Weird Al Mines Comic Gold Out of Forrest Gump

I've seen quite a few movies in my life, so compiling a definitive list of favorites would be an awfully tall order for me. However, I can safely say that one of the movies that would appear on that list would be Forrest Gump. When it first came out, I didn't pay too much attention, since I thought of it as an adult movie, and I was barely old enough to get in to see it without my parents. Nearly a year later, I'd heard enough about it that I finally went to see it; that it stayed in theaters that long is evidence in itself of its staying power. I saw it. I loved it. We bought it as soon as it came out on video. And shortly thereafter, I was introduced to Weird Al Yankovic and heard his take on this brilliant film.

Before I watched a special comparing the video for this song with the original, I had never heard of Lump, a song by the Presidents of the United States of America, perhaps best known for their catchy ditty Peaches. I wasn't missing out on much. This is one case in which Al's parody makes a great deal more sense than the original, which comes across as pure hard-rocking gibberish.

By comparison, Weird Al's take on the song isn't very weird at all. It's basically a straightforward synopsis of the movie, a song that could be easily turned into a trailer when paired with clips from the film. It touches on several key events and characters without giving too much away. His encouraging mother; "shrimp-lovin'" buddy Bubba; "friend with no legs," Lieutenant Dan; promiscuous childhood sweetheart Jenny and two U.S. presidents all rate a mention. Prominent quotes from the film include "My name is Forrest," "Life is like a box of chocolates," "Stupid is as stupid does" and "Run, Forrest, run" and, the perfect song-stopper, "That's all I have to say about that."

Once you've seen the video of a Weird Al parody, you can't help seeing flashes of it in your head whenever you hear the song. In this video, Al is part of a three-person band jammin’ with percussion and electric guitars, banging their heads to the beat and leaping up, down and every which way in front of a series of Forrest Gump-appropriate backdrops in a frenzy of energy. Sometimes they’re on screen with the confused Forrest look-alike, and sometimes the video intercuts between them. There are brief recreations of some of Forrest’s climactic meetings with historical figures and a deliciously cheesy sequence of him running across a series of landscapes, including the moon. Mostly, though, we see Forrest on the park bench, offering his chocolates to various strangers, each time with disastrous results.

Familiarity with Lump isn’t at all essential to enjoyment of this song, though you’re much more likely to get the most out of it if you’ve seen Forrest Gump. It’s a very fast-paced, hard-rocking song, and generally it wouldn’t be too much to my taste, but it’s far too much fun for me to be turned off by a little cacophony. Anyone who loves the movie as much as I do will probably get a few laughs out of this somewhat skewered ode to one of the sweetest film protagonists the world has ever seen.

Bubba Gump's Knows Everything There Is To Know About the Shrimpin' Business...

When I went to Chicago for a visit with two friends of mine, one of the stops we intended to make was to Bubba Gump Shrimp Restaurant and Market. Though we passed the restaurant the day before when we spent the afternoon at Navy Pier, we saved this unique dining experience for our last excursion on the trip. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t get a picture of the exterior; I intended to, but it was too crowded at the time for me to get a good shot of anything. While there is a large dining area inside, the tables out on the pier are ideally located for a nice summer day. Benches adorned with Forrest’s sayings create a nice effect. On the inside, the restaurant is filled with memorabilia and has Forrest Gump playing constantly.

The menus feature photos and quotes from the film and food related to the characters. I got the Bucket of Boat Trash, a combination of shrimp, lobster and fish alluding to a scene at the beginning of Forrest’s shrimping career, and a Run Forrest Run, a smoothie consisting of oranges, strawberries, bananas and raspberry frozen yogurt. Other themed menu items included Mama Gump's Garlic Bread Basket; the Run Across America platter featuring Bubba's Far Out Dip (with spinach, roasted red pepper, artichokes, shrimp and Monterey Jack cheese) and Chips, Chilly Shrimp (peel and eat southern-style shrimp), Greenbow Tenders (Cajun chicken strips with blue cheese sauce) and Mama Blue's Fried shrimp; Jenny's Favorite, a smoothie with cranberry juice, strawberries and raspberry frozen yogurt; the Alabama Sweet Smoothie, made of peanut butter, chocolate and vanilla frozen yogurt; a variety of shrimp options from Shrimp Shack Pasta to Dumb Luck Coconut Shrimp; Gumpberry Cobbler, consisting of seasonal berries and apples with ice cream, drizzled with raspberry sauce and walnut cookie crumbs; and Forrest's Dr. Pepper Float, in deference to Forrest's favorite beverage.

The food was delicious, and as we ate we looked around at the decor and were entertained by our waiter, a very affable fellow who quizzed us on Forrest trivia whenever he stopped at our table. How frequently he stopped was up to us. We were provided with two license plates; most of the time we kept the “Run Forrest Run” plate in view, but if we needed anything we switched to “Stop Forrest Stop.” It was a simple touch but added to the fun of the meal.

It’s a shame Bubba Gump doesn’t have more locations. I would love to go there with my family sometime. The high-quality fare makes it worthwhile for any seafood lover, while the restaurant’s theme is a special treat for fans of the film. Forrest Gump is one of my favorite movies, so I found it doubly enjoyable. This isn’t a place where you would dine frequently, but it’s a fun novelty restaurant along the lines of Hard Rock Cafe or Planet Hollywood, just with a narrower focus. Prices, while not unreasonable, are a bit hefty, and if you do go you’ll probably want to take home a reminder of your trip. I purchased a t-shirt featuring cartoonish renditions of moments from the movie. A variety of “Gump gear” is available, from t-shirts and glasses to playing cards and stationery.

Bubba Gump’s is now in nearly 20 locations – none of which, oddly enough, are in Alabama. If you happen to be in the vicinity of a Bubba Gump’s, I would certainly recommend stopping there for a leisurely lunch or dinner, particularly if you are a Forrest Gump enthusiast. The Chicago branch is open from 11 am to 11 pm Sunday through Thursday and an hour longer Friday and Saturday, though hours vary. The restaurant offers an opportunity to bring a piece of cinema to life in a most delicious manner.