Beer‘d Al Podcast

Beer‘d Al Podcast

The podcast about TWO of the greatest things in the world: Beer and "Weird Al"! ...(Mostly "Weird Al") Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beer-d-al-podcast--5439475/support.

Episodes

December 19, 2025 57 mins
It’s a holly-jolly Weird Al family Christmas once again 🎄

This episode originally dropped last year, but it’s back for a 2025 holiday encore — and it’s still a full house of Robinsons. Lauren’s here. Russ is here. Zakk is here.

We’re diving into “Christmas at Ground Zero,” “The Night Santa Went Crazy,” and plenty of other offbeat holiday classics, with all the Weird Al cheer (and chaos) you’d expect.

Settle in and enjoy this festive ...
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We’re unwrapping a classic Beer’d Al gem for the Beer’d Al Anthology series! This festive favorite originally dropped a couple years ago, and we’re thrilled to bring it back just in time for the holidays. (Don’t fret—we’ll be back with brand-new episodes once we roll into the new year!)

Andy “Brak and other things” Merrill returns to help us spread some serious holiday cheer. Expect laughs, songs, seasonal ramblings, and maybe even ...
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We're rewinding back to one of my favorite conversations from December 2023 — and it’s absolutely worth a replay. This episode features my chat with Eric Appel: director, co-writer, and the wonderfully chaotic genius behind WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story.

Eric is every bit as sharp, kind, and hilarious as you'd hope, and we get into all things WEIRD — plus a few stories about the very real, very nice guys who helped bring the film to ...
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Originally released in November 2021, this very special episode returns as part of our anthology series!

Before they were husband and wife, Lauren and Russ teamed up for a deep-dive into "Weird Al" Yankovic’s legendary Squeeze Box vinyl collection. They unpack every detail—the design, the tracklist, the collector appeal—and share plenty of laughs (and beers) along the way.

It’s a nostalgic, high-energy conversation between two people...
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We’re taking a trip back in time—way back to 2021—for a very special re-release! This isn’t just any episode of Beer’d Al. It’s the one where Russ and Lauren have their very first conversation. Like… ever.

And what better album to bond over than "Weird Al" Yankovic’s delightfully wacky Poodle Hat? Expect laughter, awkward charm, a few "getting to know you" moments, and of course, plenty of Weird Al love. So crack open a beer, cue up...
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🎶 It’s time to flip that record over! 🎶

Lauren is once again joined by the wonderfully weird Insane Ian to dive into Side 2 of Weird Al’s “Polka Party!” The dynamic duo keeps the laughs rolling as they break down every track, share favorite moments, and debate where this oft-overlooked album fits in Al’s larger legacy.

Expect deep cuts, bad puns, and plenty of banter—because that’s how we polka on the Beer’d Al Podcast! Crack open ...
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Deck the halls… with fallout? This week on the Beer’d Al Podcast, Lauren is joined by the always-entertaining Two-Eff Jeff from the Suggested Articles Podcast to unwrap Weird Al’s delightfully dark holiday classic, “Christmas at Ground Zero.”

Grab your favorite seasonal brew and join us as we toast to catchy carols, Cold War satire, and the bizarre brilliance of celebrating yuletide cheer in the shadow of nuclear annihilation. It’s ...
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Lauren & Russ are joined by special guest Noah (you know, “Noah Guy”) to unpack Weird Al’s hilarious-style parody “Good Enough for Now.” We dig into what makes this song both romantic and brutally honest, how it flips the country love-ballad trope on its head, and which lines hit you in the feels (or in your ego). Plus: reflections on relationships, comedy songwriting, and whether settling ever really “works.” Don’t miss:
  • No...
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Lauren and Russ are back with a very special guest—our good friend Robert Yaniz Jr.! This week, we’re biting into Weird Al’s “Toothless People,” digging into Mick Jagger’s “Ruthless People,” AND chewing over the 1986 comedy Ruthless People.

That’s right: one conversation, three ruthless (and toothless) angles. We cover the music, the movie, and of course, the ridiculous connections only Beer’d Al can make.

If you’ve ever wondered how...
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This week, we lace up for a deep dive into one of Weird Al’s most criminally underappreciated originals: “Don’t Wear Those Shoes.” And joining us is none other than Zeb — yes, that Zeb. Everybody knows Zeb.

