TFW2005 member grimlock1972 brings us news that “Weird Al” Yankovic is due for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as reported by A.V. Club.
Yankovic has worked in pretty much every branch of the entertainment industry over the past few decades, directing films and music videos, writing theme tunes, producing and starring in TV shows, and generating 14 studio albums of beloved parody songs.
For a reminder of Yankovic’s memorable contribution to Transformers: The Movie, listen here then read the article and sound off on the 2005 boards!
Bahamut Prime
Congratulations, Al!
SouthtownKid
This is an award the same way Michael Scott buying himself a "World's Greatest Boss" mug is.
You want to be excited about this? Fine. Keep on truckin'. I don't mean to rain on your parade. This 'Walk of Fame' stuff was first told to me by a producer back around 1992 or 93, and I've heard it so many times from so many people both within the entertainment industry and without in the years since, that I assumed it was known by everyone now. My mistake. Keep believing the dream and have a great day.
G.B. Blackrock
How is that different than any other award for which you have to be nominated before being considered? This IS an award!
Jerrymiru
About time
SouthtownKid
No, there are qualifications for being able to apply. And the qualifications are there so that the people who actually are great feel like they're getting their money's worth. Which they wouldn't, if they thought there was a chance they might be placed next to someone like a porn star who had a good debut year. That's not the same thing as selection based on merit. THEY do not choose YOU. YOU ask.
The "selection committee" for the Walk of Fame is a lot more like the entrance interview of a country club than a committee for an awards ceremony.
G.B. Blackrock
My one point of contention is your adamant insistence that the WoF isn't an award. It is. It's not a quid-pro-quo. There is indeed a selection of merit. Nothing about the fee changes that.
SouthtownKid
I think you need to do two commercials and one guest shot on any Law & Order show.
mcart
How lax? I mean, I could probably scrape together $40k and I was on TV once about 20 years ago.
SouthtownKid
What's unfair about pointing out something that is common knowledge in the entertainment industry? Actually, before this thread, I thought all people everywhere knew this by now. It's so bizarre to me that people are trying to turn this into an argument. This is like someone still wanting to buy into the idea that Milli Vanilli really did sing their own songs.
Yeah, it's true a fan group can nominate you. If they have $40,000 dollars to drop on it, should you be approved. I don't know how often that really happens, but that's a nice fan group. Something that I do know happens often is a studio will nominate and pay for someone's star to help promote an upcoming movie or series. It's not an award. You don't think there are hundreds of platinum-selling recording artists who create their own music who would be selected before a song-parody guy if this was an award and the selection process based on merit?
And I love the comment from the guy who says he thinks Al doesn't seem like the kind of guy to care about something like this. He cares enough to spend $40,000.00 on it. Even aside from the enormous fee, it doesn't happen unless the person wants it. So yeah, he cares. A lot.
These are not cynical comments. These are called looking at reality honestly. I do not get the big deal. It's still nice he has a star, if you want to go visit it.
G.B. Blackrock
Leaving aside the unfair cynicism, neither you nor your agent need be the ones to apply. Anyone can nominate anyone to the committee, and fan groups frequently do so. No fee is required/requested until AFTER the nomination is approved. And even then, it could be (and frequently is) the group that made the nomination that pays the funds.
Anyone curious about the process can read the link I provided earlier. Don't listen to this guy's hating on the process.
Spether
I had a chance to meet him after a concert and he signed my TF:TM soundtrack CD. A real class act.
SouthtownKid
Your agent applies for you. You get approved. You pay the $40k fee. You get the star. These are facts.
There is no nomination committee that chooses candidates. It isn't like a lifetime achievement award that is given out for merit. You have to ask for it and then you have to pay for it. When someone wins an Oscar or a Grammy, they don't have to pay for the statue. This is something different. It's a business.
misfire19d
Next stop should be the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
Rockdown
It's about time that he got one.
dragon
If it is true you can buy star how did godzilla get Star on sidewalk pretty sure it actually happend king of monsters congratulations to him for being on it
03Mach1
Mark Wahlberg | Hollywood Walk of Fame
legotron123
Well it\'s about scraping time. Also, I\'m pretty sure if you could just BUY a star, Al would\'ve done it years ago. Or maybe not, he doesn\'t seem like the kinda guy who really cares about stuff like this.
goldent
I was thinking the same thing.
SouthtownKid
lol okay. They vote on whether to take your money. And the qualifications have become more and more lax over the years.
Goldimus Prime
Now seems like a good time to share this life sized Weird Al Doughnut I made for work this time last year–
It's a bit difficult to see, but I made him clutching an Animated Wreck Gar (and a Captain Peanutbutter).
This puzzle was delivered to Mr. Yankovic who used it as an opening for his stage show that evening (beginning with a live feed of him in his green room where he'd assembled it).View attachment 27750680
View attachment 27750682