Fans Push for 'Weird Al' Yankovic Hollywood Star

Fans Push for 'Weird Al' Yankovic Hollywood Star

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Fans of "Weird Al" Yankovic are raising money so they can walk all over him. The Weird Al Star Fund is seeking donations to nominate Yankovic, the clown prince of rock and roll, for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

More than 2,000 motion picture, television, radio, theater and recording artists are honored with stars. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announces selections for new star recipients annually in June.

The Weird Al Star Fund (http://www.weirdalstar.com/) is being undertaken with the written blessing of Yankovic. Funds collected will be used for the $25,000 sponsorship fee that must be paid if Weird Al's nomination is accepted. Since the fund's launch in 2003, the volunteers have raised more than $17,500 from donations, merchandise sales (http://www.cafepress.com/WeirdAlStar) and various eBay auctions.

"While we are not above begging, we also decided to sell weird stuff to raise the $25,000," says David Rossi, founder of The Weird Al Star Fund. "This is our way of thanking Al for the decades of entertainment he has given us. We feel he really deserves a star, and we are asking for the help and support of all of his fans to make this happen."

Rossi, 32, is noteworthy among Weird Al fans for his tattoos of the signatures and likenesses of Weird Al and three of his band members. The idea for The Weird Al Star Fund came to Rossi, a computer programmer for a New Jersey insurance company, during a visit to Hollywood when he was interviewed with Yankovic for a VH-1 special about tattoos. While visiting Hollywood Blvd., it struck Rossi that Yankovic was of the same caliber as many of the entertainers honored with stars on the Walk of Fame.

Is Yankovic Walk of Famous enough to deserve the star treatment? Yankovic, 47, is best known for his parodies of the biggest stars in the musical universe, including Madonna, Michael Jackson, Sting, Puff Daddy, and Eminem. Yankovic's 12 comedy music albums have won three Grammy Awards and received more than 28 gold and platinum album certifications. His Top 10 Billboard album ("Straight Outta Lynwood") and single ("White & Nerdy") were both released in 2006, nearly three decades into his career. He has appeared in numerous television specials and written and starred in the 1986 cult classic feature film "UHF."

For more information on the Walk of Fame, visit http://www.hollywoodchamber.net/.

For more information or interviews the media may contact David Rossi, founder of The Weird Al Star Fund, by email at dave@weirdalstar.com or by phone at 973-715-3598.

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: The Weird Al Star Fund

CONTACT: David Rossi of The Weird Al Star Fund, +1-973-715-3598,
dave@weirdalstar.com

Web site:

http://www.weirdalstar.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/WeirdAlStar
http://www.hollywoodchamber.net/

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