JENNIFER MAHAL -- In The Wings

It’s uncanny how much Kevin Cable looks like “Weird” Al Yankovic. The

king of karaoke, who bills himself as “That 70s Guy” for his Friday and

Saturday night hosting gig at Kona Lanes on Harbor Boulevard, has the

look of the parody prince.

Maybe it’s the long, curly hair. Maybe it’s the way he dresses for his

show and uses strange props like ballet tutus and hats. Or maybe it’s

just that he’s been practicing being Weird Al ever since his turn on the

television show “Your Big Break.”

The show, which was shot in August, airs at 5 tonight on KCOP Channel

13. The premise of “Your Big Break” is to take amateur singers who sound

like stars, provide them with professional hair, make-up, costuming . . .

etc, and pit them against one another in a talent competition for prize

money.

Kevin will perform “Eat It,” a Weird Al take on Michael Jackson’s

“Beat it.”

It was the auditions for “Your Big Break” that got the 34-year-old

Costa Mesa resident started with his impersonation.

His girlfriend, Cid Strickler, was planning to audition for the show

as Grace Slick and encouraged Kevin go as the comic musician.

“On a lark, I went to the audition,” he said. “The first time I

performed like Weird Al was at the audition. I performed “Like a

Surgeon.”

Kevin, who works as a graphics person at an Irvine print shop, didn’t

think he would make it on the show. Weird Al is a parody artist and the

show is geared more toward people impersonating the musicians that Al

makes fun of.

But Cid had faith that Kevin would make it.

“She made a bet with me,” he said. “She said, ‘I bet you breakfast in

bed that you’re going to be on the show.”’

It took two auditions, but Cid was right. Kevin, who doesn’t cook,

ended up paying off his bet on her birthday.

How he found out he got the gig is a strange tale in itself.

For Kevin’s birthday, Cid took him to see Weird Al in concert at the

Orange County Fairgrounds. The day before, Kevin had a message from the

show, but he thought it was a joke.

When the couple got back from the concert, there was another message

on his machine saying that he was going to be in the show.

“It was weird in a Weird Al sort of way,” Kevin said.

Though Kevin said he isn’t sure he’ll make a career of it, he has been

invited to perform as Weird Al on a number of occasions. He and Cid did a

charity benefit for L.A. Children’s Hospital and have been offered

another show.

In the meantime, Kevin can be found at Kona Lanes, where he has been a

karaoke disc jockey since 1999. This year, he was a finalist in Karaoke

Scene magazine’s karaoke host of the year contest for Los Angeles and

Orange County.

“I am going to try my darndest to try and win next year,” he said. “I

try to keep [karaoke] silly and light. When you see someone goofy onstage

and me wearing the goofy clothes, you don’t worry about what other people

think.”

He may even do a Weird Al song, or two, if asked. “Amish Paradise” is

one of the songs available for sing-a-long.

Will tonight’s performance be Kevin’s big break? Watch and see.

* * *

Do you know a local artist, writer, painter, singer, filmmaker, etc.,

who deserves to get noticed? Send your nominee to In The Wings, Daily

Pilot, 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627, by fax to (949) 646-4170 or

by e-mail to o7 jennifer.mahal@latimes.com.f7

* JENNIFER MAHAL is features editor of the Daily Pilot.

FYI

WHAT: Kevin Cable as Weird Al Yankovic

WHERE: KCOP Channel 13 on “Your Big Break”

WHEN: 5 p.m. today.

WHAT: “That 70s Guy” karaoke at Kona Lanes

WHEN: 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

WHERE: Kona Lanes, 2699 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa