For the benefit of the youngsters in this ng who didn't get it when Homer compared "Weird Al" to Allan Sherman in tonight's episode: Like Mr. Yankovic, Sherman (1924-73) parodied popular songs, adding comic lyrics to Top 10 hits as well as classical standards. His most famous song was "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah," which used the music of Ponchelli's (sp?) "Dance of the Hours." Early in his showbiz career he created the (very) long-running game show "I've Got a Secret," and he was also the voice of the title character in the TV cartoon version of "The Cat in the Hat."
-- Andrew M.