Cyndi Lauper
‘Weird Al’ Yankovic has been a staple of pop culture and the musical world at large for over 40 years now, and comedian John Mulaney feels it’s high time that Yankovic received the recognition he’s due with an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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Speaking to Rolling Stone recently, Mulaney – himself a diehard fan of the Rock Hall – reflected on this year’s list of inductees, which includes the likes of The White Stripes, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper, and Soundgarden, but didn’t include the likes of Phish, who won’t be inducted this year despite winning the fan vote.
“The music they introduced my generation to as well was hugely important,” Mulaney said of the Vermont veterans. “I learned to be eclectic from them. They were always getting compared to the Grateful Dead, but they had this whole world of influences that was really fun to pick up on and cross-check.”
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When speaking of Chubby Checker, Mulaney reflected on the impact that he had upon the world of novelty music, specifically thanks to the likes of his debut single “The Class,” which peaked at No. 38 on the Hot 100 upon its release in 1959.
“I’m a big proponent of novelty music,” Mulaney admitted. “I’m a big proponent of ‘Weird Al’ getting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This is one step closer, though I don’t know why they need to be led via steps. ‘Weird Al’ brought more people to music than is recognized at all.
“I will, in fact, greatly devalue my coolness by saying [when I was young], it wasn’t until ‘Smells Like Nirvana’ defanged ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ that I could enjoy ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit,’” Mulaney added. “It was scary at first. It just was like, ‘I’m pretty happy, I’m a kid.’ I needed a way in. And after you laugh at ‘Smells Like Nirvana,’ you go, ‘Oh, this is a really good song.’”
Despite Yankovic having been eligible for inclusion into the Rock Hall since 2005, he’s yet to be nominated on any annual ballot. However, chairman John Sykes did admit in December that the influential musical satirist has “come up in conversations” over the years.
“He’s a genius,” Sykes explained. “He has made brilliant versions of the songs, but I’ll be honest: He’s never made it close to the ballot.”
Though it remains to be seen whether or not Yankovic will make it onto the ballot in future years, Sykes’ comments also saw him reflect on other artists who are yet to make it in, despite continued support. This included the likes of The B-52s, the Pixies, and even Phil Collins‘ solo career.
“There’s been a group of nominees who’ve been passionate about the Pixies,” Sykes said. “The same thing with Warren Zevon, who actually did get on the ballot one year. I’m passionate about Warren, and he’ll get in, too. But the Pixies have had a lot of support.”
Given that this year will indeed see the late Zevon inducted into the Rock Hall, it appears that Mulaney and the legion of Yankovic’s fans might just need to sit tight.
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Funko is honoring Cyndi Lauper with a new Pop! vinyl inspired by her quintessential ’80s style. The vinyl figure was unveiled Wednesday (Feb. 1) and is available for pre-order exclusively at Entertainment Earth while supplies last.
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This Funko figurine wants to fill your Pop! Rocks collection with favorite memories of vivid colors, energy, hit songs and, of course, style. Relive Lauper’s hits like “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “True Colors” and revisit one of music’s most colorful decades with the collectible vinyl from the Funko Pop! Rocks collection.
Courtesy of Funko
The must-have Pop! vinyl re-creates Lauper’s wardrobe — a printed dress and spiked, leather belt with orange hair — from an outfit worn by Lauper during a 1983 press shoot in London. The Pop! vinyl figurine measures approximately 4.42 inches tall and comes packaged in a plastic protective case. Click here for more display case options if you prefer something sturdier than the standard case. Funko released a Funko Pop! Album: Cyndi Lauper figurine paying homage to her 1983 debut album, She’s So Unusual, which spawned two of Lauper’s biggest hits: “Time After Time” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”
Lauper, who won the Grammy for best new artist in 1985, was nominated for the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Other nominees include Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, The Spinners, A Tribe Called Quest, Rage Against the Machine, Kate Bush, George Michael and Sheryl Crow.
This latest Funko is one of several Pop! vinyls that have been announced during this year’s Funko Pop Fair, which takes place over the course of three weeks and ends today.
The three-date, virtual event kicked off Jan. 18, while week two was held on Jan. 25. Funko announced a slew of new Pop! vinyls and other collectibles available for pre-order, including DMX and Freddie Mercury Pop! vinyls along with new figurines of Mickey Mouse, Dungeons and Dragons, Demon Slayer and Dragon Ball Super SSGSS Goku.
Cyndi Lauper is joining PBS’ Finding Your Roots on Tuesday, and in a new sneak-peek clip shared exclusively with Billboard, the iconic pop star opens up about the story behind one of her biggest hits.
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She revealed that when she was first pitched the idea of covering Robert Hazard’s 1979 single “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” she was unsure.
“What am I supposed to do? Have a lobotomy, walk around and can-can?” she joked. “What it was about was the guy’s version of – what do you think? ‘Girls just want to have fun. Ain’t we lucky? Nudge, nudge.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, girls just want to have sex — is that what the hell this is? Because I’m not doing this.’”
Lauper went on to make some changes to the track to turn it into the classic she released in 1983.
“So I began to cut this out, cut that out, this needs a melody here, make this change, bring this together. Say, ‘Oh mama dear, we’re not the fortunate ones/ ‘Cause girls want to have fun’ — and we can’t,” she recalled. “All of a sudden, it had this new life.”
As the Grammy-nominated track ran all the way up to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, the Edd Griles-directed video was in heavy rotation on MTV. The Grammy-, Tony- and Emmy-winning singer, who has sold more than 50 million records worldwide, was the first woman in history to have four top five Hot 100 singles from a debut album (with “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” followed by “Time After Time,” “She Bop” and “All Through the Night” all from 1983’s She’s So Unusual).
Lauper’s episode of Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr., also featuring actors Danny Trejo and Jamie Chung, airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on PBS.
Watch the Finding Your Roots clip with Lauper below.
Exclusive: @CyndiLauper joined the @PBS series, ‘FINDING YOUR ROOTS,’ to discuss the evolution of her iconic song “Girls Just want to Have Fun.” pic.twitter.com/LXSRCde7eA
— billboard (@billboard) January 23, 2023
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