This week, Pop Screen is taking you to Spatula City with this episode about America’s pre-eminent polka-crazed pop parodist “Weird Al” Yankovic and his 1989 film UHF. Prior to this month’s parody biopic Weird – in which he’s played by Daniel Radcliffe, in Radcliffe’s second era-defining role after Swiss Army Man – this was Al’s only major motion picture. But that still leaves decades of recordings to discuss, and that’s why Al superfan Jeff Pizek is back on the podcast to help bewildered Briton Graham get to the meaning of Al.
Along the way, we discuss the film’s inspired casting – including a chance to appreciate the comedic skills of a couple of people who, let’s say, don’t get the roles they used to? For very specific reasons? – its connection to The Simpsons, its vision of small-town America, and indeed the vexed question of where UHF is actually set. Is it a small town at all? We also pose a question about Dire Straits’s Money for Nothing video which we forget to answer on the podcast, so let’s do it here: Steve Barron. You’re welcome.
If you want to keep us making podcasts with this kind of polish and professionalism, I guess, you can donate to our where you get an exclusive episode every month. The next one comes out in early December, and it’s a two-parter… You’ll also get Rob’s reviews of great Asian movies that have been overlooked by UK distributors, and Graham’s twice-weekly Doctor Who reviews. Follow us on , and for more information.
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Episode 82: Weird Al Yankovich in UHF
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