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REMBERT EXPLAINS
Rembert Explains the '80s: Michael Jackson at the 1988 Grammy Awards
http://www.grantland.com/blog/holly...80s-michael-jackson-at-the-1988-grammy-awards
By Rembert Browne on February 28, 2013 5:55 PM ET
L. Busacca/WireImage
Welcome back to our series Rembert Explains the '80s. Every so often, we'll e-mail 25-year-old Rembert Browne a video from the 1980s that he hasn't seen. Rembert will write down his thoughts as he's watching the video, then we'll post those thoughts here. This week's installment was selected by Rembert Browne, BECAUSE IT'S STILL BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND I'M CALLING THE SHOTS: "The Way You Make Me Feel"/"Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson, from the 1988 Grammys.
[Note: This is the greatest awards show performance of all time. Know that.]
0:03 Don't underestimate how famous you have to be for other famous humans to go crazy at the mere sight of your silhouette.
0:22 Also, do not take it lightly that the Grammys gave Mike 10 MINUTES.
0:24 I've always been a giant fan of Zorro Mike.
Also, I should get this out the way now: I refer to Michael Jackson as "Mike" more often than not. When I was young, it made me feel like he was a friend of mine, and I've stuck to my guns since. Sometimes "Michael" happens, but not often. MJ, never.
0:29 I love the way he walks down stairs. No one's ever walked down stairs like Mike.
0:34 Shout out to the Grammys for informing the one person on Earth who didn't know who was onstage:
That one person appreciates you, Grammys.
0:47 The pants. And the socks. And the shoes.
I can't count the number of times I tried pulling off this look in the privacy of my own home, and then quickly hanging my head in shame for attempting to be something I'm not: a legend.
0:50 Spin count: 1.
0:52 The belt, which he most certainly stole from a karate outfit or a hotel robe, really pulls it all together. Also, that shirt is SO BLUE.
I've never seen a bluer piece of clothing. It's like the Atlantic Ocean is sitting atop his waist.
0:53 Michael Jackson was most certainly not a Crip, but they had to be pleased with this shirt.
0:54 [Disclaimer: I have no idea if Michael Jackson wasn't a Crip.]
0:56 "Tough Guy Mike" is an incredible creature, less because it was so opposite of his actual personality, and more because of how he moved his limbs as Tough Guy Mike. Every step became an aggravated kick, everything was to be pointed to, and his neck roll became the sassiest thing ever captured on camera.
1:00 Spin count: 2.
1:10 What's happening right here, you ask?
Oh nothing, just Tough Guy Mike mime-smoking a fake cigarette and blowing out fake smoke.
1:13 Three seconds later:
Tough Guy Mike just put out the imaginary cigarette with his foot. Tough Guy Mike litters. Go figure.
1:23 It's hard not to get distracted by the movements of Tough Guy Mike, but it should be noted that (1) "The Way You Make Me Feel" is phenomenal, especially slowed down like this, and (2) there are still nine minutes in this performance.
1:27 There's nothing Tough Guy Mike loves more than THE LADIES.
Also, the hat has been thrown across the stage. Also, spin count: 3.
1:40 One of Mike's most underrated moves is the simple foot tap, but with one hand snapping and the other in his pocket. It's just the perfect step. Also: The Crip shirt has become fully unbuttoned, which allows for a good amount of future-cape action and more dynamic spins. Excited for that.
1:48 He's putting on a kicking, crotch-grabbing, pointing clinic right now. I'm pretty sure Billy Blanks bit about 80 percent of these moves for that first Tae Bo tape.
1:54 "ATCHA-OOOOOOOOOO"
Spin count: 4.
2:01 Maybe second only to Tough Guy Mike is Tough Guy Mike And Tough Friends Who Also Know How To Dance While Remaining Moderately Tough.
Moderately.
2:29 Mike and his boys are so good at dancing, they can go 30 seconds at a time without singing a single word. And it never becomes less captivating. Just one of the thousands of things no one else can pull off.
2:33 Spin count: 5, 6, 7. (Yes, I'm counting revolutions, not simply the act of spinning. I care too much not to count revolutions.)
2:39 This is the best.
With his boys watching, Mike starts doing that slow spin/body roll/vertical worm in which he locks up most of his limbs but, due to his phenomenal ankle work, manages to still rotate.
NEVER STOP PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ANKLE WORK OF MICHAEL JACKSON.
