Let’s be real. Most online petitions suck. It’s hard to take them seriously when outrageous after outrageous idea somehow garners thousands and thousands of signatures, no matter how bad or absurd the idea or request.
However, this is not one of those times. Ed Ball of Washington had the brilliant idea of petitioning the NFL to let Weird Al Yankovic headline the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show:
“For decades Weird Al has entertained fans, young and old, with his popular clever parodies and unique sense of humor. Having him headline the Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show. would not only be overly accepted by the millions of views, but it would remain true to the standards and quality of the show business we have come to love and respect out of this prestigious event. The songs of artists that he is parodying could join him on stage to accompany, as well as other surprise appearances from well-known actors/actresses, adding more prestige and star power. The theatrics alone would be hilarious and a welcoming change, and draw a wider audience of fans that typically would not tune into the championship game or half-time show.”
Before anyone dismisses this as a gimmick, remember that Weird Al’s latest album Mandatory Fun became the first comedy album to hit number one on Billboard’s Top 100 in more than fifty years. People love themselves some Weird Al.
He’s culturally relevant and humorous without being necessarily edgy (an important factor to consider when it comes to the NFL). Weird Al’s music is also widely varied and his discography should appeal to anyone who has had an iota of interest in pop music over the last thirty years.
Critically, having a personality like Weird Al headline the Super Bowl could do wonders for a league which is rightfully known as the “No Fun League.”
Lastly, Weird Al is nothing if not a showman and giving him a live stage and a huge audience would almost certainly produce magic. Let’s make this happen.
Currently, the petition has over 19,000 signatures.
.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }
