[-]

StopStraight4516@reddit

I did, and there was no graffiti on any of the glass when it was first released.

[-]

GoslingIchi@reddit

We didn't watch The Simpsons, but we tuned in to see the video and just all looked at each other, and then went to dinner.

[-]

wheatgivesmeshits@reddit

My mom seeing that video is the reason I couldn't watch the Simpsons. She really clutched her pearls over a cartoon that had a kid cussing.

[-]

I was born in 1980 and had this t shirt with Bart saying “I’m Bart Simpson, who the hell are u” And got in trouble for wearing it to school one day…they made me turn it inside out for the rest of the day. Ahh, much simpler times. lol

[-]

uconnboston@reddit

So….she had a cow, man?

[-]

MarduckRulez@reddit

I still have the EP

[-]

JadedMonkey2203@reddit

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Mad_Spaniel@reddit

I had that whole-ass album! Might even be in the attic somewhere.

[-]

__Elwood_Blues__@reddit

They did what with the picture disc?

[-]

ebles@reddit

I had the Deep Deep Trouble picture disc.

[-]

pianotherms@reddit

I just said "troub-troubelllll" this morning, out of nowhere.

[-]

FelixAxellus@reddit

I still remember:

Well, you're damned if you do - what are we talking about?

well, you're damned if you don't - where's your sense of humor?

well, cause you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't...

Bart!

[-]

rob132@reddit

Mow the lawn on the dub dub double

Or else you'll be in deep deep trouble

TROUBLE!

[-]

ebles@reddit

Please sir just a little off the top.

Dude shaved me bare, gave me a lollipop.

[-]

boyalien0@reddit

That’s a $120 record

[-]

Artistic_Alps_4794@reddit

I remember the Living Color skit better:

“Officer can you tell me if I’m Black or White?”

“You‘re under arrest.”

“I must be Black.”

[-]

Pleasant-Ticket3217@reddit

We’d watch In Living Color, my family and I, and it was a must see show. It was always fun when they made fun of Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer and this brilliant parody.

[-]

bugg925@reddit

gif

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jsmitter@reddit

That's literally the first thing I thought of when I saw this post.

[-]

epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

I'm still a virgin and I'm 33
Even Madonna won't have sex with me

[-]

shankthedog@reddit

The Madonna spoof - “I’m Neurotic”

A gay man trapped in a woman’s body.

[-]

Straight_Button_5716@reddit

Get a hooker

[-]

rando7818@reddit

Are you black? She seems to have a thing for the darker persuasion. If you are you’ve checked a box to get there

[-]

Fine_Location_8367@reddit

I play with little animals, and I hang out with Macaulay all night! Heeeeeee!! Lmao man, I miss Tommy Davidson on tv!

[-]

epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

My brain absorbed In Living Color like a sponge. Love the whole cast.

[-]

More-read-than-eddit@reddit

I play with furry animals, and I stay up with McCauley all night

[-]

remoteworker9@reddit

And I play with animals, and I hang out with Macaulay all night!

[-]

Beasty_Glanglemutton@reddit

I hang out with Macaulay all night

Mind you, this was before any allegations surfaced.

[-]

rob132@reddit

Now look me in the face and tell me if you think I'm black or white

[-]

Rolands_missing_head@reddit

That line has stuck with me all this time haha

[-]

Artistic_Alps_4794@reddit

Lmfao

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Theblackswapper1@reddit

I love the audience's reaction to that line.

[-]

Snoo-35041@reddit

In Living Color also had the best parody of the song too.

[-]

shempaholic@reddit

https://youtu.be/y2Ub39MvlZ4?si=t_4bNq61BWZtSPIz

[-]

TonyTone1993@reddit

Rabbit hole

[-]

VoidOmatic@reddit

Still amazing after all these years.

[-]

HeyCarpy@reddit

I haven’t seen this in like 30 years.

[-]

gabbadabbahey@reddit

Throughout the years I've remembered this parody as, Will someone tell me if I'm black or white? But I had no memory of where the parody came from!

[-]

Loud-Bee6673@reddit

I was today years old when I first saw this.

[-]

blackvulcan215@reddit

This is how I remembered it too.

[-]

sbphasher@reddit

That show had no chill, whatsoever.

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Super_Fa_Q@reddit

EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT OF...

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Juliet_1982@reddit

I FEEL SO SEEN!!! This is still the first thing that comes to mind whenever anyone mentions this song!!!

[-]

seaska84@reddit

Same. That episode was hilarious.

[-]

Zacky_Cheladaz@reddit

Yes! Came here to see if anybody remembered! Rememver he tried to break the glass with his hand?

[-]

Tiny-Reading5982@reddit

This isn't in living color?

[-]

Eshin242@reddit

For your vibes :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWHX7QF8ETE

[-]

ScreenTricky4257@reddit

In Living Color doesn't get enough credit. I never see it on any of these Top 50 TV Shows list, but it was funny and groundbreaking.

[-]

greendakota99@reddit

A core memory for me!

[-]

Significant_Cup_238@reddit

Oh man, Tommy Davidson nailed that.

[-]

BulkyOrder9@reddit

Yep, Tommy Davidson killed it

[-]

Easternshoremouth@reddit

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-*thunk*-EEEEHEEHEE

[-]

MockingBirdieBert@reddit

It's a busy season for posting pedos

[-]

mattinglys-moustache@reddit

Say what you will about Michael Jackson but I never saw any “KKK rules” graffiti after 11/14/91.

[-]

Both_Evidence_1026@reddit

They had to rebrand after that crushing humiliation, they're called the Republican party now.

[-]

jonasgrimms@reddit

SPLC

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graffix13@reddit

The KKK was formed by the Democrat Party.

This isn't "1984". You can't rewrite history because it hurts your feelings.

[-]

IAm5toned@reddit

Historical Alignment (19th and Early 20th Century)Democratic Party (Reconstruction Era): Following the Civil War, the first KKK (founded 1866) operated as a violent, underground terrorist wing of the Southern white supremacist movement, largely aligned against the Republican Party, which was then pushing for civil rights and racial equality for freed slaves. The Klan worked to destroy the Republican Party's infrastructure in the South.

history is important.

[-]

Watchitbitch@reddit

🤣

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space_monkee2049@reddit

That's why we always remember 91/11... 14

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PolyJuicedRedHead@reddit

I think that’s why they completely disbanded.

[-]

Kailscanvasart@reddit

I think you misspelled horror.

[-]

Super-Complaint-245@reddit

I still cringe watching him and this.

[-]

faithOver@reddit

It’s weird that none of it seemed weird.

[-]

Humble_Diner32@reddit

I watched it live at my grandparents’ house with my mom and Nana. I think even my Nana was transfixed on the video.

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killervirgo@reddit

It wasn't until this very moment that I realized the glass had "KKK Rules" on it.

[-]

TreeCertain6473@reddit

like 3 strikes? Hell yea that's pretty dope

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BartMancuso1990@reddit

Yeah I don’t remember that part either, but the KKK was well known for using inner city stylized graffiti and and saying they “rule” so it definitely seems plausible😂

[-]

finallyfree99@reddit

It was added later. The original video did not have any text or grafitti on the windows. They added that to justify the breaking of so many glass windows.

[-]

Criticism-Lazy@reddit

Okay… but why were his pants unzipped? And why weren’t we more concerned about that at the time?

[-]

Jupitersd2017@reddit

Haha even more bizarre, like why is he masturbating at a kkk rules sign

[-]

Heatherjjjjjjjj@reddit

He was saying fuck the KKK thru interpretive dance?

[-]

Embarrassed_Can6796@reddit

No I think he actually wants to fuck the KKK

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Unanimous_D@reddit

You might as well call SA "making love"

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Unanimous_D@reddit

Considering the graffiti update was back in 1993, that's pretty damn impressive. I don't think video editing had automatic tracking back then, so they probably had to recreate and animate the entire glass and every piece of it manually to make sure they match the original footage. Then again, this is old TV resolution (480i, also 36" screens being considered "large" at the time), so you could get away with a lot more than today.

[-]

SimonGloom2@reddit

That'll show the KKK. Now they'll have to only use spray paint on the walls around the windows.

[-]

space_monkee2049@reddit

The KKK wasn't mad, it was those pro glass windows freaks, most of them with real power.

[-]

Embarrassed_Can6796@reddit

Safelite repair, Safelite replace

[-]

mirrorsaw@reddit

So the poor building owner gets his window vandalised by graffiti, then Michael comes along and smashes it, that's worse! Some white spirits could have taken that off.

[-]

Thenadamgoes@reddit

Those god damn grand wizard rascals running around and spray painting KKK rules on everything!

[-]

rob132@reddit

Especially the inner city where they are known to consolidate their power

[-]

CariniFluff@reddit

Jussie Smollett learned that the hard way!

[-]

perpetualmotionmachi@reddit

Many of them have never even been to an inner city

[-]

82Fang325@reddit

Jussie Smullet was in town…

[-]

Careful-Lettuce9239@reddit

"O'doyle rules!"

[-]

JadedJared@reddit

Haha. Yeah lots of KKK supporting graffiti artists in the inner city streets.

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CatchAlarming6860@reddit

KKK rulez, blax droolz

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DenverDev2112@reddit

If I remember correctly, that got added later to make it look like there was a justifiable reason for him breaking everything lol

[-]

Jealous-Ninja5463@reddit

Ok what about the compulsive crotch grabbing?

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finalremix@reddit

Look... the guy only has like... 5 dance moves, and one of them requires special staging (the lean), one requires just the right friction (moonwalk), and that leaves kicking, spinning, and crotch grabbing.

[-]

Troys_Other_Account@reddit

Be serious with me 😭 are you actually trying to say Michael Jackson only had 3 dance moves he could do naturally lmao

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Idontknowthosewords@reddit

Hahahaha!!

[-]

len43@reddit

You mean Hee Hee

[-]

mrbulldops428@reddit

That somehow makes the idea of him just breaking everything for no reason much funnier

[-]

Funandgeeky@reddit

It was meant to be an homage to Do the Right Thing. But not a lot of people got it.

[-]

kkeut@reddit

it got added later because people were in an uproar about MJ smashing up car windows and whatnot. this clip is brief and only shows part of it

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Soft_Walrus_3605@reddit

Didn't want kids to go around breaking glass like MJ

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hoteppeter@reddit

Message in there somewhere

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kkeut@reddit

this isn't the version after The Simpsons

[-]

mowtowcow@reddit

Im just teenagers happily jumping into the air, fists raised, with some poppy music playing, then a freeze frame at the apex. KKK Rules!!!

[-]

finallyfree99@reddit

The original video did not have that. That text was added later to justify breaking so many glass windows.

[-]

Former-Welder-4290@reddit

I remember watching it confined in my high school classroom as it debuted on Channel 1 news.

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EventualZen@reddit

I heard that some television channels refuse to air The Simpsons episode with Michael Jackson in it. Also the one where Homer goes to the twin towers at the World Trade Centre in NYC.

Does any remember soundboards upon websites back in 2000 to 2004? You could make them play voice samples from various celebrities, they were used for novelty or prank calls.

[-]

Extreme_Shop_4958@reddit

I did!!!!!!

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EmperorGrinnar@reddit

I always wondered why he was grabbing his crotch so often.

[-]

squintpan@reddit

I still do. It’s… off putting.

[-]

nyXhcinPDX@reddit

It seems like everybody forgot he was a rapist when the movie came out and he’s being glorified again

[-]

mrheh@reddit

Well some of us are in the boat that he is no a rapist and never touched any of the kids. Those parents all wanted pay days, period. His own doctor said he was castrated for fks sake, his dad had it done to keep his voice as it was changing form puberty. The Greeks used to do it back in the day to their singers as well, forgot the name.

[-]

johannthegoatman@reddit

The police found tons of porn all around his bedroom and bathroom including a lot of nude young boys. Also he wasn't castrated lol, he had a kid ffs

[-]

mrheh@reddit

Gonna need actually sources on those BS claims. His "kids" LMFAO have you seen what they look like? BLUE eyes and blonde hair! Those are 100% not his bio kids. His Doctor said he was castrated, I'm going to take his word over the word of same random redditor who gets his knowledge off tictoc lmao. Try again, kid.

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LevelPerception4@reddit

So it’s working. Jackson’s estate spent millions on this movie.

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SeroWriter@reddit

Jackson’s estate spent millions on this movie.

