Roku, Give Us the Theatrical WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVIC STORY Screenings We Crave!
At this point it’s safe to say that I have written more books about “Weird Al” Yankovic than anyone else. I’ve written three books with seven different versions: 2012’s Weird Al: The Book (with Al), which was available in hardcover from Abrams Image as well paperback from Scholastic, 2020’s The Weird Accordion to Al and The Weird Accordion to Al: Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Edition and finally 2021’s The Weird A-Coloring to Al,The Weird A-Coloring to Al: Colored-In Special Edition and The Weird A-Coloring to Al: Cynical Movie Cash-In Extended Edition.
So I think it’s safe to say that if I were to ask Al for a screener link so I could see Weird: The Al Yankovic Story and write about it before it came out he would acquiesce. But I didn’t want to watch Weird: The Al Yankovic Story before the general public, even if that was pretty much my life for the eighteen years I was a full-time professional film critic for The A.V Club and The Dissolve.
I wanted to watch Weird: The Al Yankovic Story at more or less the exact same time as the rest of the world. You know that scene in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas where Hunter S. Thompson is able to physically experience the peak of the counterculture, experiencing it in its purest, most transcendent moment while understanding that there was nowhere to go but down?
That’s how it was the day Weird: The Al Yankovic Story came out except that we were witnessing a high water mark for internet optimism and positivity. The internet is generally a powerful engine for disseminating ugliness, hatred and negativity but for one beautiful day you could feel the love everywhere you went.
I watched Weird: The Al Yankovic Story the day it came out. Then I immediately turned around and watched it again for a piece on Fatherly that ended up doing quite well. But I also watched it because I liked it so much and wanted to relive the eminently satisfying experience of watching Al’s second movie as soon as possible.
It made sense for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story to debut on a streaming service because television has always been one of Al’s central lyrical obsessions. It’s also where he became a star thanks to MTV and where UHF went from critically panned box-office flop to beloved cult classic.
But as a cinephile, movie lover, “Weird Al” Yankovic super-fan and a former professional film critic who used to attend film festivals regularly, I was deeply jealous of everyone who got to see Weird: The Al Yankovic Story in the theater during festival engagements.
Oh, but I would love to experience Weird: The Al Yankovic Story with a crowd! There’s nothing quite like the communal joy of seeing a funny movie with a theater full of people laughing their asses off.
There’s no substitute for that experience so while experiencing the movie with the rest of the internet was nice it was decidedly less than ideal.
I do not understand the economics of streaming but it sure seems like there are a lot of “Weird Al” Yankovic fans like myself who would be overjoyed if the Roku Channel decided to screen Weird: The Al Yankovic Theaters in theaters for at least special engagements in major cities.
Would “Weird Al” Yankovic fans pay good money to watch something that’s available for free? OF COURSE they would! You know that meme of Fry with cash urgently imploring “Take my money?” That’s literally every “Weird Al” Yankovic fan in the world in regards to theatrical screenings of Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
It would help with the film’s Oscar chances and honestly, at this point, doesn’t Al DESERVE an Oscar? The fact that he’s not a double EGOT AT LEAST is a crime. Let’s help him get at least halfway there.
Please, Roku Channel. Give us the Weird: The Al Yankovic Story theatrical screenings we crave. If you screen it, we will come, and THAT is the Nathan Rabin promise.
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