Weird Al Yankovic’s Grievances with Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Revealed

“Weird Al” Yankovic recently discussed his upcoming biographical parody film, Weird: The AI Yankovic Story, in an interview with Variety. Yankovic revealed that the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody served as one of his inspirations for the project. However, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the inaccuracies present in many biopics.

Yankovic stated, “Biopics historically have always been pretty inaccurate, which always bugged me. That’s one of the reasons why I decided to reach out to Eric Appel to write the screenplay.” He recognized the need for a fresh approach that diverged from the traditional, fact-based style of biopics.

Referencing Bohemian Rhapsody, Yankovic highlighted the artistic liberties taken and factual changes made to the story, which bothered him as a dedicated Queen fan. He remarked, “Just go completely off the rails… Just throw facts out the window.” Yankovic aimed to create a biopic that disregarded factual accuracy in favor of a more unconventional and entertaining narrative.

While Bohemian Rhapsody achieved critical acclaim and won numerous awards, it faced criticism for its inaccuracies. A 2018 analysis by Rolling Stone highlighted several discrepancies in the biopic’s portrayal of Queen’s history.

Anticipation is high for Weird: The AI Yankovic Story, with predictions already naming it as the expected winner of the Best TV Movie Emmy for 2023. Yankovic’s unique take on the biopic genre promises to entertain audiences with its unconventional storytelling and departure from factual accuracy.