By C.E. Hanifin
Enquirer staff writer

In the 20 years or so since "Weird Al" Yankovic first issued his Dare to be Stupid, he's skewered songs by everyone from Michael Jackson to Kid Rock.

IF YOU GO

What: "Weird Al" Yankovic When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday Where: TimberWolf Amphitheater at Paramount's Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Drive Admission: $14.99-$39.99; call Ticketmaster at 562-4949 or go to www.ticketmaster.com Information: www.pki.com

No artist is safe from getting the Yankovic treatment, says the California comedian, who first scored radio airtime on the Dr. Demento Show in the mid-'70s, when he was in high school. His most recent album, 2003's Poodle Hat, takes on tough Detroit rapper Eminem and folk icon Bob Dylan.

"Pop music is something that I think should be fun and not taken terribly seriously," he says. "There's a lot of pompous artists out there. Anytime anybody starts feeling a little self-important, other people appreciate when that person gets taken down a peg or two."

Yankovic will serve up "Eat It," "Amish Paradise" and other fan favorites, as well as his own polkas and other original songs, Sunday at Paramount's Kings Island.

Most musicians get a kick out of the ribbing, he says, and quite a few even offer their compositions for twisted takes.

"I'll bump into somebody at a party or at an awards show and they'll say, 'How come you haven't done one of my songs yet?'" he says. "It's kind of become a badge of honor."

Occasionally, Yankovic does draw the line, though.

"I would do an Eric Clapton parody, but I wouldn't do 'Tears in Heaven,' " a song about the death of the bluesman's young son, he says.

E-mail chanifin@enquirer.com