Every era, decade and trend will undoubtedly have its features that, when looked back upon, are definitively and hysterically weird. And with the Weird Internet Hall of Fame, we’ve built a capsule collection intended on cherishing and savoring these moments for all of online eternity.
Today’s inductee: the music video for 1993’s “Whatzupwitu” by Eddie Murphy and Michael Jackson.
There are certain things in life that will always remain inevitable. The sun is going to shine, the flowers are going to grow. The clouds will sprinkle showers, and the rivers are going to flow. We know this, because Eddie Murphy tells us so in the opening lines of “Whatzupwitu’, the 1993 R&B sensation co-starring the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. The song itself—a single off Murphy’s third studio album which, wow, Eddie Murphy has at least three studio albums—is not a large departure from any song from the early '90s. The video, however, tells a totally different, totally terrible story.
A few thoughts on this timeless piece of motion picture art:
- “Whatzupwitu” was voted as the third-worst music video of all time by MTV in 1999. Which means it only lasted six years as the not-third-worst video of all time.
- What did that foreign puddle-clown say at the start of the video? “The elephant is dying?” This seems like a super sad way to start a music video if you ask me.
- Eddie Murphy appears to be dead set in selling us on the idea that he is blind. (I've seen both Dr. Dolittles and he wasn't blind in either of them.)
- :30 - Michael Jackson instantly materializing from a cosmic cloud is the perfect way for Michael Jackson to appear literally anywhere.
- Hahaha look at these two dorks go. These are the same two people responsible for Thriller and Raw, which is beautiful.
- :39 - “Waaaazzzaaaapwiiiithyouuuuu...”
- For reasons unknown, Eddie decides to serve Michael a little impromptu boxing at the 1:05 mark—wherein Michael reveals that he has 100 percent never been in a fight in his life. Imagine a very strong man threatening you outside of a bar, and then responding to said threat by excitedly nodding your head, as if to say, “Aw yeah. Get it boy.” (You would probably get punched in the face, but I would still fancy trying this out on an aggressive homeless person on the subway.)
- That spontaneous boys choir damn near saved the entire video.
- Ironic that, in possibly the most chaotic video of all time, there are peace signs flying fucking everywhere—the most absurd of which coming after Murphy strangles (!) and silences (!) Michael Jackson to send the video off. Iconic:
“Whatzupwitu now, Mike? Hope you liked the video, motherfuckas. Peace.”
Welcome to the Hall, Eddie and Michael, and thank you. The internet will forever be a much weirder place with you in it.