That's generally how movies work. You should really specify that they spent millions removing mentions of sexual abuse scandals.

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nyXhcinPDX@reddit

Yep. And of course, the movie stops right around the time when the allegations start to get heavy.

Glad I’m not spending money supporting a rapist and their now poor family.

[-]

jillsntferrari@reddit

I walked into a little shop the other day and one of his songs was blaring. It was a little jarring because I did not expect it and the girls working there were college-aged. Felt like I was in the twilight zone for a split second.

[-]

nyXhcinPDX@reddit

Seeing Michael’s movie as successful as it is proves that cancel culture and “woke society” was just a trend-like skinny jeans

[-]

DJanomaly@reddit

Honestly, this is a bad example. He was never convicted of anything (in fact he was exonerated several times), and there was never any “smoking gun” against his behavior.

Not saying he never did anything wrong, and he clearly was a weird dude who was completely disconnected from reality. But this isn’t like Chris Brown beating the shit out of Rihanna. It’s still somewhat of a question mark.

[-]

ModernSmithmundt@reddit

https://tenor.com/N9x3.gif

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BoysenberryKind5599@reddit

I definitely did! Please point me to those convictions so I can remember?

[-]

Necessary_Piano_153@reddit

And zipping up! Why was your crotch down??

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farmyardcat@reddit

lmao I remembered all the crotch grabbing but I absolutely did not remember the zipper.

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ApprenticeScentless@reddit

lmao me neither

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Young_Former@reddit

Actually i wasn’t sure if i saw this but then i saw the zipper and yes yes i saw this back then.

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no_racist_here@reddit

It’s all the leg jostling, it makes the zipper drop so he just choreographed lots of movements to check and rezip if necessary.

[-]

noisemonsters@reddit

I’m also so confused by this because like… surely one of the many incredible stylists and costume designers would have considered a safety pin???

[-]

no_racist_here@reddit

Oh I was just making a dumb comment on the internet. I can’t imagine this isn’t an intentional decision for both costume and choreography

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TeddyAtTheReady@reddit

I get having to rezip, but what’s the deal with the director zooming in on it and featuring it so prominently?

“The purpose of the outro is to focus on his crotch. He’ll be grabbing it and slapping it and outlining it several times. We’ll leave in the zip- it’s a nice change of pace from all the grabbing without having to take attention away from his unit.”

[-]

CheckYourStats@reddit

What’s really fucking weird, is that MJ was so indescribably famous, his crotch grabbing became a “dance style” associated with him, rather than…

…you know…

…a guy who grabs his crotch every 3-4 seconds on camera.

[-]

GoblinCorp@reddit

Because he just walked away from a young Culkin kid.

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Dear_Chasey_La1n@reddit

You never walk out, get on the street and do a double check to make sure your zipper is up or down? Only to find out at the very end of the day, you miss-checked and you walked around all day with the zipper up?

[-]

SimonGloom2@reddit

The zipping was the biggest controversy over this. The whole thing though was put away in Area 51 after it aired.

[-]

verdeturtle@reddit

I mean why not....faulty zipper?

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SectionNo5860@reddit

The Jackson's are notoriously for their wardrobe malfunction

[-]

hbk268@reddit

Or oft pulling, as it were

[-]

Conscious_Answer_571@reddit

Every time I see a clip of this dude it’s so much weirder and creepier than I remember. I legit do not understand how he was so popular

[-]

Solid_College_9145@reddit

You still grab your crotch even though you know it's off putting?

[-]

TheGuanderGuoman@reddit

Same. My mom wouldn’t let me watch Michael Jackson’s music videos for that reason. I’m 45 and I still find it unsettling.

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Cass_Q@reddit

It's like how people wouldn't let their kids watch Elvis because of his pelvic dancing

[-]

Baeolophus_bicolor@reddit

Like how I couldn’t see the beastie boys when I was 12 because my mom read about the dick-in-the-box they had on stage. Fuckin lame.

[-]

Mellopiex@reddit

Like how I couldn’t see Red Hot Chili Peppers because my mom read about them wearing nothing but socks on stage

[-]

Baeolophus_bicolor@reddit

Oh yeah! Socks on cocks tour.

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Xenc@reddit

Rock out with your sock out 🤘

[-]

Adela-Siobhan@reddit

Was it attached or dismembered?

[-]

Baeolophus_bicolor@reddit

It was a giant dick that popped out of the box when you turn the crank on the side. Like a jack in the box, is I guess the idea

[-]

fattycatty6@reddit

But I feel like we are talking about 2 different things.... elvis' gyrations weren't like this? Were they? 😆😆

[-]

Rupertfitz@reddit

If someone got on stage naked and did the helicopter it would equivalent to us watching MJ crotch tapping in the age of Elvis. The shock value depreciates over time.

[-]

Cass_Q@reddit

No, they weren't like this, but people were scandalized. When he performed, the TV cameras would only film him from the waist up.

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Encyclopenia@reddit

Your mom was onto something

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RiotPurrrl@reddit

Right? I feel uncomfortable watching that

[-]

SignoreBanana@reddit

You should be off pudding

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SirKermit@reddit

I still do, but I used to too.

[-]

AnalDwelinButtMonkey@reddit

And people still say he was innocent and didn't diddle little kids

[-]

ExMorgMD@reddit

He should definitely write a song about how he doesn’t diddle kids

[-]

DBE113301@reddit

"There he goes off to write the hit song 'I Don't Diddle Kids'." -Lenny, That Thing You Do

[-]

plated_lead@reddit

🎶Do not diddle kids! It’s No Good diddlin’ kids!🎶

[-]

CentrifugalMalaise@reddit

🎵 never been with a chick younger than my daughter… younger than my daughter, older than my wife 🎵

[-]

Jvalerio629@reddit

Gotta be big…

[-]

DraculasDog@reddit

Man in the Mirror

[-]

nyXhcinPDX@reddit

Same for a certain Orange man

[-]

Necessary_Piano_153@reddit

Oh that one gets worshiped

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aceshighsays@reddit

it's off putting when men do that in the middle of the store...

[-]

Teal-Prowler505@reddit

You should be off pudding

[-]

bikemandan@reddit

Dont make me give up pudding its all I have left

[-]

FewWait38@reddit

If you don't eat your meat you can't have any pudding

[-]

Teal-Prowler505@reddit

How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?

YOU! YES. YOU BOY!

[-]

ecuaffecto@reddit

gif

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crazyfatskier2@reddit

gif

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birdsword@reddit

gif

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30for30im30for30@reddit

Yes...as a kid I remember it being ever present in a way that isn't fully appreciated now. The filming on this though...like damn...that close up is graphic.

[-]

J-Mosc@reddit

And why is it the way he grabs it isn’t like he’s grabbing junk but rather stroking a cl1t?

[-]

epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

Here's an archived article about it from LA Times

The number, according to the press statement, was “Jackson’s interpretation of the panther’s wild and animalistic behavior.” Throughout the dance, Jackson takes his crotch grabbing, for which he has been criticized in the past, to new extremes, including simulated masturbation and a close-up of him zipping up his pants.

“The epilogue is really a performance piece by Michael Jackson that can stand totally on its own,” director John Landis, who also directed Jackson’s pioneering “Thriller” video in 1983, told The Times last week. “It’s essentially an improvisation of Michael’s.”

Bolstered by Jackson’s appearance, Fox’s 8 to 10 p.m. lineup Thursday scored the highest ratings for any night in the network’s five-year history.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-11-16-ca-1633-story.html

[-]

tonetonitony@reddit

This summary gives us no answer whatsoever.

[-]

purvel@reddit

"Give me a quote from a newspaper about this video."

"Sure!

Here's an archived article about it from LA Times[...]"

[-]

Bodymaster@reddit

Too much improvisation will make you go blind.

[-]

smack_nazis_more@reddit

when I think of big cats, I mostly think of them masturbating.

......art?

The kiddy fiddling makes it harder to feel charitable.

[-]

epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

I have heard plenty of people defend the crotch thing but never once have I heard someone say they like it. Such a weird display.

[-]

smack_nazis_more@reddit

I like some weird burlesque artsy stuff, but in that context.

[-]

quietlikesnow@reddit

Dang. Well that was my 13th birthday and one of the few times we missed the Simpsons and now… I am glad.

[-]

Spicavierge@reddit

We started watching it, and my mom went "Oh-kayyy" at this part, went and snapped the TV off, then asked "Who wants ice cream?"

Like playing Tetris after a traumatic event to lessen the chance of PTSD, being distracted by chocolate-caramel swirl helped.

[-]

May_of_Teck@reddit

gif

Chocolate caramel swirl…

[-]

Necessary_Piano_153@reddit

It was a week after my 11th birthday and back then it wasn't cool to miss the premiere of a Michael Jackson video or a Madonna video. Everyone would be talking about it at school and you couldn't be the only one who hasn't seen it. This one was hard to miss though. Never seen a song get so much air play in the news

[-]

omegaweaponzero@reddit

Simulated masturbation? Did I watch the same video as these people back then?

The crotch grabbing is weird but where did he pretend to jack it?

[-]

Equivalent_Chipmunk@reddit

Female masturbation, perhaps?

[-]

epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

He's really in there rubbing and rooting and thrusting, then it's revealed his pants were undone because he zips up. Simulated masturbation is a fair call here.

[-]

DiddlersWillGetGot@reddit

this guy jerks off weird

[-]

Jogger_Dodger@reddit

In this clip it looks like he's playing with his MJussy.

[-]

DangKilla@reddit

The Beatles started it. Elvis added hip gyrations. I guess it sells

[-]

RoguePlanet2@reddit

Landis always had to put sex stuff in his movies, even when the movie was geared toward kids. Surprised his name doesn't come up in The Files.

[-]

fletters@reddit

He already basically got a pass for dropping a helicopter on two kids. So…

[-]

RoguePlanet2@reddit

UGH that's right 😩

[-]

Walter_Padick@reddit

Mike is a perv and John Landis is responsible for deaths

[-]

CrowsInTheNose@reddit

There's more than a few young boys that asked themselves that when he shared a bed with him.

[-]

araisingirly@reddit

It looks like he has a who-who and he's pleasuring it!! Always thought that was weird!

[-]

Moxielilly@reddit

I swear, people always pointed this out in the 80s and 90s, and whenever I heard anyone say it was weird, there were always at least two more people nearby who stepped up to defend this behavior and said oh, it’s not sexual, he’s just such a good dancer, so creative and he gets swept away by the dance! And I was a kid/teen wondering what I wasn’t getting because I knew that even if I performing the most amazing dance ever, if I were grabbing my own crotch that much in public while doing it. everyone around me would be telling me I was being gross and inappropriate and to knock it TF off.

Kid me was right. He was being gross and inappropriate. The world is full of extremely creative and talented dancers who manage not to grope their own crotches a million times while performing. But just because he had a shitty dad/childhood and he made Thriller, many adults defended all his gross behavior and acted like those who questioned it were the freaks.

[-]

INDIEfatigable@reddit

What's even weirder is that to this day, a LOT of people still love and defend the sicko and are in complete denial about what a pervert he was and how he literally ruined people's lives (all the children he abused).

[-]

fuckR196@reddit

I think what's even weirder is the guy's been dead for almost 20 years and still there isn't a single piece of irrefutable evidence the guy was a creep.

[-]

The_Stolarchos@reddit

You ever read the letter he sent the elementary student talking about how much he loved her? It was on Reddit like 2 days ago.

Dude was a fucking creep and there are HUNDREDS of examples of it. But you’ll continue to ignore them because you want to.

[-]

fuckR196@reddit

You mean the letter where he only signs his first name, almost as if someone else was faking their signature but didn't have the confidence to write his whole name? The one that looks like it was written by an illiterate drunk compared to every other photo of his handwriting? Or one of the many other lawsuits after he died and can no longer defend himself, where none of the details align with other victims?

How was one man apparently such a prolific predator and yet nobody has any concrete evidence? We've got mountains of evidence against Epstein, a guy 87% of the world probably had no idea existed before he died, yet none against one of the most popular musicians in the world?

[-]

2d6DoomedWizards@reddit

Someone put this guy on a list and make sure he isn't living next to an elementary school.

[-]

bobrosserman@reddit

I always felt like I must have been missing something, I wasn’t, it’s really inappropriate.

[-]

BeRad419@reddit

for the kids!

