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January 15, 2007

Video Hangover: "Whatzupwitu"


Twice a week (starting today!) we dig up a music video so ill-conceived it's no wonder MTV stopped playing the damn thing. But hey, at least we learned something...

"Whatzupwitu"
Eddie Murphy (featuring Michael Jackson), 1993

THE CONCEPT
Eddie and Michael mug, hug, and shadowbox awkwardly in front of a screensaver for three-plus minutes. Also, there’s a clown.

WHAT THEY WERE THINKING
Couldn’t you see Eddie losing $500,000 in the NBA Finals and calling Michael Jackson in a panic? And then Michael, who has some legal and financial “trouble” of his own, comes up with a zany plan to release a hit single that will sell a billion copies and pay back their debts? It’s like a Very Special Episode of 90210, right down to the nonsensical song, which sounds like it could have been co-written by David Silver and Steve Sanders.

WHERE THEY WENT WRONG
Um, what went right here, exactly? Things start out promisingly, with some shit about dying elephants, but then we get Eddie in a tank top, Michael touching himself, and many peace signs, music notes, and hearts with wings. Either this video turned out exactly how Eddie imagined it, or Michael took half of the post-production budget and blew it on a children’s choir. Either way, we’re glad Eddie is wearing sunglasses, so we can’t see the shame in his eyes.

THE LESSON
Three minutes and twenty-five seconds in front of a green screen can seem like an eternity, especially if the guy standing next to you is Michael Jackson.

Got a candidate for Video Hangover? E-mail tips at stereogum.com.

Posted at 1:25 PM in ,
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18 Comments

lame video, catchy song...don't know why it didn't stick...

Posted by: Saul at 01/15/07 2:13 PM  | Reply
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wow. i almost made it through the whole video. i'm kinda proud of myself.

eddie loves them trannies!

Posted by: pAuL at 01/15/07 2:15 PM  | Reply
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It's very homo-erotic, dontchathink?

Posted by: Matt at 01/15/07 2:19 PM  | Reply
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This is a good video for today because it's a black guy and a white guy duetting.

Posted by: martin luther king at 01/15/07 2:23 PM  | Reply
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not nearly as bad as carl lewis' "break it up." maybe a distant second place though.

Posted by: mattshu at 01/15/07 2:24 PM  | Reply
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Whatever.

Two new Clap Your Hands songs:

Yankee Go Home
http://www.noisefortoaster.com/mp3/2007/06%20Yankee%20Go%20Home%201.mp3

Goodbye To The Mother & The Cove:
http://iguessimfloating.net/assets/mp3s/Goodbye%20To%20The%20Mother%20&%20The%20Cover.mp3

Posted by: Finchmeister at 01/15/07 3:01 PM  | Reply
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Three words: Super Bowl Shuffle. Sadly, however, the '85-'86 Bears still do better than "Whazupwitu" (or however you spell that). Granted, that's not saying much...

Posted by: Laura at 01/15/07 3:49 PM  | Reply
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I like how Eddie tried to shut up/smother Michael at the end.

Posted by: Kim at 01/15/07 4:47 PM  | Reply
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This song needs a Bono cameo. I could imagine him digging that melody.

Posted by: Evan at 01/15/07 5:07 PM  | Reply
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Gee, P.M. Dawn don't look so bad now, do they.

Posted by: justlooking at 01/15/07 5:14 PM  | Reply
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I misread that last line: "Michael took half of the post-production budget and blew a children’s choir."

Posted by: Trent Steel at 01/15/07 5:18 PM  | Reply
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In tha begining i' heard a scream that's sounds like Prince. But i say no matters, it's just a scream. Then I continue to watch and that's Fuckin Murphy gay touching is body in the sky with some lovesymbol flyin. Damn it's look like the worst shittiest copy ever of "Prince - I wish u heaven".

http://www.dailymotion.com/visited/search/prince%2Bwish%2Bheaven/video/xhiyu_prince-i-wish-u-heaven

In fact, That's one of my favorite videos ever. The song is great too. But the video is awesome.

Posted by: Sokom at 01/15/07 5:27 PM  | Reply
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When you look at the movies that Murphy does now, that video makes a little more sense...

Posted by: Cibbuano at 01/15/07 5:35 PM  | Reply
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If you can find the Deion Sanders rap video, I will clean your floors.

Posted by: Lamppost at 01/15/07 9:19 PM  | Reply
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Deion Sanders, as requested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyNMz_LxEoA

Posted by: So... at 01/16/07 12:11 AM  | Reply
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Whatever man. When you can claim collaborations with MJ, Rick James and Judge Reinhold, you don't have to answer to anyone.

Posted by: Skaler at 01/16/07 3:03 AM  | Reply
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This video is bad. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is WORSE.

Posted by: tjxm at 01/16/07 8:46 PM  | Reply
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Eddie with his 'stache and tank top looks like Freddie Mercury in this video. No disrespect to Freddie!!!!

Posted by: elvis at 01/17/07 11:31 AM  | Reply
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