Movie Time! Dare to Be Stupid: UHF (1989) and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)

It’s Popzara’s Movie Time! Podcast!, where our own movie nerds Ethan Brehm and Nate Evans take you on an unscripted journey yakking and chatting about some of their favorite movie moments and cinematic scenes, from past and present, presented without snark and snobbery for your listening pleasure.

Today’s episode it’s a double-dose of silliness as our hosts explore two comedies separated by three+ decades, yet firmly inside the wild, wacky, and wonderful world of the imitable, totally hospitable "Weird Al" Yankovic.

First up is 1989’s UHF, the first (and only) feature-film starring the polka playing impresario himself in a pastiche of comedy vignettes skewering everything from Conan, Rambo, and even the Mahatma. It’s a farce of epic proportions about the power of local broadcasting, imagination, and cheap labor. A box-office dud, it’s since became a major cult classic and early showcase for Micheal Richards, Fran Drescher, and spatulas.

Next is 2022’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, the “true” story of how a gifted young man was corrupted by the evil call of the accordion (i.e. the Devil’s Squeezebox). Just kidding! It’s actually Al’s Daniel Radcliffe-starring satirical spin on the typical dour ‘n dreary music biopics that scoop up statues come awards time. Will Weird Al ever win an Oscar? Who needs Oscars when you’ve got the power of polka!