‘Weird Al’ Parodies ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Mad Men’ Themes at the Emmys
“Weird Al” Yankovic put together a show-stealing medley of TV theme songs with lyrics that explain the plot for each show, for the Emmys. After Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Andy Samberg and award-show host Seth Meyers joked about how theme songs aren’t what they used to be – and Samberg did a pretty annoying recitation of The Brady Bunch theme – Yankovic appeared as a surprise with a crew of dancers.
First up was the parodist’s version of Mad Men, which, going with the theme song’s melody, included the lyrics, “Mad Men, Mad Men, watching these ad men do their thinking while they’re stinking drunk,” and “John Hamm’s never won an Emmy oh who cares he’s still Jon freaking Hamm.”
His take on Scandal played up Kerry Washington’s character’s relationship with the president on the show, complete with flashing dancers. “Your lip is quivering,” Yankovic sang. “Quiver, quiver,” went the backup dancers. “It’s not because she’s cold, it’s because she just loves the president.”
Yankovic’s Homeland started off with a jokea bout “standing in a maze” and “making out with terrorists.” But the best quip was a dig at star Mandy Patinkin, who had appeared in The Princess Bride. “Inigo Montoya grew a beard,” Yankovic sang.
Modern Family was the briefest, but not so fast that “Weird Al” couldn’t get in a line about “a couple of gay guys.”
But the best was for Game of Thrones. “Here comes dragons galore and some dudes/ OK, to be fair, there’s way more boobs,” it begins. It also included a caveat emptor to the show’s fans: “Don’t get too attached to a certain guy” – “Have a backup,” offered the backup singers – “He might drink some poison.” But the backup singers sang, “That’s a spoiler.” The clincher, though, was Yankovic’s next verse, “Type George, type as fast as you can,” dedicated to Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin. “We need more scripts.” Then they actually gave Martin, in the audience, a typewriter. “Write them faster,” sang the backup singers.
All in all, it was so good it made up for Samberg continuing his King Joffrey routine after the skit was done.