[-]

VintageLover79@reddit

gif

[-]

Carytheday@reddit

Trains Plains and Automhiles gif :o

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Guilty_Helicopter572@reddit

🏆

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RiffRaffCatillacCat@reddit

Because "heee hee"

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sexual__velociraptor@reddit

gif

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carbon_made@reddit

Sh’mon Sh’mon…

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xxxxDEFIANTxxxx@reddit

Chamonah!

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spacerobot@reddit

I was in 2nd grade when it aired, and I remember watching the music video with my family. Afterwards my mom told me other boys in my class would pretend to be like Michael Jackson and grab their crotch, but I shouldn't do that.

Sure enough, the next day in school some of the boys did it. But I didn't.

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Imaginary-Buy-353@reddit

I'm just going by memory, but I recall a story about how it came from his messed up upbringing, dude spent so much time in all kinds of shady clubs that weren't exactly for kids.

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ScreenTricky4257@reddit

According to Pop-Up Video, he said it was because he was "a slave to his rhythm."

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nvmenotfound@reddit

lil pat to check if the zip is down then on the next trip down corrected the zipper duh! /s

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SordidSimpleton@reddit

Yeah it's vulgar and very uncool

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JohnnyLeftHook@reddit

Especially when it looks like he's massaging his clit like at :15.

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superhappy@reddit

Yeah this … stood out to me this time around

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Dt_Bunk@reddit

Workin' that bussy.

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Necessary_Piano_153@reddit

I think that's the other end

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Otherwise_Stand1178@reddit

Oh I know dude lol

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snarkfest_@reddit

wait till you see Elvis on the Ed Sullivan Show

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DookieMcDookface@reddit

gif

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Smoke_Stack707@reddit

Yea I’ve seen plenty of rappers grab their crotch since this video aired but this is somehow different and more unsettling

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Moxielilly@reddit

I mean, rappers will sometimes tug at the crotch of their pants, but they usually wearing baggy or low slung pants that are not extremely fitted skinny jeans that hug the outline of their whole genital area, and they aren’t sliding their hands over their crotch like they’re trying up their subs on OnlyFans. I don’t love it when rappers grab at their crotches, but i’ve never seen a rapper do whatever this is. It’s another level.

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Mindless_Jicama8728@reddit

Also, why was it always exactly how a woman does? No weird conspiracies, dude was a dude, but did he want his own man in the boat?

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MyAssDoesHeeHawww@reddit

gotta check that bad zipper

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geodebug@reddit

1-800-KRABS-4-KIDS

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kumf@reddit

Or why they included him zipping his fly?!

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EmperorGrinnar@reddit

It had is own zoom feature.

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alfalfa_spr0uts@reddit

It made this that much more uncomfortable to watch with my parents. 🫣

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Ordinary-Violinist-9@reddit

It was to say fuck you racists

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carbon_made@reddit

It was to say racists can “get up on this…”. Cue Salt N’ Peppa

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Killersavage@reddit

That was definitely typical graffiti by hate groups.

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Unhappy_Performer538@reddit

What about during the other non racially charged songs

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say_what_again_mfr@reddit

Mostly, fuck you racists.

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Ordinary-Violinist-9@reddit

That he never told in an interview

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Wolf444555666777@reddit

Also its not a grab...its like hes pressing a clitoris

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fattycatty6@reddit

This would be the reason why my mother hated him so and ot was "inappropriate " for me to watch him😆

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TheGuanderGuoman@reddit

Same!

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fattycatty6@reddit

At the time I thought it was my crazy boomer mom but as an adult.... I get it now😁 sorry mom

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beanofdoom001@reddit

'cause he knows. We were wondering if it was black or white.

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boyalien0@reddit

Because Quincy said so

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curiouserthangeorge@reddit

hm. The zipper part was a real choice. The hype around this was so intense. I totally remember it. I just don't remember it being so... crotchy

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Pralines_and_Dick714@reddit

Very awkward watching as a 10 year old with my parents and brother 😳

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LFK_Pirate@reddit

I just remember the last minute or so with the faces morphing into each other, that was some mind blowing tech back then

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Brilliant_Ad_6637@reddit

Good to remember that the bits were very choreographed and planned out. The morph tech helped smooth the transitions, but the planning that went into them is what made them good. (Like the hair drop distracting you from the morph out of Tyra, and them repurposing the voluminous curly red hair into the next model's dreadlocks).

(Otherwise they would have just made weird Animorph monstrosities).

Was it me or was that Kai PowerGoo that ran the effect? I remember it being a popular blending tool for a minute.

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Awesomefulninja@reddit

Omg, Kai Power Goo! I totally forgot about this. I used to love playing with this program. Thanks for the flashback!

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LFK_Pirate@reddit

Highly recommend the “I Want My MTV” oral history books. It specifically talks about this video and what went into it. (Have been day drinking, cannot mention specifics right now, am old 😂)

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HighOnGoofballs@reddit

Day drinking is best drinking

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earlgrey888@reddit

I think it was elastic reality that was used to do the morphing.

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Funandgeeky@reddit

Right? Honestly that effect still holds up.

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Bella_LaGhostly@reddit

It melted my mind!

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Shipbreaker_Kurpo@reddit

Hope you got better!

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RodneyOgg@reddit

morphing technology

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ermaecrhaelld@reddit

I never realized he was rubbing his clit. I love equal representation.

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bluemitersaw@reddit

There's been a surprising shift away from sex in media compared to the '80s/'90s.

Random boobs in movies, sports illustrated swimsuit commercials on repeat, sitcoms with characters like Dan Fielding from Night Court. The list goes on. It was just pervasive. Then at some point it just started to fade away.

We don't remember it because it was so normal it didn't stand out.

I'm not saying the shift is good or bad. I'm just always caught off guard when I happen to catch something like this Jackson video.

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curious_kitty705@reddit

Crotchy!! 😭😂

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wingthing666@reddit

Yes! It was bad enough in my memories, but rewatching it and realizing how much you repressed...

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Teal-Prowler505@reddit

Dude... I watched this when it premiered. I was still in middle school.

The video was amazing. But that end "Panther Scene" was only shown a few times, but the actual video, I think was on a half hour loop on MTV and VH1 for the entire year.

I remember as a kid everyone making fun of the Panther Scene. But damn, I didn't realize how fucking disgusting and graphic it was.

Dude, he raped kids, didn't he? What type of artist/dancer/musician makes a video so blatantly sexual for an audience that he knows is gonna have kids watching????

Man, it just seems like when people get too much wealth and power they eventually become predators... I just still can't believe I didn't see how gross it was untill just now...

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Diligent_Set_8747@reddit

Dude, he raped kids, didn't he?

Nope, no proof of that happening. As much as the FBI tried there is no evidence of that.

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EsotericAbstractIdea@reddit

You're right, as much as the internet remembers, it seems to have forgotten this. One of the kids who was part of the already failed lawsuit admitted that his parents made him do it. The industry basically forgot about him. When he needed money he participated in the leaving neverland "documentary" to try to get some money, and just like that everyone believed mj was a predator again.

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farawaylass@reddit

likely not so much the wealth and power that created warped tendencies, but the horrific childhood abuse

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detroiter85@reddit

A lot more crotch involvement than I remember and I remember he was always grabbing his crotch during dances

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perfectlyniceperson@reddit

That’s actually the main thing I remember! There was a lot of discussion about why it was so crotchy. I did not remember the KKK being mentioned.

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taleofbenji@reddit

I think trashing the car was more problematic for people..

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SomeVelveteenMorning@reddit

Exactly. People talked about the crotch-grabbing. But politicians lost all their shit over the vandalism of the car. The right people are never in power, it seems.

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Teal-Prowler505@reddit

Yeah, I remember the politicians and nightly news complaining about the violence.

As a kid during that time, there was violence on TV all the time.

The thing that really freaks me out now that I'm watching it again as an adult is the graphic sexuality that was disturbing. A grown ass man simulating masturbation on TV kinda sickens me. Who does that?

Also the whole violence thing was kinda laughable coming from Michael Jackson at that time. Everyone knew he was an odd duck. But we all loved him.

But looking back, it's the fucking sexual grooming that he was doing that is the grossest part to me. Especially as a kid at the time, now looking back on it as an adult.

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beardedbassguy@reddit

I think we all have forgotten just how much sexually graphic EVERYTHING was back in the 80's and 90's. It wasn't just MJ... there's a reason it was glossed over and not brought up. Because it was normal.

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Teal-Prowler505@reddit

Remember Boy george?

He was sweet and cool. He never was as disgusting as what Michael did...

Maybe I'm looking at our from nostalgia...

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beardedbassguy@reddit

don't be so sure

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/jan/16/boy-george-sentenced-handcuffing-male-escort

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Teal-Prowler505@reddit

Lol. Well, good riddance to bad rubbish.

Fuck em all.

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taleofbenji@reddit

Hmmm good point

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JadieRose@reddit

That’s all I remember of Michael Jackson in the 90s - the crotch grabbing. Like my 6 year old when we’re trying to take a nice family picture (I kid, I kid)

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kryptoniankoffee@reddit

I saw it as a kid and figured that must be what dancing is.

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Sullacuda@reddit

Right? WAAAAAY more crotchy than I remembered

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Longinquity@reddit

I remember more car smashing and less crotch grabbing.

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Far-Pie-6226@reddit

Wait, wasn't that Phil Collins? There was a panther roar as he zipped up his pants, right?

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Mad_Spaniel@reddit

Correct. The ending of I Can't Dance. Likely a send-up of MJ in this vid, seeing as it came out about a month later.

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ModernSmithmundt@reddit

Don’t you mean a zip-up?

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Orgasmic_interlude@reddit

Same. I remember being very confused but i was quite young and watching this now as an adult i probably would not let my own kids watch it because it’s pretty explicit. I do remember him going all Street fighter on that car though.

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AmazingRefrigerator4@reddit

Oh I definitely remember. Between my parents and the news stories in following days...there was already conversations around his crotch grabbing, but this performance too it to a new level.

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zaggytiddies@reddit

Why was it so humpy?

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Miami_Mice2087@reddit

i think he wanted to be thought of as a sexually charged singer like Prince, to step away from his Jackson 5 and 70s kid persona, and his 80s family-friendly brand.

91 was his comeback era. Like many undead, he came back wrong.

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simonjp@reddit

Look this will likely mean nothing to you. But when you mention someone undead being resurrected wrong, my mind went immediately to the vegetarian vampire duck, Count Duckula.. And since I will now have that theme tune stuck in my head I must inflict it on you.

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Onus_Doom@reddit

I remember him being a villain on Danger Mouse and was pumped when he got his own show. Man that was A LOT of years ago.

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shankthedog@reddit

Which I believe came from Bunnicula.
The Celery Stalks at Midnight.

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That-Drink4913@reddit

And Howliday Inn!

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Funandgeeky@reddit

This is why I love this sub. Loved me some Duckula from back in the day.

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Mad_Spaniel@reddit

Seeing it now, isn't it "he's a vegan, yeah"? Going by syllables.
I could never make out what was said, the singer's voice was wild.

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simonjp@reddit

I hear "coz he's a veg-ee-tear-ee+an", as the way they made it fit!

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Funandgeeky@reddit

There wasn’t a term for vegan back then. It was the 80s after all. So it was indeed “vegetarian.”

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Artmageddon@reddit

Ommgggg yes childhood neurons reactivated

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the805chickenlady@reddit

I loved this show so much.

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MaruSoto@reddit

You take that "inflict" back! Great song for a great show!

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LogensTenthFinger@reddit

That cartoon was awesome

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zaggytiddies@reddit

GUESS WHAT IM WATCHING TONIGHT

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epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

I think you're right on. There was something naive about it too like he didn't quite know what he was doing or it was coming strictly from a choreographed place instead of an innate sexual one. The group street humping in "The Way You Make Me Feel" has this feel even more.

The teacher from the show Glee is also like this. Strangely misdirected sexual energy that is somehow childish and obscene at the same time.

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losgidi@reddit

This is spot on. Also, I'm sure we see lots of videos of women being all sensual with their bodies, but not so many of men doing the same thing. I'm not sure what my point is here really, except it's not something we're used to seeing.

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127Chambers@reddit

Mr G from Summer Heights High

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AssortedGourds@reddit

"strangely misdirected sexual energy" is a really good way to describe MJ's general vibe. I think we all know why that is and understand where he's coming from, but that doesn't make it less ick to witness.

