Butterface on ABCNews.com!

ABCNews.com did an article on the Top 5 Parodies of Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face.' My "Butterface" parody made the list at number 4. That sounds like an ok accomplishment but then I found out who else was on the list. I am preceded on the list by Christopher Walken, South Park, and Justin Timberlake when he was on "SNL." There's even an accompanying video. It's amazing! What am I doing on this list?

A special thanks to Sheila Marikar (or Sheils as Twitter calls her) for writing the article and calling me an "online video genius." My mom's been saying it for decades. It's good to have a non-relative say the same thing.

Butterface Machinima

This is pretty awesome! A new Twitter friend, JellyBean Madison (real name?), created a machinima version of my Butterface parody using Second Life. I'm honored that this was worth putting the time in to do. This is really cool. You can find more of JellyBean Madison's videos at the link below.

Lady Gag - Butterface from JellyBean Madison on Vimeo.

My Butterface in Rolling Stone!!

This was pretty shocking. I'm having more success as a musician than a comedian. My Butterface parody is mentioned in this month's Rolling Stone. It has Lady Gaga on the cover. Doesn't she look...um...strategically bubbled?


The following is the article snippet where it mentions my parody. There is no mention of my name but the lyric quote distinguishes it from all the other Butterface parodies out there (that came after mine). I spoke to the columnist and he said that she really did find it funny. It's unfortunate that the article is about her being ugly sexy. I will say this one last time - I did not know she was thought of as a Butterface when I wrote it and did not intend to make the statement that she was. I didn't even know what she looked like when I came up with the idea. Regardless, she's not offended which means her obsessive fans' evil comments on YouTube can't hurt me anymore! (Or not as much as they did.)

I'm not one for pushing my stuff on people more than once but why not enjoy the Butterface parody one last time. I couldn't have done it without the great voice of Jen Kwok and the awesome mixing of Ash Louis. Thanks to Jason Verlaine, Paul Bauer, and Maryssa Smith for stopping by to dance. And thanks to Kambri Crews for lending us the filming locale.

Butterface Down Under

The Butterface parody got posted on the ninemsn MusicFIX blog this morning in Australia leading to a bunch more views and a bunch more positive comments. It also lead to this picture:

Lady GaGa and I will probably never be this close in real life after this parody but it's good to know that Photoshop will always be able to bring us together.

One thing, though: If they took the time to find such a hot picture of Lady GaGa, they couldn't take the time to find one of my sexier poses. I looked hotter in other scenes. In all my life, I've never had one good drag cutout. 

Thanks to Sam at ninemsn for blogging this!

Tor Vs. Z100 (Part 3)

Parts 1 and 2. Some people would say that an unknown, most likely not funny comedian going after a large media powerhouse like Z100 and Elvis Duran would be a foolish undertaking. To those people I say, "WHAT'S THAT OVER THERE?" Now that they're distracted, I thought I would present to you something that I did when I got the following comment:

Lmao oh god i was listening to Z100 and they mentioned this XD

Growing up in Jersey, I was pretty psyched that Z100 played my song. So psyched that when I was in the shower, I decided to practice my interview for when I would be on because they were totally going to call me up and ask me about it. Here is how I imagined the interview:

Elvis Duran

We're on with Kevin Tor, writer of the parody Butterface.

Kevin

What's going on, Elvis?

Elvis Duran

Very funny stuff.

Kevin

Thank you.

Elvis Duran

What made you write it?

Kevin

It just popped into my head after hearing Poker Face. So I wrote the lyrics and met with my friends Eric Fortin and Jen Kwok and we threw it together.

Elvis Duran

Jen Kwok sang it.

Kevin

That's correct. She did a great job and she was the body in the video.

Elvis Duran

That's what I wanted to get to. You made a video for this song that is just as funny.

Kevin

Yeah, we shot it at Comix, a comedy club I sometimes perform at.

Elvis Duran

In New York City.

Kevin

That's right.

Elvis Duran

...

Kevin

So...

The interview keeps going but I thought I'd stop here to spare you. Even my fantasy interview with Z100 is boring! It's a freakin' fantasy! There should be clowns and money given to me in exorbitant amounts that I don't deserve for writing a song parody! I can't even make Z100's morning show awesome in my dreams! That should be a major determining factor in who wins this war.

I am better than Z100. What would you rather have? A successful, syndicated professional morning show or a guy who blogs to 10 people on a weekly basis? I turn that decision over to you, radio stations. I could be your future. I've made 2 song parodies in the last 2 years. How many have they made? Hundreds? It's all about quality and I haven't heard theirs but mine's better because my mother says so. That's right, radio stations. I have my mother's backing. Do they?

-This message is paid for by the committee to give Kevin Tor all the radio stations that Elvis Duran and his morning show appear on.

Tor Vs. Z100 (Part 2, In Your Face Yesterday's Question Mark!)

Yesterday was the first battle in the epic war that will be Tor Vs. Z100 (Part 1). When you come home from a long day of wrastling with one of the biggest radio stations in the world, you want something cold and refreshing. That's when I reach for Milwaukee's best. (This battle needs sponsors and that's one I think we can get.) Nothing quenches a media war general's thirst like a nice can of beer that's brewed for a man's taste. Sorry, ladies. So I received another email from David Brody, my arch-nemesis:

Kev,

Please feel free to write me anytime. As for the words I chose...yeah a little bit was with the thought in ind that the person I was writing to might not believe it possible to have to parodies with the same title. It has happeded to me all too often. No, I don't think about nor do I care about legal issues because no internet parody writer has the portential or ability to really make it an issue or be able to prove it (Nothing to do with you by th way :) ). I just can't stand it when guys who do it for fun (not you) can't fathom someone who does it as a career coming up with the same brilliant idea as them. Even worse when people think that every parody ever written was written by Weird Al...even my songs by female singers!