We’re talking petty breakups, questionable footwear, and how this little synthpop gem might just be riff-cousins with The Kinks’ “Father Christmas.” (Seriously. The guitar hooks are suspiciously similar. We’ve got tabs. We’ve got...
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The Polka Party rages on—and we’re flipping the record to Side 2! This week, we're diving into “Here’s Johnny,” Weird Al’s tribute to The Tonight Show’s iconic Ed McMahon... or is it just a catchy jam about late-night obsession? Either way, we’ve got a first-time guest (and first-time podcaster!) joining us: our friend Kevin!

Tune in as we talk 80s TV, weird childhood memories, and whether this track deserves more love. There’s laug...
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Lauren and Russ are back from Pine Knob and buzzing with excitement! In this episode of the Beer’d Al Podcast, we’re breaking down our unforgettable night seeing “Weird Al” Yankovic on the Bigger & Weirder Tour. From the VIP treatment (yes, we saw our hero up close!) to the high-energy setlist and Al’s unbeatable stage presence, we cover it all. Hear our favorite moments, unexpected surprises, and why this tour feels like a vic...
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Let’s get weird—Polka Party! weird. This week on the Beer’d Al Podcast, Lauren is joined by comedy musician, parody wizard, and all-around awesome human Insane Ian to dive into Side 1 of Weird Al Yankovic’s Polka Party! album.

We’re talking about everything from hernias to spuds, and we’re loving every minute of it. Tracks on the menu include:
  • The James Brown sendup “Living with a Hernia”
  • The Talking Heads-flavored “Dog Eat Dog”
  • Th...
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It’s a Polka Party—literally and figuratively! This week, Lauren and Russ take on the high-energy polka medley “Polka Party” from Weird Al’s Polka Party! album. And they’re not alone—Polka Bob is back to lend his accordion-fueled wisdom and enthusiasm!

We break down the song-by-song madness, marvel at the medley magic, and ask the big questions: Where does this rank among Al’s polkas? What deep cuts make the biggest splash? And why ...
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It’s one of those days… but in the best way possible! Lauren is joined by the delightfully nerdy and wonderfully weird Jeff Nucera (aka UHJeff) to talk all about the song “One of Those Days” from Polka Party! You might know Jeff as one of the filmmakers behind Tight & Nerdy—the fabulous documentary about the world’s first Weird Al-themed burlesque troupe. (Yes, that’s a real thing, and yes, it’s amazing.)

We dive into this under...
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We're starch-raving mad this week! Lauren and Russ are joined by the spudtacular Ian Glaubinger, Art Director at RSVLTS, to break down the third track on Polka Party—Weird Al’s ode to tuber obsession: “Addicted to Spuds.” From mashed metaphors to fried philosophies, this episode peels back the layers on one of Al’s most underrated food parodies. Get ready for laughs, carbs, and a whole lot of potato talk. Don’t flake out—tune in! �...
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The Beer’d Al Podcast is back with the second installment of our Polka Party album series, and this week we’re diving headfirst into the caffeinated chaos of “Dog Eat Dog”! Lauren and Russ are joined by none other than Jim Elek, the fearless and fabulous admin of the Close Personal Friends of Weird Al Facebook group.

Together, we unpack the deliciously bizarre brilliance of this Talking Heads-inspired track, discuss corporate life i...
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🎉 It’s time to kick off our Polka Party deep dive—aka the Polka Party party! In this episode, Lauren and Russ are diving headfirst into the lead track: “Living with a Hernia.” And they’re not going it alone—friend of the show and all-around great guy KC from The Itch Rocks podcast joins the party!

We’re talking medical mayhem, James Brown flair, and all the glorious weirdness that only Weird Al can deliver. Whether you’re an Al-bum...
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"Dare to Re-Sequence: Making Dare to Be Stupid Make Sense" 

This week, Lauren and Russ take their marriage to the next level and take on a noble Weird Al challenge: rearranging the tracklist of Dare to Be Stupid into an order that (dare we say it?) makes more sense. We each came up with our own new sequence for the album, and we’re diving deep into the why behind our choices. Does “Like a Surgeon” really need to be Track 1? Should “...
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March 28, 2025 66 mins
The deep dive concludes! Lauren and Insane Ian are diving into Side 2 of Dare to be Stupid. From polkas to parodies and everything in between (mostly in between), they unpack the genius of Al’s songwriting, discuss the sheer weirdness and brilliance of these tracks, and probably go off on a few hilarious tangents along the way. Will they dare to be even stupider this time? Tune in and find out!

Check out the glory of Insane Ian here...
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