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PoorlyAttired@reddit

Cargo-culting sex appeal

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Illustrious_Donkey61@reddit

I love a good comeback story

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Icy-Expert-4270@reddit

He was pretty humpy in the "The Way You Make Me Feel" video too

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Idontknowthosewords@reddit

Pet Cemetery wrong..

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OstapBenderBey@reddit

Prince is a good call and definitely competitor at the time.

Not sure the history is right though. 87s "bad" was huge (not sure he needed a "comeback") and edgier / less 'family-friendly' than this album where the singles were "heal the world", "black or white", "remember the time" etc.

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Charming-Standard-84@reddit

gif

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Ok_Yogurt_9862@reddit

https://i.redd.it/cufpk8jdo0zg1.gif

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TappyMauvendaise@reddit

This “comeback” was the follow up to the second highest selling album of all time, Bad, following the highest selling album of all time, Thriller. Not a comeback but a new era.

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Old_Suggestions@reddit

This is a great take. And im taking it.

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PickleFlavordPopcorn@reddit

Like Miley and her wrecking ball

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Free_Possession_4482@reddit

Michael liked his oatmeal lumpy.

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martialar@reddit

he once got busy in the Neverland bathroom

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Ok_Yogurt_9862@reddit

Prince

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TheAnarchyChicken@reddit

Me! No parents, I’m GenX, but I watched it. I was a sophomore in HS.

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williafx@reddit

I watched it with my babysitter Stephanie Bodeen and I asked her, and to this day she still quotes me laughing her ass off , "Why does Michael Jackson always 'honk his nards'?"

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ApprenticeScentless@reddit

I watched it with my Dad and asked a similar question and he also still laughs his ass off telling that story

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Apprehensive_Hat8986@reddit

Woah. MJ does have nards!

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ThePerfectSnare@reddit

I just remembered the Mortal Kombat movie because a friend of mine so many years ago mentioned the scene where Johnny Cage punched Goro "in the nards".

For what it's worth, I appreciate you using that word because I haven't thought about that moment in forever. I was like, "Nards?" and he said, "Yeah, you know... your narrrrds..."

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AzraelleWormser@reddit

"Nards" was such a choice word back in the 80's/90's. Honestly it needs to come back.

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webDevPM@reddit

Monster Squad - “Wolfman’s got Nards!!”

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williafx@reddit

I felt your story in my bones - I know exactly the way nards' was spoken by your friend

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YolkyFanClubPrez@reddit

Some potential employer is going to Google her and find your comment.

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SciFi_Wasabi999@reddit

This is the most 90s story I've ever heard.

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williafx@reddit

They say it was the end of history. The 90's were really great years to come of age.

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soundsthatwormsmake@reddit

Didn’t it end with him morphing into a panther?

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synapse467@reddit

Omg I did

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Worldly-Ambassador-1@reddit

God damn, he so weird, touching his junk constantly

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Appropriate-Storm974@reddit

Haha I thought you said the horror of watching this with your parents.... oh gosh 😳😬

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Chris8306@reddit

I was 8. We had family friends over after church, my parents were in the dining room talking as they would, not paying attention the kids in the other room. Our family friend’s daughter, my little brother and I were playing a board game and this came on. The look on my friend’s face was pure shock. I too had never seen such a thing in my life. Why was Michael Jackson playing with his crotch and zipper? I remember being so embarrassed and weirded out, later when he was accused of being a pedo, I was like, uh yeah!

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inifinite-breadsticc@reddit

What does this have to do with The Simpsons?

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Staninator@reddit

This seems like one of those comedy music videos where they remove the music and edit in foley noise.

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sudynim@reddit

Yes!!!! I was thinking the exact same thing! Feels like it's totally lacking music.

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wallstreetiscasino@reddit

Legit thought this too. Then I thought it was a parody

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Heisenburg42@reddit

Why does he always grab his crotch?

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DJmagikMIKE@reddit

lol I did! I remember the stunned silence of the whole family. Then as the end my step dad said “well…. That’s Michael Jackson for you”

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la_toxica84@reddit

omg my aunt said this almost verbatim to me 😂

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OhWhyNotMarie@reddit

Honestly, a solid answer.

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Mundane_Pin6095@reddit

Of course its bizarre to you white folks. Black guy does a dance exploring racism. Discrimantion and antisemitism but of course " my white children were disturbed and offended by his sexual nature "

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audiate@reddit

I remember the buildup to it that evening was intense.

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ouijahead@reddit

Was it near Thanksgiving?

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audiate@reddit

Don’t remember. All I remember is that I had a babysitter and we were in the second apartment after my parents divorced.

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ouijahead@reddit

Divorce sucks. Went through it twice with my parents and then later in life my own personal divorce. Pretty hard on the children who have no say anything

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maximumtesticle@reddit

Not an answer to the question.

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audiate@reddit

I don’t remember.

Seriously

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maximumtesticle@reddit

November 14, 1991

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dewihafta@reddit

Yup. We were videotaping all of the Simpsons episodes, and recorded this as well.

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RocketGirl83@reddit

My mom taped all the Simpsons episodes for me, on the same tape one after another until it filled up. She planned on taping this whole MJ video premiere, but I remember she conveniently began recording the next episode right after the face morph sequence, over the outro 😅

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dewihafta@reddit

Lol, thats kinda funny, ngl.

I still think the morph part was kind of cool.

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RocketGirl83@reddit

Oh the morph was awesome! That whole first half of the video is excellent.

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WatchOdd532@reddit

Seriously. My family of four was hyped. Everyone was talking about it at school the next day

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hashlettuce@reddit

When your balls get stuck to your leg and you need an adjustment.

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According-Mobile6205@reddit

Yes remember that jamming Michael Jackson jams all the time

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CreepyGirl1@reddit

I remember Kim Clark Champness calling thid the most self-indulgent wank in history.

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kembik@reddit

Simpsons introduction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCXk7b1wtOQ

Full version of the outtro with the added graffitti: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgj8V3OMrjU

Upscaled official full video with intro and outtro: https://youtu.be/pTFE8cirkdQ?si=l4tcIjPS9ATii2UN

In Living Color Parody: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Ub39MvlZ4

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2d6DoomedWizards@reddit

Looking back this song is really undercooked and no wonder it did't hit like his 80s stuff.

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TophxSmash@reddit

damn, he really did a weird arthouse thing

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kkeut@reddit

there's a Simpsons commentary track where discuss it at length which is pretty interesting

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CooperSTL@reddit

I always liked that song, but HATE the fact that every version has that annoying almost 2min intro. Even on Spoify. Just start the damn song!

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He_Was_Fuzzy_Was_He@reddit

I remember watching this on TV when it aired. There was a lot of hype leading up to it. And then as I watched it, the constant crotch grabbing was more remembered by others my age at the time, we were teens. And it was odd and definitely believed to be and seen as an intentional simulation of a sexual act.

The dancing was not what others talked about. The crotch grabbing was mostly talked about. That, and the end of the music video when MJ turns into a black panther. Also, the graffiti seen throughout the music video was talked about a fair amount on TV news/talk shows. And also at school.

The 90s were a cool era as far as music and cinema goes. Politics aside, socially there was still a lot of tension amongst each groups.

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Transcendent_Gaijin@reddit

I remember this day. My parents kept making sounds of disgust but he was making statements against the evils in the world through dance. I was in 1st grade in 91 and I understood it. The media made his whole private life into a circus when he just wanted to be left alone to live it. Poor guy was in the spotlight since childhood and no one ever tried to scrutinize his crazy ass dad.

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Roklam@reddit

The next day had so much crotch grabbing

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Kade7596@reddit

The outro made more sense when you remember what was removed from it.

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23Scout@reddit

how many boys did he give Jesus Juice during the shooting of this music video?

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YossarianPants@reddit

Me! lol

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Unanimous_D@reddit

Older than you guys, but I remember the premiere, and going "WTF" for the whole segment.

I also remember thinking the majority of the video ranged from hamfisted to stupid up until that point. The "panther dance" was like an actual art exhibit at the end of a bad Disneyland attraction, sorta making up for it.

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RewindUniverseMaybe@reddit

My parents literally woke me and my siblings up for this video to premiere, thankful they did

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gusgusthegreat@reddit

My 6th birthday who can forget.. I got batman pants!

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Temporary-Job-9049@reddit

Saw it live, but still not sure I understand the point, lol

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GroundbreakingBill34@reddit

Parkour

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kosmos1209@reddit

The artistry was pretty abstract, but he does smash intolerant messaging, like "KKK rules". The video cuts away too soon, but he also throws that trash can into another oppressive message. It makes sense as the immediate follow up this the messaging of his video "Black and White", where that video was a positive frame of fighting racism, while this one was more about being angry at it.

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finallyfree99@reddit

The original video did NOT contain any of the hateful text or grafitti though. That was added later, because it looked like vandalism to just smash random windows. So they added the hateful slogans later to make it seem more justified.

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Emotional-Scheme-227@reddit

There’s a metaphor somewhere in there about inserting race relations into something after the fact as a justification for violence.

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finallyfree99@reddit

No not violence. Vandalism. That's different. Violence is physical harm against another person or animals, beings that can feel pain. Smashing windows is vandalism.

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Emotional-Scheme-227@reddit

Pedantry aside, you can use whatever word you want to define it. My point still stands.

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finallyfree99@reddit

No, words have meaning. You used the wrong word so have the humility to learn from your mistakes, or dig in your heels and keep insisting you are not a fool.

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Emotional-Scheme-227@reddit

Okay, if you want to go there we absolutely can.

Race relations absolutely have been inserted into human-on-human violence after the fact as a way to shape the favorability of narratives.

The only ignorance is **ignoring** the point. Usually ad hominem is the worst fallacy you come across in these situations, which you are absolutely guilty of here, but you’re also deep into definitional retreat. That’s way worse.

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de-milo@reddit

gif

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ObjectiveCarrot3812@reddit

Stop karma farming on the Michael Jackson bandwagon.

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deefunkt01@reddit

I was there...

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Unhappy_Performer538@reddit

All the dick grabbing was a bit much in retrospect

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darth_whaler@reddit

Yeah. The child molesting too.

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Bodymaster@reddit

Honestly everything he did from here on out was a bit much.

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Aronacus@reddit

That awkward moment when we all turned to our parents and asked. "Why is he grabbing his junk like that? "

Only to see the blood drain from our parents faces.

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RocketGirl83@reddit

My mom gasped and told me it was time for bed.

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the_YellowRanger@reddit

I remember watching as a kid with my parents and we kept asking why it was so constant. I remember it being like that in a lot of his 90s stuff.

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Brilliant-While-761@reddit

If I remember correctly it was like 108 times. I remember the news doing multiple reports on it.

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kizofieva@reddit

of course, a secret message to the other 107 stars of destiny

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DEADPOOL___@reddit

That's a LOT of dick grabbing.

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Upbeat-Historian-296@reddit

If I had a nickel for every time I heard that...

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orange_avenue@reddit

We didn’t like it back then either.

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_frank_tank@reddit

Agreed. He also grabbed his own dick a lot, as pictured here.

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Ok-Name1312@reddit

I remember. The whole video was cringe. MJ had become irrelevant to 80s babies around my way. We were listening to Bel Biv Devoe, Boyz II Men, Naughty by Nature, et.al. around this time. Prince was still killing it, too.

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Miami_Mice2087@reddit

yeah, he had so much competition by the 90s. people who weren't grabbing their crotches were the albums parents would buy for their kids.

Black or White was well-received, but Remember the Time was starting to show his self-aggrandizement and general batshittery.

[-]

earthwormjimjones@reddit

I was born in '86. My Ma LOVED MJ, we listened to it a ton in my house all throughout the 90's. She did like Boyz II Men, BBD, En Vogue and SWV as well. You're right about most kids losing interest in the 90's but he was still pretty prevalent in my house lol. I took her to see the movie last weekend as an early Mother's Day gift lol.

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MaxStunning_Eternal@reddit

"We" loved remember the time..

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mooseknunckle@reddit

Whatever you are smoking, please let me know!

I say this because it ran #1 for 7 weeks, going into 1992 and was the best selling single Worldwide in over 20 countries at that in the same year.

Every artist you stated did well yes. However they would also tell you to “stop the cap.”

Irrelevant? There’s kids whose parents were kids literally on social media right now dancing to his moves.

The whole Prince thing is crazy. Prince was a superstar as well, with that being said. MJ vs Prince is so Apples to Oranges. It’s like comparing Swag Appeal to Sex Appeal. Both are going to get you laid, so in the end who cares.

