So that’s why one of my rules of parody writing is that it’s gotta be funny regardless of whether you know the source material. It has to work on its own merit.

Yankovic is articulating a core aesthetic principle behind effective parody: it should not depend on the audience’s prior familiarity with the original song to succeed. The joke, story, or comic premise must be legible and entertaining on its own, with the source material functioning as an added layer rather than a prerequisite. This frames parody as craftsmanship rather than mere reference—an argument that the best send-ups are also standalone comedy songs with clear setups, payoffs, and internal logic. It also implies respect for a broad audience: newcomers should be able to enjoy the piece, while those who recognize the target gain extra pleasure from the intertextual echoes.