Timmy Interviewed by Rolling Stone (Kinda)

So how was your 2020? It's the main question that was the feature of a series of interviews that RollingStone.com conducted. One in particular was with my favorite icon, "Weird Al" Yankovic! The interview was done at the end of November, and the more I read it, the more I learned about the "Weird One". It was very insightful, was comforting to see how he was handling the dumpster fire of 2020. My wife suggested that since I was inspired by it, that by simply answering the same questions, I might help inspire someone else. If nothing else, turn them onto a new band to rock out too (much like Al did for me with the band Sparks). Here we go!

The album I listened to the most in 2020 was:
Life Sucks, Let's Dance by Reel Big Fish. I've rocked those guys since high school (over 20 years ago). Their latest album dropped in 2018, but man, this album summed up 2020 for me.

My favorite TV show to stream during quarantine was:
Harley Quinn. I'm a comic nerd and a giant man child. I love my cartoons, even as an adult. Family Guy as well as Rick & Morty are my top favorites, but when WB had their streaming service, Harley Quinn blew me away with it's action, art, & vulgar comedy! Since they've folded their streaming service, the show has hopped onto HBO Max. Fingers crossed that season 3 will be out soon.

The song that will define “2020” for me is:
The Day I Tried To Live covered by Sevendust from their Blood & Stone album. The song was released earlier this year, sadly it didn't get nearly as much attention as I felt it deserved. Think about it, this whole year felt like one step forward, 3 steps back. Forget the day, it's the Year I Tried To Live!

I’d define my current state of mind as:
In a simple word... Tired. Forget the whole pandemic thing, between all the negativity in the news media and non-stop flood of judgement and anger on social media, it really has worn me down. Seeing a smile on a strangers face as you walked by always helped combat all the negativity for me, but thanks to masks, I don't even get that anymore.

The viral video I kept coming back to in quarantine was:
The movie trailer for The Batman with Robert Pattinson. After he beats the crap out of that guy and says "I"m Vengance!" Who didn't have Nerd Wood?

The old-favorite album I returned to for comfort this year was:
Offspring's 1998 album Americana, that album owned my sophomore year of high school! The other was Tenacious D's self-titled album. It dropped in 2001 and it flat out rocks! I remember the first time listening to the album was on a Saturday morning working at the radio station, listening to Kielbasa and when the lyrics "You know what time it is? It's Tenacious D time you motherfucker, go... Fuck yeah!" I was headbanging and was like "Fuck Yeah!" all by myself at 4am in a radio station. Simpler times.

The old-favorite movie I returned to for comfort this year was:
Spaceballs. Let's face it, the Star Wars sequel trilogy didn't revive my love for that fandom & I have not watched The Mandalorian yet, so I know I lose nerd cred, but for me, Spaceballs from Mel Brooks is the true Episode 7, 8, & 9.

A new hobby I picked up in quarantine was:
Sadly, I don't think I picked up any, in fact, I kind of lost a couple. I use to do Stand-Up comedy and DJ weddings. With everything shut down, no stages to tell jokes on and no venues for big wedding gigs. I had hopes of learning my piano or guitar, but with me being essential at both my jobs, and calling in sick not being an option unless you have the "C" word, it's been non-stop for me with little spare time. I did figure I'd work on my ventriloquism skills, but with everyone wearing a mask it wouldn't be as impressive.

The celebrity I’d most want to quarantine with is:
"Weird Al" Yankovic would be my first answer. You can read his interview to all of these questions (linked above) to figure out why. Besides him I'd say Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters fame, for obvious Dave Grohl reasons or Dan Akroyd. One of my favorite actors & comedians and he has a huge love for the paranormal. I have a feeling we could talk for hours and hours about our mutual interests.

The most interesting thing I learned to cook during quarantine was: 
Pizza Lasagna... super simple, take 3 of those frozen Totino's Party Pizzas... let them thaw, stack one on top of another in a casserole dish, and eat.... 3 pizza's all at once!

The best book I read in quarantine was:
That is one thing that I've done a lot more during the quarantine/2020, READ! Mainly comic books & audiobooks. To mash those two, a company called Graphic Audio did an audiobook adaptation of the comic series (now an Amazon TV show) The Boys... HOLY CRAP! Only the first 3 volumes have been done with a 4th (out of 6) dropping in January, but that has been the one I enjoyed the most. Physical book, with paper and ink and a cover that you hold in your hand, would have to be The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel by Anthony Horowitz. Classic Sherlock that takes a wicked dark twist that made my jaw drop while I was reading.

Something positive that happened to me that nobody noticed was:
My goatee has grown in fuller! Thanks to masks, no one ever notices.

The mistake I learned the most from this year was:
How to properly climb a ladder. Screwed up my knee back in June, and 6 months later it's still only about 80% better.

The biggest hero of 2020 was:
I'd say Batman... new movie & video game coming out with the reveal trailer dropping this year. The Justice League Snyder cut coming soon! In the comics he almost got married, had the biggest battle of his life with Bane & Joker, his father figure Alfred (spoiler) was killed. It's been a big Bat-Year... but in my life, with out going into a lot of details, my father suffered an accident, and my uncle saved his life. So, biggest hero of 2020... simply put my Uncle Tom.

A word or phrase I never want to hear again is:
Man, out of all of them? I'd be okay if "Karen" as a derogatory term went away. I know 4 ladies named Karen, and they are all the nicest, sweetest, helpful, giving people I've ever met. They don't deserve that type of backlash.

The thing I’m least looking forward to in 2021 is:
Acid Rain! They've been fear mongering us about everything else... I looked back to my childhood at what really scared the hell out of me, two things came to mind. Killer Bees... well they tried that with Murder Hornets, so the other big fear of my youth... ACID RAIN! That was a good one!

The thing I’m most looking forward to doing when the pandemic is over is: 
So many things. I'm not sure if I will get back on stage to tell jokes, but never say never. I miss going to the movies and enjoying that atmosphere. I miss bowling and the feeling of putting your fingers into public holes of public balls and then eating greasy pizza with the same unwashed hands with no consequence. I'd say the thing I'm looking forward too the most when everything is done... being able to see people smiling.

My biggest hope for 2021 is:
Aliens! Whether to help us or fight us. Just something different to unite us! I feel it would be in their best interests to help us, because after the year we've had, I'm sure we're just looking for an excuse to get out our Hard Twisted Tea and whoop some ass!