SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 12: Musical satirist Weird Al Yankovic performs on stage at the Enmore Theatre on March 12, 2007 in Sydney, Australia. Yankovic is promoting his latest send-up album “Straight Outta Lynwoodâ€, and it sees him return to Australia for the first time since 2005. (Photo by Paul McConnell/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Weird Al Yankovic
Photo: Paul McConnell/2007 Getty Images
The world’s preeminent parodist is suing Sony Music Entertainment for $5 million. Weird Al’s normal-sounding lawyer says SME owes him royalty payments, as well as money the company got from lawsuits — always so many lawsuits! — with Napster, Kazaa, and Grokster. The complaint also alleges that a portion of the company’s equity stake in YouTube, which they received in exchange for providing the site with content, should also go to Yankovic, whose classic “White & Nerdy†was one of the most-watched at the time.Â