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TappyMauvendaise@reddit

Michael is coming off the second largest selling of all time, bad which was following the largest selling amount of all-time thriller.

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MaxStunning_Eternal@reddit

The pure lunatic takes regarding MJ in the comments to are hilarious. "Irrelavant" in 1991? Coming off "BAD". people are calling it "cringe" or embarrassing?

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Garpocalypse@reddit

Yet he only did the biggest super show ever barely a year and a half later.

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Ok-Name1312@reddit

Not a lot of 80s babies at the Superbowl in 1993. Elder Gen X that grew up with the J5 probably loved it, though.

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xt0rt@reddit

For sure, Jurassic 5 fucking rules!

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CoraxFeathertynt@reddit

"Ayo my quality controooooooolll captivates yo party patrol..."

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ramalledas@reddit

The Batman OST had been huge, and Jacko wasn't in it

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el_pinko_grande@reddit

Yeah, I remember the reaction to this being pretty negative. Like, why is he smashing cars? What does he think he's saying?

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aytchdave@reddit

“No, it wasn’t weird at all. It was cool! It was Michael Jackson!!!”

*rewatches for the first time in 30 years*

“I know I’m going to sound foolish saying this, but it was a DIFFERENT TIME!”

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de-milo@reddit

remember janet getting crucified for flashing a (covered) nipple?

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HoosegowFlask@reddit

Justin is the one that removed the clothing, but only the owner of the nipple got any blame.

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denverblazer@reddit

Kinda silly

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dj3stripes@reddit

I member

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knarfolled@reddit

So much crotch grabbing

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Comprehensive-Ad3974@reddit

I remember

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PutNameHere123@reddit

I remember my mom being so scandalized to the point of being grossed out by his crotch grabbing lol

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Lones0meCrowdedEast@reddit

Super super weird memory: back in the early to mid 00s I was obsessed with conspiracies, and I once read a whole ass diatribe about how this outro was actually Michael using esoteric illuminati hand signals that only the wealthy elite would understand, and that he was threatening them and threatening to close them with it.

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KnowMatter@reddit

Boomers will see this and try to claim it’s proof racism didn’t exist in the 90s.

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Buttercreamdeath@reddit

My parents watched rated r movies all day. I was in competitive dance attending dance expositions and symposiums. This didn't even register as weird or extreme. It was just Michael Jackson dancing.

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TimberWolf5871@reddit

Definitely Tommy Davidson's best skit on that show.

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TimberWolf5871@reddit

Yo. I didn't get it either.

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thedon82Z1@reddit

Lol...Thats is exactly what I did at 9 years old 🤣🤣

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Kredstarr2020@reddit

I was there. Made sense at the time.

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Dragon6172@reddit

Yes

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ODShowtime@reddit

Fuck this car, in particular.

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PleaseDontBanMe82@reddit

This shit was basically billed as family TV, and MJ plays with his dick way too much for this to be a comfortable viewing experience with family.

Like, he knows millions of children are watching and starts rubbing his dick.

Not shocking because he was a pedophile.

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orchid_breeder@reddit

His crotch grabbing technique looks like he’s a female masturbating.

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Xyberfaust@reddit

'And that's equality, baby!'.

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SteelpointPigeon@reddit

Yep, that there was a ladydiddle. I’m not sure about much that I just saw, but I’m sure about that.

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LandlockedCajun@reddit

Live baby. It was so cool.

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wb420420@reddit

Why was the zipper down?

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ingolopinion@reddit

What was he doing with it while his fly was open?

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N36C@reddit

“Morphing technology”

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seminarysmooth@reddit

We didn’t watch it because our aerial only got ABC, NBC, and CBS. Sometimes PBS. And, yeah, I could tell which channel I was watching by the quality of the image.

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Caelarch@reddit

I think maybe it was David Spade on SNL that landed the best comment, paraphrasing, “Michael Jackson became confused today and groped a car before smashing his crotch with a crowbar.”

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neuro_space_explorer@reddit

That sounds like a Norm joke, but Spade did have Hollywood minute so it could have been for that. Hilarious either way.

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HighOnGoofballs@reddit

My brain did it in the to, brokaw “Gerald ford was eaten by wolves today. He was delicious” delivery

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Annual_Strategy_6206@reddit

Snark to the max! I loved Hollywood Minute!

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Caelarch@reddit

Hollywood Minute...I couldn't remember the name of the sketch and kept getting hung up on "Hollywood report."

Spade's best burn on Michael though was definitely.

"Michael Jackson sold his Neverland Ranch today. Once it turned 15 he lost all interest in it."

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mochmaffews@reddit

Bro was a pdf

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6ory299e8@reddit

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vdub2625@reddit

It sounds like those modern meme videos where they remove the audio and just have panting and foot noises. But on purpose.

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That_Skirt7522@reddit

You damn right! It was my birthday (‘82 baby!) and my whole family including aunts and grandparents saw it live all together in the kitchen!

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Fit_Sheepherder_9458@reddit

‘82!

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fuckR196@reddit

Michael Jackson humps and touches his groin while he dances, that's inappropriate.

Madonna literally makes a whole song about sucking dick, that's okay.

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MasterpieceTimely144@reddit

Well Madonna doesn't have 11 CSA allegations against her, so.

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fuckR196@reddit

Madonna isn't one of the most popular musicians of all time.

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Efficient-Walrus279@reddit

I did. I think everyone with a TV did.

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FrankToteles@reddit

grande MJ

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BigManWAGun@reddit

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Ent_Trip_Newer@reddit

Ha I saw it and was telling younger people about it and the controversy recently.

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chamrockblarneystone@reddit

You would think someone would have worked with him on throwing.

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space_monkee2049@reddit

Michael 2 enters the badly lit alley

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Necessary_Piano_153@reddit

I did too, in the thread about best Michael video.

It was all over the news.

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zoey8068@reddit

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GMonkP12@reddit

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space_monkee2049@reddit

I shartn't, I swear

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er1026@reddit

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boom---boom---dollar@reddit

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octopusgardeb@reddit

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GarminTamzarian@reddit

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eastbayted@reddit

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eastbayted@reddit

And how come pop stars don't grab their junk anymore? Remember the Crotchtusi?

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martialar@reddit

Of course I'm the King of Pop. See? Here's a picture of me with Macaulay Culkin...

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Funandgeeky@reddit

I see your Adam West Simpsons reference and I appreciate it.

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hacksawomission@reddit

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Whelp_of_Hurin@reddit

I love how the animators totally nailed the actual Batussi from the original series. There's ore Bat-dancing at 3 minutes.

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areyouokeddie@reddit

Their eyes and facial expressions 😭🤣

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hacksawomission@reddit

If you don't know this clip the sound makes it even better...

https://youtu.be/JJdXMrFRDGk

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areyouokeddie@reddit

taps chest

Pure. West.

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StephenKingofCarrot@reddit

The slow camera tilting as West talks is magnificent.

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discountcandyman@reddit

Well fucking played!! That comment made my day (no I don't have much going on)

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epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

Best I can do is tiktokkers simulating oral sex with their mom.

https://people.com/noah-beck-mom-put-on-leave-by-school-district-amid-investigation-11960165

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Glittering-Stuff-599@reddit

I remember the version from AL TVmaking me cry as a kid.

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ReedPhillips@reddit

Your parents watched The Simpsons with you? 😲

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Tall-Introduction414@reddit

Simpsons was required viewing in our house. My parents taped the series premier (christmas episode), and we watched it about 1000 times. We also made fun of our religious friends for not allowing their kids to watch it.

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epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

Yes! My mom was a Tracey Ullman fan before the series started and we watched that together. We loved it.

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cilantro_so_good@reddit

That's pretty wild. I was a little older when Simpsons started, but it seems like a pretty universal experience for tween/early teens in the 90s to not be allowed to watch at all

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thealthor@reddit

Maybe weird pearl-clutching households. I remember one kid couldn't watch Hocus Pocus because his ultra-christian mom thought witches were real. Still was able to watch the Simpsons.

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epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

I remember the shirts being banned at school but it was just a normal show in our family. The first Christmas special aired when I was a 5th grader.

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neuro_space_explorer@reddit

She sounds like a cool lady.

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thealthor@reddit

Who else would I be watching the Simpson's with at 8:00 pm at night.

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AnythingUpset4519@reddit

MJ thinks the clan goes around tagging windows in back alleys.

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Narrow_Vacation1443@reddit

He angy

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victimlesscrime1965@reddit

I watched it with my kids.

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Gentle12761_Path@reddit

haha my mom still brings up how that panther freaked her out watching with her fam right after 😭 simpsons was the perfect chaser lol

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KittyTitties666@reddit

My dad taped this when it aired and the VHS is still somewhere at my parents' house. They weren't even MJ fans

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sai-kiran@reddit

Maybe ur dad had some “adventures” back then.

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Whale_penis_leather@reddit

I don't remember this being so... crotchey. 😐

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CokBlockinWinger@reddit

He was smashing a car filled with racist hate symbols and phrases, which Fox made him change before airing the video.

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sai-kiran@reddit

Bold choice to choose fox as publisher for a video against racism.

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PlanDry6704@reddit

i saw this but i liked the in living color version better lol

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Nighthawkmf@reddit

Yup. It was so hyped… it was like a national holiday or something. Weird. I was 12.

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Cyclibant@reddit

I always do that when I see a KKK sign. We all should.

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mistergrumbles@reddit

I remember this, and I'm not sure anyone thought this was "cool" even when it was on the air.

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teodocio@reddit

Bizarre? This was a moment in history much like the moon landing, Washington crossing the Delaware or Geloca saving the Yulus!

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Neurodrill@reddit

Was super weird. Everyone tuned in to watch and then he rubbed his dick and beat up a car for 15 minutes. Kinda see this as the start of his mental decline.

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DrWernerKlopek89@reddit

it's kind of like watching that dancing in the street video with David Bowie and Mick Jagger and no music!

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Mediocre-Difference5@reddit

Yup. Fun but awkward with all the crotch grabbing.

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thewhombler@reddit

I only knew this as the end of Genesis' I Can't Dance

https://youtu.be/hGI2d31M7Ns?t=255

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Royal-Network866@reddit

That was the first time Mike had ever thrown something.

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NurkleTurkey@reddit

I think I saw it.

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DisciplineSweet8428@reddit

Exactly what I did. Simpler times.

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AoedeSong@reddit

Yes! I watched it with my parents and lil brother, AND we recorded it on vhs!! I think we still have it lol

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evilkarebear11@reddit

I remember watching it.....so old..

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FoolishProphet_2336@reddit

I was there. This was not a product of the times. It was weird. It was clear at the time he was trying to cultivate a tougher image. It didn’t work with Beat It, it really didn’t work with Bad, and now this thing with all the weird yelling and crotch grabbing. Later he’d do the duet with his sister where a single swear word did more to shift his image than all these attempts combined (and still came off like a man-child).

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ehco@reddit

Why why why so much crotch fondling?!

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Confident_Client_414@reddit

Creepy then...

Still creepy now.

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che_vos@reddit

Yep, I as there and watching with my parents. Still a vivid memory thinking what the crap did I just watch with him grabbing himself.

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Jedi_Mind_Chick@reddit

gif

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MaestroLogical@reddit

I was 11 and it was a big deal. Whole family gathered to watch it.

I had a VHS copy of Moonwalker... so this was fairly tame in comparison. I was still blown away by the B&W morphing so the whole outro just kind of went by in a blur.

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whereisbeezy@reddit

Oh god that did happen

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anubispop@reddit

The crotch stuff is just weird.

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Blaq-Lobster@reddit

Lmao even as kid I was like what the hell is going on. Still funny AF

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Vprbite@reddit

Why does he dance like corey feldman?

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Yournewbf2gf@reddit

Yeah didnt Macaulay caulkin come out in a backwards hat and sunglasses on to lipsync a 90s rap? That made 9 year old me racist. All the faces mixing together 1 by 1 made me realize how ugly ALL yall mf are. And the moral of the story was "Kevins Black Now" " home Alone 3"is justgonnabe him robbingsomebodys house while there away". Andthe bs stories about WHY michael jackson face look like that. And skin that NOBODY knew... but EVERYBODYS dad knew and there were ALL conflicting. BONUS: THIS WAS IT RIGHT HERE. the CLIMAX of the HANDWEINER era. it went from a small move on billie jean to. If you didnt start grabbing your junk, you suck at Michael Jacksoning

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Zestyclose-Ad-5305@reddit

I remember my mom was like “I don’t like this” and it was a v awkward 3 minutes waiting for the video to finish.