My friend Eric Schwartz (Smooth E) who has had a number of hits on YouTube and I have written the same song a few times as well. I put together a video/ interview on Youtube where I play one or two back to back.

Anyway, I am not sure the theme is brittliant....maybe clever? (Butta Face). But, some of your lyrics were very very good as was the video.

Congrats on writing a hit...and keep in touch.

David

When I first read that, I wanted to curl up in a blanket with my email and watch Twins. It's such a nice email reply. I bet my mom would frame it and put it next to my diploma and 8th grade dance photo. But then I read it again. I see a man who is running scared (or not running scared). A man who is taking jabs (or not taking jabs). You have to read between the words. I will capitalize, biggerize, and italicize the only words he meant in the email.

KEV,

Please feel free to write me anytime. As for the words I chose...yeah a little bit was with the thought in ind that the person I was writing to might not believe it possible to have to parodies with the same title. It has happeded to me all too often. No, I DON'T THINK about nor do I care aboUt legal issues because no internet parody writer HAS THE portential or ABILITY TO REALLY MAKE IT an issue or be able to prove it (Nothing to do with you by th way :) ). I just CAN'T STAND it when guys who do it for fun (not YOU) can't fathom someone who does it as a career coming up with the same brilliant idea as them. EVEN WORSE when people think that every parody ever written WAS written by Weird Al...even my songs by female singers!

My friend Eric Schwartz (Smooth E) who has had a number of hits on YouTube and I have written the same song a few times as well. I put together a video/ interview on Youtube where I play one or two back to back.

Anyway, I am not sure the theme is brittliant....maybe clever? (Butta Face). But, some of YOUR lyrics were very very good as was the VIDEO.

Congrats on writing a hit...and keep in touch.

DAVID

"Kev, I don't think u has the ability to really make it. I can't stand you. Even worse was your video. David" 

Wow. Z100 is coming back at me with ferocity. Will I retaliate? You betcha! And with better grammar!

Tor Vs. Z100 (Part 1?)

Everyone knows of my masterpiece, Butterface. If you don't, shame on you. Go watch it now. I got a YouTube comment yesterday morning stating that they heard my parody mentioned on Z100, the New York station. I tried to get more information from the commenter but that person has not written me back to this point. I even emailed Z100 to find out more. What I have since found out is they played a parody of Lady GaGa's Poker Face called "Buttaface" (awful spelling) that was not mine. I got the following email from the radio station this morning:

Kevin,

I just received your email and wanted to respond to you as soon as I could. I wanted to let you know that it was not in fact your parody on Z100. I am the Executive Producer for the Elvis Duran Morning Show and I write the parodies for the show since 1998

We played my parody Butta Face. To this point I have not heard yours and I am sure it is funny but I didn't want you to be disappointed if you tuned in and heard my song. Butta Face is an obvious parody of this sone [sic] so it doesn't surprise me that more than one Comedy writer came up with it. I have also written Pimple Face to the original as well.

Again, I am sorry for any confusion.

David Brody
Executive Producer
Elvis Duran and the Morning Show

While it was great for them to write me back, I felt the need to respond:

David,

Thank you for getting back to me. It would have been really cool if it was mine but someone already broke the news to me on Facebook later in the day. Your email is pretty funny. Let's look at "Butta Face is an obvious parody of the song so it doesn't surprise me that more than one Comedy writer came up with it." Can't we give ourselves more credit than that? Maybe it's not that obvious. You have been trained too much to handle things with the legal implications in mind. Did you think I was going to seek legal council* over a song I put on youtube for free even if I thought you stole it? I guess that just makes me sad for the state of the world that you have to write like that. You probably don't even notice. Anyway, I really do appreciate you getting back to me. I think Butta Face is much better than Pimple Face (kinda makes me cringe). Take care and never steal one of my ideas again! Ever! My wife is a lawyer, more powerful than Jacoby, Meyers, and Roni Deutch combined. Tell Mr. Leonard I said hi.

Thanks,
Kevin Tor

If Z100 wants a one-sided word battle that they know nothing about due to my lack of readership, then it is on! I'm coming after them with guns filled with written words. There is no end to what I can write. Pimple Face? Really? Oof. (That was just a small example of the assault.)

Stay tuned, reader(s). It's gonna be a (metaphorical) blood bath.

* I should have had my wife spell check this first.

Lady GaG - Butterface

Here is my parody of Lady GaGa's Poker Face. There were a lot of requests for a new song parody after Hey There Delilah so I have decided to give in. I also took note of all the requests to never sing again so you will be happy to know that I only wrote the lyrics and got someone else to sing them. 

Thanks to Jen Kwok for singing and dressing scantily. 

Thanks to Eric Fortin for mixing the track and dressing scantily. 

Thanks to Francesco Marciuliano for manning the cam. 

Thanks to Jason Verlaine, Paul Bauer, and Maryssa Smith for dancing their faces off. 

Thanks to Kambri Crews for giving us a locale. 

Thanks to Mom for helping me attain items I needed. 

If there are requests for the mp3, I'll post it like last time.