April 20, 2018 - News Post

It seems T-Mobile got in trouble this week. They were heavily fined for their habit of playing fake ringtones when calls could not be connected. Apparently, they felt it was better to offer the illusion of good service then the disappointment of a failed call.

It's a pretty clever and funny idea, and don't worry, it only affected hundreds of millions of calls.

I’d go on, but I can sense myself getting annoyed. Rather than continue to describe the dangerous baffling nightmare hellscape simulation that we’re all apparently living in, I think I’ll talk about the one nice fun thing I did this week:

I went to see “Weird Al” Yankovic in concert.

Weird Al... Lyrical genius, parody king, accordion siren... I love me a good Weird Al concert.

This show was a part of his “Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour” (his words, not mine).

If you've never attended a Weird Al concert (what is wrong with you?!?), I urge you to take the time. For decades, his performances have been filled with incredible costume changes, hit song parodies, and giant TV screens showing videos to accompany the stage show. If you don’t like his style, the next song will be completely different. I've seen a lot of concerts in my time, but there's nothing quite as elaborate and entertaining as a Weird Al show.

With that being said, this tour was well-advertised as a pared-down version. It’s for the more obsessive fans. There were no costume changes, no screens, and he only played the less popular "B-side" songs. It’s a rare treat for Weird Al fans, and I freaking loved every second of it. The whole experience was smaller, more intimate, with a healthy dose of screwing with the audience.

I'm truly at a loss to describe how satisfying it was.

For all the changes in taste and entertainment I've gone through over the years, Weird Al has been a constant source of delight and entertainment. Since childhood, his unique brand and sense of humor has always been there for me.

Seeing this concert was a brief, relaxing break from an incredibly hectic month. It’s nice to get a break every now and then. If you’re anything like me, you’re finding yourself alternating between rage and bewilderment more and more these days. As fun as that is, it can't be all that healthy.

Should you find yourself overwhelmed, it couldn't hurt to take a breather every now and then. Find something that relaxes you. Find something fun.

Find your Weird Al.

Note: If your Weird Al is the same as my Weird Al, leave him where you find him. I'm not done with him yet.

-Jeff