Viral
Video: AL-TV: Weird Al vs. Eminem
Weird Al goes toe-to-toe with Slim Shady in this
highly charged interview
Source page: http://guide.real.com/media/viralvideo?contentid=7248755
This video is intended for popular entertainment, so make sure you have fun
with it!
Before viewing the video, read a bit about "Weird
Al" Yankovic,
Eminem
(see note regarding Yankovic's parody of "Lose Yourself"), and what
a "parody" is.
| AL-TV exclusive interview Marshall Mathers also known as Eminem the real "Slim Shady" Missy Misdemeanor Elliot startling transformation hardcore Alf fan rapper indeed a pleasure Marshall, it is then. out of line to be offended whatever to drop by Celine Dion to have felt like killing obviously to owe one's success to loving support over the years triple negative it's up to you to decide favorite Twinkie image wiener mathematical formula to determine area pentadodecahedron so I'd better just shut up to be deloused (to have lice removed from one's body) to rhyme tearin' me apart, breakin' my heart Homer and Bart medical chart strawberry tart served à la carte（單點） back to the start postmodern art plastic lawn art missing a part Humphrey Bogart lighting a fart blue-light special each day at K-Mart (a discount department store); a promotion gimmick: shoppers are told they can get a special sale price for a limited time when a blue light is flashing near a promotion item jealous, much? (= You're really jealous, aren't you?) Academy Awards Oscar macramé class bummer (an unfortunate thing) to show MTV awards | Triumph,
the Insult Comic Dog (from "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"; sample videos here and here; Triumph's main characteristics are a fake foreign accent [Middle Eastern?] and very vulgar humor full of sexual references) sock puppet to kick your butt to patch things up rap war still going on rapper to poop on to hurt one's feelings to kind of expect it censorship freedom of speech I can't stress that enough artistic expression artist parody video to bust your chops (= to tease, make fun of s.o.) "Lose Yourself" audio sample MTV parody it's your choice just between you and me my version of the song to piss one off (= to make one angry) to promote album Poodle Hat as long as crazy for real (= really) my stinkin' show ('stinkin'' is an intensifier) what do you say we... "Couch Potato" lyrics Look If you had One shot To sit on your lazy butt And watch all the TV you ever wanted Until your brain turned to mush Would you go for it? Or just let it slip? Yo Remote is ready Eyes wide, palms are sweaty There's Flintstones on the TV already Wilma 'n' Betty No virgin to channel surfin' And I'm HD-ready So I flip Garbage is all I'm getting There's Simon Cowell Who folks wanna disembowel He opens his mouth Always says something foul They're dyin', wow Wannabes are crying now He votes them out Time to throw in the towel | Shows
based on reality Oh, the humanity! Oh, Ozzy's family Sho' loves profanity Whoa, the insanity Oh, dogs that crap and pee Home of depravity? No, they live happily Yo Plus "Da Ali G Show" And "Celebrity Mole" Oh, and there's Anna Nicole... ridiculous repetitive to get on one's nerves sissy You didn't just say that! bitch to come out (of the closet) (pun: to reveal one's homosexuality and for an album to come out) one's personal business tough gay attractive to hit on s.o. (to approach s.o. sexually) you don't have anything to say to be flattered Brad Pitt cute married to get the wrong impression calm down I happen to think talented potential for growth acorn seed to plant, water, nurture Tourette's syndrome "a little potty mouth" to swear (= to curse, use foul language) Oh, never mind. Will Smith (samples from Amazon) to respect to diss (= to put down, disparage, to show disrepect for) gender genre to second-guess s.o. or anything Oscar-winning critically-acclaimed wordsmith (= s.o. very good with words) and all influential musics (usually uncountable) well spoken "to wrap up" an interview (pun on 'rap') to go out and do something decent-looking dudes (good-looking men) I'm not into that. to go bowling instead in case you didn't know |
Listening
comprehension questions:
1.
How was this "interview" constructed, and how convincing do you find
it? Does it look fairly "real" and smooth to you? Or does its pasted-together
nature show through really obviously?
2.
What connection does "Weird Al" Yankovic have with rap singer Marshall
Mathers, a.k.a. Eminem, as revealed in this video?
3.
Describe the differences between Yankovic's and Mathers' speaking styles.
4. Because this interview is a montage, i.e.
was pieced together by Yankovic, he has complete control over the content of the
interview. He uses this to – humorously, of course – raise his own status
(i.e. make himself look better and more clever), and put down (insult), Mathers.
Make a list of (A) two statements in which
Yankovic is trying to raise his own status; (B) five
things he says to put down Mathers; and (C)
two ways Yankovic makes fun of himself. Some examples are given to
get you started:
A. Things Yankovic says
to raise his own status vis-à-vis Mathers
example:.
He has Mathers ask him how many rhymes you can find for two pop music clichés,
"tearin' me apart" and "breakin' my heart", he then shows
off by coming up with eleven witty rhymes.
1.
2.
B. Things Yankovic says to raise
his own status by putting down Mathers
example a: He says
he has made "his favorite", a "Twinkie wiener sandwich"; Twinkies
and wieners are both junk food and someone who likes these would be considered
very low-class; putting these two unmatching things together adds to the insult.
example b: He suggests that Mathers has head or body lice and needs delousing,
i.e. that he doesn't keep himself clean.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
C.
How Yankovic makes fun of himself
example: He has Mathers
look impatient and say his parody song is "ridiculous", repetitive",
"gets on my nerves".
1.
2.