Weird Al Yankovic has a net worth of $20 million as an American singer, songwriter, comedian, actor, and music producer. Weird Al, sometimes described as a “musical comic,” is best renowned for making people laugh with his songs. Weird Al Yankovic has published almost 150 original songs since he began his career.
His records have sold over 12 million copies globally, making him a commercially successful musician. Six of his albums have been certified platinum. Yankovic is best known for his witty music videos, which he directs himself and uploads on YouTube.
Childhood
Alfred Matthew Yankovic was born in Downey, California on October 23, 1959. Al’s father always pushed him as a child to “do for a living whatever makes you happy.” Yankovic took his first accordion instruction just before turning seven. Al’s passion for music stems from his initial interest in this instrument. Al Yankovic began teaching himself to play the accordion after three years, and he learned to play rock n’ roll music by listening to Elton John tunes.
In terms of humor, he was influenced at a young age by Frank Zappa, Shel Silverstein, and Spike Jones. Yankovic began kindergarten a year ahead of schedule and entered high school two years ahead of his classmates. He participated in plays and joined various clubs during his high school years, including the National Forensic League and the “Volcano Worshippers Club.”
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Private Life
Weird Al Yankovic turned to a vegan diet in 1992 after receiving a copy of Diet for a New America. Yankovic married Suzanne Krajewski, a 20th Century Fox marketing professional. They share one child.
Yankovic is a devout Christian who abstains from all forms of alcohol and drugs. In 2004, his parents died of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a malfunctioning fireplace. Yankovic went on stage and performed a scheduled concert despite being informed of their demise only hours earlier.
Career
Al the Strange Yankovic began his career as a 16-year-old by appearing on Dr. Demento’s radio show, where the radio host aired the teen’s taped recordings of various parody songs. He also began performing at local coffeehouses during this time, playing songs like 2001: A Space Odyssey’s theme on the accordion. Yankovic began his career as a DJ for the school’s radio station while studying architecture at Cal Poly, earning the title “Weird Al” for the first time. Yankovic’s nickname was a disparaging moniker bestowed upon him by his classmates, but he chose to “take it on professionally.”
In 1978, he released his first single, “Take Me Down,” which was eventually included on the Slo Grown LP. Following the smash success of “My Sharona,” Yankovic parodied the song with “My Bologna,” which was once again performed by Dr. Demento. The Knack’s lead vocalist heard the song and urged that Capital Records sign Yankovic – which they did. At this point, Weird Al Yankovic recognized that he could earn living performing music and that his mediocre undergraduate grades did not promise well for a career in architecture.
He returned to Dr. Demento’s radio show in 1980 to record another live parody song, “Another One Rides the Bus.” The song was a reworked version of Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.” The song soared in popularity and resulted in Yankovic’s first televised appearances. Yankovic toured with Dr. Demento’s radio show in 1981. After seeing Yankovic perform, a manager organized auditions to establish a complete band for the musical comedy.
Yankovic’s subsequent single, “I Love Rocky Road,” charted in the top 40 and landed him a new record deal with Scotti Brothers Records. Later that year, Weird Al Yankovic released his self-titled debut album. Additionally, he made his MTV debut and quit his mailroom job to pursue a full-time career in music. His subsequent album, Weird Al Yankovic in 3-D, featured the chart-topping single “Eat It.” The spoof of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” featured a music video of its own.
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Weird Al released Off the Deep End in 1992, which included the single “Smells Like Nirvana.” The song is considered Yankovic’s first sarcastic work, and Nirvana members reportedly thought it amusing. Rick Derringer produced six of Yankovic’s early albums, earning Weird Al two Grammy nominations. Yankovic, though, began making his songs in 1992. He released the album Running With Scissors in 1999. The album featured such chart-topping singles as “Pretty Fly for a Rabbi” and “The Saga Begins.”
In 2014, Weird Al Yankovic said that Mandatory Fun will be his final “conventional” album, citing increased popularity with songs and music videos released via YouTube and social media platforms. Mandatory Fun debuted at the top of the Billboard charts. The album gained widespread critical acclaim and included the song “Word Crimes,” a cover of Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines.” Yankovic continued to release singles following Mandatory Fun.
Weird Films and Television UHF, a spoof of the film industry, was Al Yankovic’s most ambitious film production. Yankovic’s confidence was ruined for years as a result of the film’s failure. However, UHF became a cult classic, and collectors are now willing to pay hundreds of dollars for VHS recordings of the picture.
Additionally, Weird Al has served as a host for several MTV shows including CBS’s The Weird Al Show. Additionally, he lends his voice to Cartoon Network’s The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy as Squid Hat.
Residential Real Estate
Al purchased a 7,000-square-foot property in the Hollywood Hills for $2 million in 2001. Comparable surrounding homes recently sold for about $7-9 million.
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Summary
“Weird Al” Yankovic is a leading parodist in America, having recorded over 150 parodies and original songs. He is a singer, songwriter, producer, and songwriter, as well as author.
Yankovic is also the most successful comedy recording artist of all time, with over 12 million albums sold as of 2007.
Weird Al Yankovic’s net worth is $20 million as of 2022.