The video that was almost never released has hit the interwebs. In Weird Al Yankovic’s latest parody, he transforms Lady Gaga’s personal expression anthem “Born This Way” into a funny and highly creepy send-up of the absurdities of her fame.

A few months ago, Weird Al was forced to put his parody single “Peform This Way” on YouTube in an unofficial capacity due to disputes between his camp and Lady Gaga’s camp over the rights to the song. Weird Al’s camp claimed that Gaga refused to allow him to parody her song. When audio hit YouTube with the disclaimer that it would not be appearing on his new album Alpocalypse, the internet protested. This outcry led to the realization that the dispute between Al and Gaga was never a dispute to begin with.

Here’s what Weird Al had to say on his blog –

After putting my Lady Gaga parody on YouTube this morning – and announcing that it wouldn’t be on my next album because Gaga didn’t approve it – there was a huge outpouring of disappointment from the Internet.

Apparently the fact that she didn’t approve it was news to Lady Gaga herself!

Gaga’s manager has now admitted that he never forwarded my parody to Gaga – she had no idea at all. Even though we assumed that Gaga herself was the one making the decision (because, well, that’s what we were TOLD), he apparently made the decision completely on his own.

He’s sorry.

And Gaga loves the song.

And now, about two months later we are treated with the video for “Perform This Way.” In the video, Weird Al’s face is added to a woman’s body dressed in a wide variety of ridiculous costumes. The best part of the video in my opinion is the pesky Madonna character who keeps showing up and getting in “Gaga’s” way. Gaga has previously called the comparison between “Born This Way” and Madonna’s hit “Express Yourself” “retarded.”

Check it out –

In an interview with Wired, Weird Al said that “Twitter saved his album.”

I remember very clearly the morning that I uploaded the song thinking that my album was postponed indefinitely and that this song that I’d been working on for weeks and weeks was never going to see a proper release. And within a few hours everything had turned around and my fans had my back and Lady Gaga heard the song and all the sudden I had permission.

It was just an amazing turn of events. By the end of the day I had a release date for the album. The byproduct was that people found I was doing the song and doing an album. I never court controversy, I don’t like drama, but that’s just the way it happened.

It’s amazing. Twitter saved my album. In the old days that wouldn’t have happened. I’m just thankful that people cared enough to help me out.

Oh, the power of the interwebs.

I’m just glad the whole thing was sorted out. With the Roger Ebert / Bam Margera feud in full swing, I don’t know if we could have taken a Weird Al / Lady Gaga battle.