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Tough_Measurement280@reddit

Wait I beg your ur pardon daughter of a xennial what did I just watch?
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Smilee306@reddit

That's not the whole thing either, if I did it right the craziness starts here

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Tough_Measurement280@reddit

You did it right respectully banging ass song ik it I love it. I seem to have forgotten this part even further this shit teeters on genius and madness like with no audio looks like he's tweaking. But it's deeper than that but the body dick rubbing was that a thing common in the era please explain to me?

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Smilee306@reddit

It sure was not, only common for him and as others have mentioned this one was excessive enough to be news for awhile. I'm side-eyeing John Landis for thinking it was a good idea to shoot and include it too, but it was not his only terrible decision either, so, yeah. I've got no answers for you lol, I'm still confused like 35 years later (gods how am I that old?)

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Tough_Measurement280@reddit

We aren’t old we are seasoned like good kimchi we are fermented nicely

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Tough_Measurement280@reddit

That’s funny I’m one year from 30

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TreffyBelmknt@reddit

I wasn’t aloud to watch the Simpsons so sadly I missed this.

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spooky_upstairs@reddit

Why was the world so ok with this guy grabbing his crotch.

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UncleGarysmagic@reddit

They are OK with him being a pedophile.

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tboneynot@reddit

It was my birthday and everybody there was weirded out.

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Vegetable_Reward_867@reddit

Oh shit! Was this after the first Simpson episode?

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UncleGarysmagic@reddit

The first Simpsons eye air was the Christmas special in 1989.

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UncleGarysmagic@reddit

Fuck that pedo

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willowwisp81@reddit

I do remember the excessive amount of hub bub about crotch grabbing.

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Old_Association6332@reddit

No. I'm quite sure it wasn't shown after The Simpsons in many places outside the US. It was shown on our music hits program, but it was not included in the Top 50 countdown (which instead showed the abbreviated version of the song). It was only shown much earlier during the show, during the early hours of the morning, presumably because the powers that be in charge of the network decided it would be inappropriate for the young kids who may have watched the Top 50. Hence, I never knew this version existed, until my older sister (who stayed up later than I was allowed at the time) told me about it. I only saw it quite a while later, IIRC

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smack_nazis_more@reddit

The crotch grabbing is something I thought would make sense when I was older.

Nar.

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charlie_chopper@reddit

I know this will be buried, but this was my EXACT experience. It was so confusing and embarrassing, but I was young enough to not understand the embarrassment. It has always stuck with me! Thank you for making me feel seen! :p

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JustTheOneGoose22@reddit

Yikes

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bobloblawattorney11@reddit

My mom changed the channel after the third or fourth time he grabbed his junk. We awkwardly watched fifteen more minutes of the McNeil-Lehrer news hour and went to bed.

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JuliusSeizuresalad@reddit

Damn Fox and their big events

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TollyVonTheDruth@reddit

This always reminds me of the MadTV parody.

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ScienceAteMyKid@reddit

It was so… weird. So totally bizarre.

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Expando3@reddit

He was the pioneer of playing with your crotch on TV.

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vertigostereo@reddit

Great music video though. Isn't this the one where he transforms from a puma?

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spanishpeanut@reddit

Ha! I’d forgotten all about this but I absolutely saw it. A few weeks later, the video was on constantly when I was on a red eye flight to Heathrow from JFK

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Bella_LaGhostly@reddit

He was my idol as a kid and my inspiration to become a dancer. 🙌

But yeah, the zipper part was... a choice. 😆

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flojo2012@reddit

I remember it very well. My whole family watched it and it was a big deal

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MaterialRow3769@reddit

https://i.redd.it/2z6cof5te1zg1.gif

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RT3K69420@reddit

As an adult, I find his obsessive crotch grabbing supremely weird.

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foxsable@reddit

The black or white video was SO cool. Like watching that we were all spell bound. And then this came on. It was so jarring and strange and off putting it almost diluted the brilliant vídeo. When I think back, I remember this shit more than the video.

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Whole_Barnacle_1560@reddit

KKK RULES (Graffiti shashed!)

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dentistshatehim@reddit

I was there. And the facing morphing bit was witchcraft.

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YoungerMucus@reddit

Watching this video with my parents after The Simpsons is one of my like 4 or 5 earliest memories. Does anyone know what Simpsons episode it was? If it was 91 it’s obviously a classic.

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YoungerMucus@reddit

I just went and searched and it premiered after Saturdays of Thunder, which is an absolute classic

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TransPort3389@reddit

I only saw the In Living Color version with Tommy Davidson being Michael Jackson.

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drimmie@reddit

Seent it!

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DestroyerTame@reddit

I definitely remember this, couldn’t stop laughing about it and imitating it at completely inappropriate times.

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spacerobot@reddit

After watching it when it aired, my mom told me that other boys would imitate him the next day in school by grabbing their crotches, and I shouldn't do that. She was very right. And I didn't do it

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Paralistalon@reddit

I got detention for doing this at school. >_>

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Miami_Mice2087@reddit

classroom apes like you made fun of me for buying the Dangerous album 😠

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DestroyerTame@reddit

Hell no man, I was right there with you, owned it on cassette.

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epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

"HOOOOOOOOO!" - You

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CyberneticWerewolf@reddit

"If you want to be my lover, it don't matter if you're 12 and white..."

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Miami_Mice2087@reddit

not with parents, friends. The crotch grabbing was so fucking embarassing.

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Indubitalist@reddit

I honestly only really cringed at the car windshield smashing, at least back then watching it live. That seemed so weird to me, just destruction for the sake of it. I didn’t get the motivation. It was so contrived. So forced.

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payperkut187@reddit

Pretty tame in comparison to some of today’s performancers

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whenisnowthen@reddit

There is strange behavior, there is really strange behavior, there is exceptionally strange behavior, and beyond that there is a Michael Jackson level of strange behavior. Is there a higher level that I'm not aware of? I think some folks are differently, but equally strange. Kanye comes to mind as well as perhaps a high level politician whose name I can't thing of at the moment.

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Interesting-Lake-430@reddit

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867-53-oh-nein@reddit

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TerribleNite4ACurse@reddit

Seen it? My brother recorded it off the tv!

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Alternative-Light514@reddit

Did any of yall play this? I feel like it was around the same time

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AzraelleWormser@reddit

I remember they played it three times back to back, and each time was just more WTF than the last.

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More-read-than-eddit@reddit

The whole thing was pretty weird including the Miley culkin intro, this part may have felt less awkward to us than pretending to be interested in norm from cheers blowing his stack.

I can’t believe people pretend to like this song.

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Wild_Calligrapher_27@reddit

When that video premiered all of my elementary classmates said it was awesome, but I had missed it. The next week or two advertised the premiere of ANOTHER MJ video. I think it was "Remember the Time." I made sure to watch it, but unfortunately there was nothing in that video that was really impressive to an elementary school student.

BTW- 2 Legit 2 Quit also premiered in 1991 and the elementary school set liked that one even more. We were kind of dumb.

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Defiant_Flamingo4632@reddit

I saw it and we loved Macaulay Culkin in it too!!!! I also remember when they did the premiere of Remember the Time with Eddie Murphy and Iman.

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epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

We were doing Egypt in school and I was obsessed with the Queen Nefertiti bust so that video was absolute eye candy.

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Defiant_Flamingo4632@reddit

90’s Iman 😍😍
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shankthedog@reddit

And Magic Johnson and Arsenio Hall

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KnowsIittle@reddit

Reminds me a lot of A Goofy Movie actually.

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Proteon@reddit

What? This is not from "Black or White" which did in fact have a crazy outro. This is from "The Way You Make Me Feel". Five hundred comments, nobody noticed.

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All-the-pizza@reddit

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fritzo81@reddit

I was there

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veglove@reddit

This is literally the first time I've seen this, it's weird and icky. This makes me glad I didn't have cable (thus no MTV) growing up. I was not glad about it at the time though.

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epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

This wasn't even on cable, Fox aired this after the Simpsons on a Sunday for its debut and it was super hyped. It included this 5 minute long interlude after the proper music video. It was mortifying.

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MaxStunning_Eternal@reddit

Mortifying? Come on did you grow in a Amish community?

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z31@reddit

There's like 3 minutes more after this! So many repeat zoom-ins to MJ rubbing himself (both chest and dick), a hotel marquee explodes in a shower of sparks (MJ looks at it lustfully? and then screams), and MJ turns into a black panther (literal, not the political party or Marvel character).

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Lucky_Chaarmss@reddit

Not bizarre.

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MaxStunning_Eternal@reddit

Jarring

Cringe

Weird

Some of the other ridiculous words used to describe this 😂

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GrayMouser12@reddit

It was... kinda strange, but I think we just... accepted it? Because he was strange? And the era was strange? I just remember thinking it's cool when he morphed into the panther. But the real kicker was when In Living Color spoofed it with Tommy Davidson. That was hilarious and underlined the absurdity.

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Silkprint@reddit

Sure did

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TheVexingRose@reddit

Did anyone else wrap bandaids around their finger tips to be like Michael or was I the only weirdo in the class?

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MaxStunning_Eternal@reddit

We all did. I used toilet paper as the cast.

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CharlieMoonMan@reddit

My family was more like The Waltons than the The Simpsons! Iykyk

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PolyJuicedRedHead@reddit

My mom was more like Murphy Brown.

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Eshin242@reddit

I remember watching this... and going ... Okay? WHAT?? lol

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Far-Royal-7469@reddit

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kid_christ@reddit

Still remember where I was watching this and all the ridiculous outrage. Even as a kid I thought the outrage was a joke

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MaxStunning_Eternal@reddit

I thought it was incredible performance art as a kid. The pearl clutching was bizarre.

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jennc1979@reddit

It was cringe. I was a huge Jackson 5 and early solo MJ fan, but by this point the penis rub dance move was just so cringe and it’s not an artful or cool dance move, like the full choreography of Don’t stop til you get enough, Beat It, or Thriller, it’s no Moonwalking or the deep lean of the choreo Smooth Criminal.

This was watching him commit a weird, “public”, over the clothes masterbation. There were news articles iirc that counted the number of times he grabbed his junk in the whole video. It was an uncomfortably large number.

He needed to leave these attempts at ?sexy, alone, that was for Prince Rogers Nelson because that man was natural, pure sexuality in men’s heels. Putting this after a cartoon & his rubbing and gripping is junk speaks more volumes to MJ’s child predator allegations in hind sight.

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Ok_Yogurt_9862@reddit

I always figured this was a result of him watching Prince. They were going back and forth well, forever

[-]

jennc1979@reddit

I think he was clueless how to do it like Prince. Sort of like the way he couldn’t hold a candle to Prince as a legitimate musician. Man could and did play multiple if not all the instruments on some of his albums. MJ did not know how to play a single instrument other than his voice and even that range was niche. Prince could be so sexual to the point of being absolutely lewd (my Uncle had the sex scene and Darling Nikki spliced out of his copy of Purple Rain on Beta; so his 12 yo daughter could watch it but not the overt sexual scenes). But, over all that constant wafting of sex of Prince, it was accepted, expected, and apart of his art, his brand. Michael wanted to have sleep overs with young, adolescent males and this right here landed so gross and disturbing, especially once the flood gates of accusations started to pour out from behind the dam they built to protect his image and earnings.

[-]

Ok_Yogurt_9862@reddit

Prince already said can't nobody do it like Prince do! He had a great combination of goofball and sex. Even if something didnt land, he'd shrug, maybe laugh, and keep on moving.

I dont think MJ had the same idk, underlying confidence in his technical chops. Or the same aim.

I won't say Prince didnt care, but from day one, nobody could tell him about himself. He knew he was never going to be outworked. He said all the time: what can a critic tell me about my music? It was just so absurd to him.

Or even during the height of Purple Rain: people at the concerts, theyre just screaming where they think theyre supposed to scream... the same three million people that bought 1999 will buy Around The World, and that's cool with me... I did music as sort of a hobby, and then it turned into a job and a way to eat, and now I do it as art.

But Michael's daddy drilled into him it was the sales, the numbers. Prince's daddy talked to him about art and bringing what's in your mind to the outside.

Michael's success was most dependent on the external and I think Prince's was more internal. So MJ didn't have the same compass.

