Parody sans parodied
February 10, 2008I have a couple of recent Oz-lets; here’s one.
Oz has become a big Weird Al Yankovic fan. We had “The Food Album” (a compilation of his food-related songs from the 80’s) in rotation when he was younger, but now he’s 
decided Al is really funny and has been listening to more, watching the occasional music video on the net, and even getting the (fairly bad) “Weird Al Show” via our Netflix account. (Sorry Al, but the show was kind of a lame “Mr. Rogers tries to do Pee-Wee’s Playhouse thing.)
As I’ve said, I love Al. But it’s a little odd that Oz thinks he’s so funny given that he rarely has any experience at all of the stuff Weird Al is parodying. So, he loves “Amish Paradise”, but has never heard or seen “Gangsta’s Paradise”, Coolio, Michelle Pfeiffer, “Dangerous Minds”, or anything of the sort, and has only the most minimal description from me about who the Amish are. I mean, I get that “I Love Rocky Road” and “Dare to be Stupid” are fun and funny to an 8-year-old without “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” or any Devo, but “Amish Paradise”?
And then there’s the whole “Like a Surgeon” thing.
2 Responses to “Parody sans parodied”
Both “Amish Paradise” and “Like a Surgeon” tap deeply into the collective unconscious by means of what Jung called “racial memories”. I am certain a New Guinea tribesman would find them equally funny. They are universals, and are referent-independent.
By cm on Feb 13, 2008