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Q: Who's the actor who played Gallagher in the Weird Al movie that just came out?

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Author: 
Adam Thomlison / TV Media

"Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" (2022) is a who's who of today's comedy stars playing a who's who of '70s and '80s comedy (and other pop culture) stars. But one portrayal has a little more weight now, given the timing: That of legendary stand-up comedian Gallagher, a man famous for smashing watermelons as part of his prop-comedy routine.

"Weird" was released on Nov. 4 last year, one week to the day before Gallagher died at the age of 76.

Of course, the film's writer/director, Erik Appel ("Son of Zorn"), didn't know about this when he wrote the appearance.

And stand-up comedian, voice actor and podcaster Paul F. Tompkins couldn't have known about it when he played the role.

But fortunately, Tompkins turned in a pretty respectful performance anyway — albeit one that, like the others in the film, had little to do with reality. The film really just offered fanciful ideas of what Gallagher and his fellow stars might have had to do with song parodist Weird Al's rise to fame.

Tompkins is probably best known for hosting the long-running VH1 comedy talk show "Best Week Ever" in the 2000s, or as one of the stars of the ensemble sitcom "Bajillion Dollar Properties."

But he's since developed into a leading voice in comedy podcasting, creating and starring on shows such as "Spontaneanation," "Threedom" and the aptly named "Pod F. Tompkast."

He's also a prolific that-guy actor, thanks to his long string of guest appearances on network TV shows, including "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and, oddly, "Criminal Minds."

You may also just recognize his voice. Tompkins is an in-demand comedic voice actor, with long-running stints on shows such as "Bojack Horseman" (playing multiple roles, including Mr. Peanutbutter). He also voiced Short Thug in the 2010 Disney film "Tangled" and reprised the role in multiple spinoff shows and shorts.

 

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