Both very driven and skilled people. And they influenced each other. In this particular case, unfortunately so.

[-]

jennc1979@reddit

So true. May he rest in Peace. Nothing surpasses his on brand quip to Justin Timberlake when he announced he was bringing sexy back and Prince was like “I didn’t know sexy ever left”. I was a Prince fan and that never faltered like the way I’ve come to view Michael. The wild part is this went on after a Simpson’s episode and the discourse had been subtly shifting to not focus on MJs as a artist but as someone who was displaying concerning and problematic public relationships with young boys.

When Prince showed up on Sesame Street while me and my toddlers were watching, it was effortlessly charming and despite all his openly sexual persona it didn’t even remotely land as concerning or problematic having him show up on the OG children’s programming.

and he had quite a few big cameos in other sitcoms that were equally wonderful and performances before we tragically lost his talents from the world. He was truly magnetic. I had shock that MJ passed cause though he was frail, I certainly, never had using fucking Propofol at home without a ventilator, no where near an OR or ICU.

Prince died and I wept honestly for it. It was shocking to me and profoundly like being pointedly notified that we’re not 1984 healthy anymore. We’re all starting to show some wear like vintage pieces, if Prince has
gif
exited this thing we call, Life. 💜

[-]

Ok_Yogurt_9862@reddit

Yeah. I was thinking the other day about how Prince is the only guy I've heard so many disparate people namecheck in the "how did you get here" interviews. Not just musicians.

Politicians, comics, ballerinas, writers, researchers, techies, professors, directors, designers... it just goes on and on

I call him the Shadow Emperor. His hands were in so many different arenas for so long.

He really liked kids. Gave a lot to their causes, was known to spare some time to speak or dance with a young person from preschool on up, show them an instrument, when they turned up at Paisley Park. Lotta people don't acknowledge kids. He saw them. As people.

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a kids' album in the vault. He was so excited to do Batman and Happy Feet.

He doesn't get nearly enough credit for his support of others. Professional, financial, artisic... a real encourager of others.

[-]

Categorically_@reddit

Bro my dorky white ass danced along badly.

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GonnaGoFat@reddit

I remember watching it. I also remember all of the news stories the next day. Talking about how he grabbed his crotch several times and showed acts of vandalism. All well children were still watching after The Simpsons.

Yeah, none of those new stories focused on the message being portrayed in the vandalism because it shows Michael destroying KKK and other symbols of racist hatred. The news that it’s usual thing of clutching the initial controversial attention grab yet not mentioning the deeper meaning in it.

[-]

OW2007@reddit

It's almost like he was a manchild who molested kids.

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AquaValentin@reddit

gif

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rebelangel@reddit

I can’t remember if any other artists had videos premiere on prime time TV or just Michael Jackson. But I do vaguely remember watching it because o watched The Simpsons every week. I was 10 when this premiered.

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MaxStunning_Eternal@reddit

Bizarre?

[-]

Annual_Grass538@reddit

When people ask what growing up in the 90s felt like..this.. all this overly hyped effing nonsense mix of noise, aimless violence and impotent sexuality.

[-]

Typical_Pen900@reddit

I'll never forget this day a true epic moment being a 80s kid.❤️👍🏾

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goatoffering@reddit

Strange to me that he doesn't want the KKK to be bound by any rules.

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Suicidal_Jamazz@reddit

Was it a fever dream, or did I see him change into a transformer and just keep transforming into this ultra elaborate transformer?

[-]

goatoffering@reddit

I was there for this exact scenario.

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purplekera-vision4@reddit

Why were so many people confused he was black when its well know stereotype black men always touch they crotch either dancing adjusting or holding their pants by the belt it always been weird MJ made it look cool back then but now I just laugh cuz I just remembered all the parodies

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moeron42@reddit

I was telling my employees about this the other day. They didn’t believe me.

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TrustAffectionate966@reddit

I was there for it and also for every spoof that came afterwards.

🍿🦄👍🏽

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PokerbushPA@reddit

All of us sat there and were like, "Why does he keep doing that? Why is he so fucking weird? What else is on?"

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Late_Combination702@reddit

I remember that and I was so confused ... especially the zipper zip up 🥴

gif

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Top-Raspberry-7837@reddit

I’m sorry but the way he moves his hips with one finger on his crotch is very much like a woman mast*rbating.

Source: I am a woman.

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JustJMorgan@reddit

gif

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VenusValkyrieJH@reddit

I remember this!! Wow!

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Papaya_Weird@reddit

Meeeee

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PhiloLibrarian@reddit

I wasn’t allowed to watch Michael Jackson or Peewee Hermann because they were both obsessed with their private parts…. according to my mother…

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Due_Capital_3507@reddit

You know what he's pretty damn good at dancing

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humbert_cumbert@reddit

This is like those edited film clips with the music removed and footsteps etc added like the Bowie jagger dancing in the street

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MrCyn@reddit

exactly what I was thinking, the high school musical one is my favourite

[-]

evasandor@reddit

After the beautiful and meaningful video with its cool morph animations, this was... really an uncomfortable watch.

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dgt9000@reddit

Hee hee shamone OOOOOHHHH

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OasisHomeostasis@reddit

Couple this with the In Living Color Tommy Davidson sketch and have a good chuckle.

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Psychological-Ebb443@reddit

I only remember In Living Color’s spoof of it. And prefer it 1,000x over reality

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ComebackShane@reddit

https://i.redd.it/s5au7l93u0zg1.gif

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Josephthebear@reddit

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AlwaysSleepingBeauty@reddit

I was 5

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Honest_Caramel9437@reddit

Woof. I forgot he got himself off and filmed it. He was a weird fucker. A few good songs, sure, but Janet was definitely the superior Jackson.

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LedByReason@reddit

That’s a lot of crotch shots.

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IDigRollinRockBeer@reddit

Yes

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chaosrulz0310@reddit

I just always wonder why he keeps checking that his junk was still there? Like are we concerned it’s fallen off?

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FewWait38@reddit

Probably worried it was going to fall off like his nose

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Practical-Witness796@reddit

Remember the In Living Color parody?

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DJJazzyTanner@reddit

He hadn't released a new music video in some time. It was must see tv.

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thatguy420417@reddit

Parents were so mad!!!!

"Why's he gotta keep grabbing his crotch?!?!?!" Said by everyone's parents.

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gohawkeyes529@reddit

I remember being a 9-year old MJ fan and watching this live and being mortified with my parents in the room. In retrospect, I’d be pretty uncomfortable watching this with my kids. Worse than I remember.

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Miserable-Library859@reddit

As a kid, I thought it was hilarious 😂

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ThatNeverHappenedBro@reddit

I did it was birthday

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Ok_Yogurt_9862@reddit

https://i.redd.it/mvvjdekfp0zg1.gif

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Midalioness@reddit

gif

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chronicuspr1me@reddit

Hell yeah. I remember the premier

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TomPalmer1979@reddit

I remember it. Didn't realize how much crotch-fondling there was, I just remember him dancing and breaking shit and thinking, "I don't know what's happening but it's cool as hell".

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disco008a@reddit

I saw it because I never missed an episode of the Simpsons, but I am pretty sure my parents wouldn’t have been watching with me, as that would have been a pretty unusual thing for us - kids watched tv in one room, parents doing whatever they did elsewhere!

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Forcedperspective84@reddit

I thought it was stupid then and it's even stupider now.

The best part of Michael Jackson was Quincy Jones.

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jwlmkr@reddit

Mathew Lillard doing the ground hump in “she’s all that” had me screaming.

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super_sayanything@reddit

Kid me did not understand it.... and seeing it now is jarring.

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No_Exam4769@reddit

Checking in...old person alert. Yes, it was surprisingly "crotch-focused".

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dearcsona@reddit

It’s so disgusting when he grabs himself repeatedly

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h0nkyJ@reddit

I prefer Tommy Davidson's rendition hahaha

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ChippedHamSammich@reddit

A lot of things from the 90s make me wonder if I really witnessed it or if it was a bizarre fever dream. Crossing this one off the list!

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ChochMcKenzie@reddit

This was the first time I can remember my mother saying “crotch”. It still makes me laugh. “Why does he keep grabbing his (drops to a whisper) crotch?”

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SalsChichon@reddit

You watched the Simpsons with your parents?

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Professional-Print37@reddit

I pretty much never comment, but need to comment on this because I saw this live and it feels like a secret handshake to identify others from my very specific age group.

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monsterlynn@reddit

Can't help but be reminded of this https://youtu.be/n8uu-GrFNLs?si=mgpfFu7O9SMHLrMv

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TappyMauvendaise@reddit

I saw genius at work.

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dakotanorth8@reddit

This was at the end of “black or white”?

That was the video with all the facial transitions…this was at the end of it?

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GreenRiver1982@reddit

I distinctly remember gathering around the FOX for this.

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NSAinATL@reddit

We weren't allowed to watch The Simpsons because of how violent Homer was to Bart.

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SomeButterscotch9021@reddit

So pretentious and dumb.

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sky0175@reddit

dude lol

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Aggressive_Text_7206@reddit

Back when Corey Feldman had moves.

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Tecvoid2@reddit

mike did the crotch grab,

so the rest of us didnt have to

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lordhumongous40@reddit

Yeah I saw it and had no idea what was happening. He grabbed his crotch and destroyed a car

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Mindless_Jicama8728@reddit

Dude I totally forgot about this! I did see it on the original play and it completely added to my existing feeling that dude was weird af.

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jarvis646@reddit

I remember seeing all those “KKK Rules” tags downtown back in those days.

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waywardflaneur@reddit

I can't even remember if my parents watched it with us.

They were probably in the other room seeing a PSA asking them Do You Know Where Your Children Are?

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Ok_Yogurt_9862@reddit

This is the funniest thing I've heard in days. Thank you. 10/10

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Tomato_Mountain@reddit

Humiliation Ritual unfolding

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musictrivianut@reddit

I will NEVER understand the love the entire world seemingly has for that...man.

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aspbergerinparadise@reddit

i remember seeing it after "In Living Color"... or maybe it was the lead in

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tunatorch@reddit

I think it was the lead in. Fox Sunday nights was Simpsons then In Living Color. (up against AFHV on ABC in my time zone, I think? I remember some negotiating happening about what to watch at that hour… 60 Minutes kicked it off though. I’m grateful to my parents for mandating that)

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Odd_Collection7431@reddit

he was virtually molesting all of america's kids at once

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Private_Kyle@reddit

I wonder why Michael wasn't arrested for these criminal acts

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FastSeat1118@reddit

I also remember that there was a manufactured controversy over Michael "destroying" the car. I think at this point they were worried that he was losing popularity to rap and hip hop, so they tried to rebrand him.

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tunatorch@reddit

I remember that outrage! in hindsight, I wonder if it was manufactured to distract from the crotch grabs?

as for losing in popularity to rap, the little rap/bridge in the song itself definitely seemed like pandering. admittedly I probably didn’t know that word then, but kids are pretty good about spotting if something lacks authenticity.

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epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

I remember a sound bite on the news of a little boy saying "That was MEAN Michael Jackson."

I really can't see being upset about an abandoned car after the masturbatory zipper down stuff.

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logansvensson@reddit

Yea I saw this after the Simpsons! I remember the fly zip-up! It was weird

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AKA_Wildcard@reddit

Then the show In Living Color made it amazing

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dillasdonuts@reddit

Mike was dancing with his zipper down that whole time? Embarrassing

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epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

"Dancing"

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Mahaloth@reddit

I did.

We laughed about how he, uh, touches himself.

If you thought today's kids are annoying, we in middle school were grabbing ourselves and going "Heee heee!" the next days at school.

Oh, the teachers.

(am now a teacher of 20 years)

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Cass_Q@reddit

Yeah, my parents kept on going on about all the crotch grabbing

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Ok_Manwich_9306@reddit

And like that, the Rage Room industry was born. 8th grade for me in Nov '91 and I remember seeing this then. The zipping up the fly was ridiculous and the 'KKK Rules' glass. As if confederate Bart Simpson was up to his hijinks.

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PlantedinCA@reddit

The kids do not understand how popular MJ was to have videos premiere on primetime television.

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Drcornelius1983@reddit

I remember watching it live while eating a personal pan pizza.

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Rising_path_music@reddit

Twas a moment

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Erythite2023@reddit

I thought this was the In Living Color skit

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soiledmeNickers@reddit

Didn’t Corey Feldman do this first?

