
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