In the ’80s, I was putting out an album virtually every year, I think mostly based on fear - that if I didn’t, people would soon forget about me.

Yankovic reflects on the pace of his early career, when he released albums in quick succession through the 1980s. He frames that productivity not as pure inspiration but as anxiety-driven: a fear that novelty acts and pop-culture comedians can be quickly eclipsed if they don’t stay visible. The remark also hints at the media ecology of the period—pre-streaming, pre-social media—when an artist’s public presence was often maintained through frequent releases, tours, and TV appearances. In retrospect, he treats the fear candidly, suggesting a mature awareness of how career momentum and audience attention can shape creative decisions.