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unbibium@reddit

so you could be like "well he's just doing that thing with his hand that he always does" and then he curls those middle two fingers right into his pussy. I don't remember that detail from originally watching it; that part never got replayed after that. But looking at it now, the shot with the camera pointed right at it was edited in for that part, and I know it was 1990 but there still had to be a dozen people who saw that and should have pushed back before it aired, but didn't.

I think I was meant to laugh when he zipped his pants up. Like we were meant to laugh when Elon Musk carried that sink into Twitter headquarters. Just beholding a guy with too much money to suffer from bad decisions, either thinking he's not scaring everyone or not caring.

So like, the whole video begins with Macaulay Culkin and George Wendt doing this whole kid-versus-parent cold open like Twisted Sister used to. Ends in the morphing. I don't remember anything in between.

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chypie2@reddit

love the clit rub

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man_machine_poet@reddit

gif

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BentleyTock@reddit

Reminds me of Moonwalker

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Tall_Cow2299@reddit

I've never seen this before

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Kazoo113@reddit

Does anyone remember the Pepsi and Doritos promotion that went with this?

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ancilla1998@reddit

👋

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Bhodiliscious@reddit

AAAAAÀAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

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rehabforcandy@reddit

I do! I do remember this

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Fun-Bunch-4073@reddit

Everyone alive back then.

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DillonsComics@reddit

What is with all the Michael Jackson posts? Are we pretending he wasn't a pedophile?

https://www.npr.org/2019/03/05/699995484/michael-jackson-a-quarter-century-of-sexual-abuse-allegations

[-]

-Gman_@reddit

Watched it.

His videos were like short movies when they first release.

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NastyMothaFucka@reddit

I was there watching as well! The whole country tuned in. Song was good but that outro was so weird we all were on the floor laughing!

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0kokuryu0@reddit

I remember asking my mom why the angry lady is breaking things.

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Tha_Bunk@reddit

I remember it being controversial at the time. Also, the In Living Color parody is hilarious:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Ub39MvlZ4

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Reasonable_Effort_@reddit

I had not seen this since it aired and I didn’t understand the feeling I had at the time, but now I know it was cringing as someone you thought was cool suddenly became lame. Lot of people got a particular ick from that video, and it wasn’t just because of the crotch grabbing.

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LineImpossible3958@reddit

Oh yes I watched it. It was weird for sure, but by then Michael Jackson was considered a weirdo.

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armyofant@reddit

Luckily I had my own tv. Parents would watch Murder she Wrote on Sunday night and I was not about that life.

I remember thinking this was gonna be a big thing after watching it.

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Powerful_Leg8519@reddit

Ha yes. And I remember my parents being upset he was being so violent.

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BasicDurgeanomics@reddit

I was there knees crack from sitting

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bionicjoe@reddit

In Living Color's parody a week later was better.

*hits car window*
*doesn't break*
HEE HEE!!!

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EffectiveActive6837@reddit

Its still weird

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9965584@reddit

The white thing on Michaels right arm is literally a brace. Apparently one of the crew hurt their arm and was wearing it. Michael saw it and asked him if he could have it because he thought it would look cool in the video.

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Lazy-Party3469@reddit

On mute it's especially disturbing....

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GeneSmart2881@reddit

Ohmygosh I still remember. I was 11, we were ALL huddled around the 20” CRT. All young and innocent. Watching Michael rub his junk. Over and over. And over. live on network TV

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laosguy615@reddit

He couldn't find the bathroom and zipped it back up , he screamed Hold!!!!

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pianotherms@reddit

Dang, if anyone needed a car with a steering wheel that didn't whiff out your window while driving, making you think, "I'm toast", it's this guy.

I had the Moonwalker VHS and it's still some of the weirdest surreal stuff that's lodged in my brain. I'd forgotten about this car thing until now.

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rob132@reddit

The face morphing technology was incredible back then.

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Throw-away17465@reddit

I felt deep shame and guilt to the point of nausea sitting between my horrified Catholic parents. It was left on accidentally and as soon as they saw what was going on it was shut off. Still, that crotch driving was pretty traumatizing for my young age and I still think about this

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zoom518@reddit

Quite frankly, I thought in future airings they were going to drop the whole post-song part anyway.

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AnnetteXyzzy@reddit

He spent so long smashing cars and grabbing his crotch.

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D2Dragons@reddit

Yeah I saw it, didn’t understand it then, still don’t understand it all these years later.

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burtonboy1234@reddit

I prefer Tommy Davidson's version

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Surething_Whynot@reddit

I remember my Dad turning to me after and saying “well, that was pretty f’ing weird” quietly enough that Mom wouldn’t hear him swear.

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ryckae@reddit

I do not remember this at all

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Sudden_Airport_7469@reddit

I think this was the pinnacle of his crotch grabbing moves. I do remember watching this when it premiered. What a strange, strange man.

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Confident_Hippo1208@reddit

I was there and i was confused by what the hell i was seeing

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JeanEtrineaux@reddit

Indistinguishable from parody

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tfaboo@reddit

I remember he was considered dated and "not cool" at this time. I was in middle school and I can't remember Anyone listening to MJ or anything. I do remember that song but I was not allowed to watch The Simpsons. Or MTV. But I did it anyway haha!

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QuietNene@reddit

Yeah this was when I was like “What happened to Michael Jackson?”

Like he was still a star and this video was a big deal. But it was the first thing he’d done in years and he hyped it sooo much.

And then this outro that was… weird. And it’s like, what’s going on there?

We all still liked Michael but in retrospect this was the beginning of the end.

[-]

Dunk5055@reddit

gif

I was there

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clutzycook@reddit

Since the Simpsons were banned in our house, no I didn't. But I seem to recall seeing some news piece around that time about the crotch grab, so that basically cemented my parents ban on Prime Time FOX.

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local4laborer@reddit

gif

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dicknotrichard@reddit

I was there, 3000 years ago.

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oysterperso@reddit

Did that outro even air everywhere

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WhiskyInATeacup@reddit

I remember this and the premier of Remember the Time being super hyped.

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Kraken_Main1@reddit

I remember! Lol

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KudosOfTheFroond@reddit

I watched it LIVE! Remember it like it was yesterday. That was an event. We don’t have stuff like that really anymore.

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Scorp1u5@reddit

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PeterPunksNip@reddit

I still cringe do hard at this

gif

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steve_dallasesq@reddit

Definitely watched it live and talked about it the next day in 7th grade

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mastrofdizastr@reddit

I did. I used to watch The Simpsons a lot. I was ten.

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YouHadMeAtAloe@reddit

I remember asking my mom what he was doing 😭

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Beach-Gold@reddit

I was ten years old, and I remember it vividly. I recorded it on VHS. Wish I still had the tape.

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EvenSpoonier@reddit

Yeah, I remember that. We spennt several minutes wondering what we had just witnessed.

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hilhilbean@reddit

I was a sophomore in high school. I watched it in my living room. Neither of my parents were home.

Good. lol

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Tempest_Fugit@reddit

He had the country in the palm of his hand after that video aired- and just as quickly derailed the while conversation by airing that right after

It’s all anyone talked about, how fucking creepy and weird it was

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scarletOwilde@reddit

He grabs his bits in quite a *girly* way. Gives me the ick.

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TheGreatOni1200@reddit

I was a kid watching this. I just.....didn't get it.

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4RCH43ON@reddit

Lisa, it’s your birthday, it’s your birthday, Lisa.

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RKsu99@reddit

yeah yeah yeahhhh

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13inchmushroommaker@reddit

This is a better version:blacker than a mothafucka ](https://youtu.be/y2Ub39MvlZ4?si=HCB_Rol8PAT-ALz_)

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Funandgeeky@reddit

Yup. Watched this with my mom and brother. It went from a great new video that we all could enjoy to…something else.

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OwslyOwl@reddit

I remember the SNL parody more. That was classic, lol

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KillBosby@reddit

OH GOD.

Unfortunately...this was my (demi)sexual awakening.

I remember feeling sympathy for her (Michael) because she appeared to have injured her arm (in the cast) and I wanted to "fix her".

To this day, I still have my fixer fetish 👷🏼 (BPD gals to the front!)

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FromBoomBapToTrap@reddit

I think I still have the VHS 👀👀👀

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MinivanPops@reddit

HOOOOOOOOOO

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Long_Ambition@reddit

Yep, I still remember the debut and did in fact watch it in the living room with my parents.

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novelnoodler@reddit

I also had the honor of watching the In Living Color parody

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TheRealGageEndal@reddit

gif

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The_WuTang_Plan@reddit

Sooooooo awkward lol 😬

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Luci-Noir@reddit

Black Epstein.

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ScalieBoi42@reddit

And the cgi effect usage as well, cringe.

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atlantagirl30084@reddit

I thought the end of the music video, where people of different ethnicities and sexes transform into each other, was pretty good for the time. You see a young Tyra Banks in that lol.

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epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

It still looks artfully done now, I just watched it. There's a lot of human hands put into it instead of it just being completely automated point/click/automorph which always looks cheesy and like nothing is happening. The way features drop in and out is very fun to look at.

[-]

atlantagirl30084@reddit

Yes I thought it was ahead of its time. For 1991? I mean they must have gotten some very good CGI artists.

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wbhipster@reddit

I just watched this with my kids the other day. I was explaining the hype around this premiering after the Simpsons lol

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TrustInRoy@reddit

Now post the In Living Color version

[-]

MonkeyBred@reddit

🎵 "I'm still a virgin and I'm 33."🎵
🎵 "Even Madonna won'thave sex with me."🎵 🎵 "I play with little animals,"🎵
🎵 "and I hang out with Macaulay all night!"🎵

[-]

PickleFlavordPopcorn@reddit

I was 8 years old in 1991, too young to watch the Simpsons and pretty unaware of pop music, so I was not aware of what Michael Jackson was doing, but I remember being aware he was very controversial because he 1) came up at church more than once and 2) when I was listening to my Walkman while out with my dad one day, we ran into a friend of his and instead of saying “hi kiddo! Whatcha listening to? He said “what are you listening to?? Michael Jackson .

Adults in my conservative town really don’t trust the guy and now in hindsight I’m like well damn, this was a real blind squirrel situation wasn’t it?

[-]

Particular-Sea-2763@reddit

Yep 👍 I did

[-]

TonkaLowby@reddit

Yeh it was weird and everyone was kinda shocked at school the next day. I was in 4th grade.

[-]

fuzzycuffs@reddit

I remember this but I remember the In Living Color parody more.

https://i.redd.it/6gzmvkh0xzyg1.gif

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DueMulberry5182@reddit

I remember this. I had to sneak and watch this, because I wasn't allowed to watch The Simpsons. I wasn't sure what I was watching, but I love MJ, so it all made sense in the bigger picture. I also tell the negative backlash he received from it and how he quickly apologized. MJ worked hard to please his fans but also struggled to share his artistic innovations. He wanted to break out of that Jackson 5 energy that haunted him.

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MapleToque@reddit

Yeah. Then the next day at school we got in trouble for copying his dance moves. HAHAHA

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Pope_Squirrely@reddit

I saw it. No idea what it was about, and we were all confused.

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Phonemonkey2500@reddit

Cool. Release the Epstein Files. Perps names unredacted. Put them in prison, forever.

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LFK_Pirate@reddit

Just read “I Want My MTV” (incredible oral history of the first 10 years of the channel) and the director specifically talks about how he insisted on keeping that part in when everyone else was weirded the fuck out about irt

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BT_Hobbs@reddit

Got to stay up late for it. And Remember the Time.

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ImpossibleJob5788@reddit

Yeah, I saw it with my entire family...they had some notes for Mr. Jackson.

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nycbaybee88@reddit

I watched it when I was a little kid and immediately started crying

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spoung45@reddit

I remember this, and all the hub-bub that followed.

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beanofdoom001@reddit

Reminds me of those videos on Youtube where they take out the music.

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epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

Omg for real. The full thing is almost 5 minutes long. Unreal. Squeak, crinkle, squeak.

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NoKatyDidnt@reddit

Me!

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Day_Old_Paper@reddit

I was in 1st grade. My mother turned off the tv when he started palming his crotch. I didn’t know about the concept of awkward tension back then, but I definitely knew what it felt like.

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SweatyPalmsSunday@reddit

That was way worse in every way I remember

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epidemicsaints@reddit (OP)

I did NOT remember the reveal of his zipper being down the whole time.

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