Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

Young Al discovers he can turn pop songs into playful parodies. His father is stern and disapproving of his hobby. His mother secretly buys him an accordion, only for it to be destroyed by his father after catching him at a forbidden polka party. This moment plants the seeds of his artistic rebellion.

In a cramped apartment with roommates Steve, Jim, and Bermuda, he keeps failing at band auditions. While sipping a bologna sandwich and hearing My Sharona on the radio, he writes My Bologna. He sends it to a local radio DJ, who airs it immediately. This unexpectedly launches his public break.

At a biker bar, Al performs I Love Rocky Road with help from his roommates. The performance catches the attention of Dr. Demento, who offers to manage him and suggests the stage name Weird Al.

Dr. Demento hosts a party where Wolfman Jack dares Al to parody Queen's Another One Bites the Dust, with John Deacon making a cameo. Al rises to the challenge with Another One Rides the Bus, creating a whirlwind of buzz that helps him land a record contract.

Al signs with a record label and releases his debut album, which explodes in popularity. The Yankovic bump brings new attention, and he even earns praise from Oprah.

Back home, his parents remain skeptical of his career path. Dr. Demento pushes him to write an original song, but Al resists trying to stay true to parodies. The tension foreshadows a turning point in his career.

A wild detour occurs when Dr. Demento hands him guacamole laced with LSD, spurring the creation of Eat It. The bizarre inspiration leads to a new hit and a broader audience.

Madonna begins a romance with Al, hoping to coax a parody of Like a Virgin. Al remains convinced he writes original material, which alarms Dr. Demento and the band. The romance complicates his career and creative choices.

Just before a major show, Al learns that Michael Jackson has riffed on Eat It with a parody of Beat It. The revelation heightens his fear of misinterpretation and adds pressure on stage.

After a near-fatal car crash, he regains consciousness in the hospital and immediately unveils Like a Surgeon with a dramatic onstage premiere that night. The comeback moment marks a bold turn in his live show.

Eat It looms as the finale, but a chaotic moment leaves him drinking too much and berating the crowd, landing him in jail for lewdness. Upon release, he confides in Madonna about his fear of losing the important people in his life.

Madonna is kidnapped by Pablo Escobar’s agents, eager fans bent on controlling his success. Al travels to Colombia, breaks into Escobar’s compound, and refuses to perform; a violent confrontation ends Escobar’s operation and saves Madonna. Madonna tries to press him to retire and join the drug empire, but he rejects.

Returning home, Al learns his father always supported him, and reveals an Amish past that led to excommunication for playing the accordion. With new resolve, he performs his father's song Amish Paradise on a grand stage and earns a major award in 1985.

The triumph is cut short when Al is assassinated onstage by Madonna’s henchman. Madonna visits his grave, but an eerie undead arm reaches from the earth, leaving a chilling aftertaste of his boundary-pushing career.