YANKOVIC: 'I OWE JACKSON EVERYTHING'

Last updated: Monday, July 13, 2009

YANKOVIC: 'I OWE JACKSON EVERYTHING'

Comedy singer 'WEIRD' AL YANKOVIC has heaped praise on MICHAEL JACKSON, insisting the late King of Pop helped turn him into a household name in America.

'Weird Al' Yankovic attends the Los Angeles Premiere of 'I Love You, Man' held the Mann's Village Theater. Westwood, California - 17.03.09

The funnyman famously parodied Jackson's Beat It and Bad in the 1980s and scored massive hits with both - and the late superstar signed off on both songs, giving Yankovic permission to poke fun at him.

Now, two weeks after the King of Pop's death, the comic has paid tribute, insisting he'd be nothing if it wasn't for Jackson.

He explains, "I don't know what kind of career I would have today if it hadn't been for Michael Jackson. In a very real sense, he jump-started my career. Eat It basically changed me from an unknown into a guy that got recognised at Burger King."

Yankovic also credits Jackson for revamping his career - by refusing to let him parody another tune: "I considered parodying Black or White... Michael wasn't quite so into it, because he thought Black or White was more of a message song, and he didn't feel as comfortable with a parody of that one, which I completely understood.

"In a way, he did me a huge favour, because I was already getting pegged as the guy who did Michael Jackson parodies, and because he wasn't so into it, I decided to go with Nirvana, which wound up revitalising my career."

Source: WENN

| Monday, July 13, 2009

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YANKOVIC: 'I OWE JACKSON EVERYTHING'

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