3:03 Mike is still doing it. Bless him.
3:05 "ATCHA-OOOO"
3:08 The song's over and the crowd is cheering. More important: LOOK AT MIKE'S HAIR.
He's like a magical faun with a curl. Very rare.
3:14 So Mr. Jackson just bowed, and, in the eyes of the audience, that's all they get. And they're thankful, because for three minutes, Mike put on an incredible show. It's just crazy to think they hadn't the first clue that there were seven more minutes left.
Rembert Explains the '80s: Michael Jackson at the 1988 Grammy Awards
http://www.grantland.com/blog/holly...80s-michael-jackson-at-the-1988-grammy-awards
By Rembert Browne on February 28, 2013 5:55 PM ET
Welcome back to our series Rembert Explains the '80s. Every so often, we'll e-mail 25-year-old Rembert Browne a video from the 1980s that he hasn't seen. Rembert will write down his thoughts as he's watching the video, then we'll post those thoughts here. This week's installment was selected by Rembert Browne, BECAUSE IT'S STILL BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND I'M CALLING THE SHOTS: "The Way You Make Me Feel"/"Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson, from the 1988 Grammys.
[Note: This is the greatest awards show performance of all time. Know that.]
0:03 Don't underestimate how famous you have to be for other famous humans to go crazy at the mere sight of your silhouette.
0:22 Also, do not take it lightly that the Grammys gave Mike 10 MINUTES.
0:24 I've always been a giant fan of Zorro Mike.
Also, I should get this out the way now: I refer to Michael Jackson as "Mike" more often than not. When I was young, it made me feel like he was a friend of mine, and I've stuck to my guns since. Sometimes "Michael" happens, but not often. MJ, never.
0:29 I love the way he walks down stairs. No one's ever walked down stairs like Mike.
0:34 Shout out to the Grammys for informing the one person on Earth who didn't know who was onstage:
That one person appreciates you, Grammys.
0:47 The pants. And the socks. And the shoes.
I can't count the number of times I tried pulling off this look in the privacy of my own home, and then quickly hanging my head in shame for attempting to be something I'm not: a legend.
0:50 Spin count: 1.
0:52 The belt, which he most certainly stole from a karate outfit or a hotel robe, really pulls it all together. Also, that shirt is SO BLUE.
I've never seen a bluer piece of clothing. It's like the Atlantic Ocean is sitting atop his waist.
0:53 Michael Jackson was most certainly not a Crip, but they had to be pleased with this shirt.
0:54 [Disclaimer: I have no idea if Michael Jackson wasn't a Crip.]
0:56 "Tough Guy Mike" is an incredible creature, less because it was so opposite of his actual personality, and more because of how he moved his limbs as Tough Guy Mike. Every step became an aggravated kick, everything was to be pointed to, and his neck roll became the sassiest thing ever captured on camera.
1:00 Spin count: 2.
1:10 What's happening right here, you ask?
Oh nothing, just Tough Guy Mike mime-smoking a fake cigarette and blowing out fake smoke.
1:13 Three seconds later:
Tough Guy Mike just put out the imaginary cigarette with his foot. Tough Guy Mike litters. Go figure.
1:23 It's hard not to get distracted by the movements of Tough Guy Mike, but it should be noted that (1) "The Way You Make Me Feel" is phenomenal, especially slowed down like this, and (2) there are still nine minutes in this performance.
1:27 There's nothing Tough Guy Mike loves more than THE LADIES.
Also, the hat has been thrown across the stage. Also, spin count: 3.
1:40 One of Mike's most underrated moves is the simple foot tap, but with one hand snapping and the other in his pocket. It's just the perfect step. Also: The Crip shirt has become fully unbuttoned, which allows for a good amount of future-cape action and more dynamic spins. Excited for that.
1:48 He's putting on a kicking, crotch-grabbing, pointing clinic right now. I'm pretty sure Billy Blanks bit about 80 percent of these moves for that first Tae Bo tape.
1:54 "ATCHA-OOOOOOOOOO"
Spin count: 4.
2:01 Maybe second only to Tough Guy Mike is Tough Guy Mike And Tough Friends Who Also Know How To Dance While Remaining Moderately Tough.
Moderately.
2:29 Mike and his boys are so good at dancing, they can go 30 seconds at a time without singing a single word. And it never becomes less captivating. Just one of the thousands of things no one else can pull off.
2:33 Spin count: 5, 6, 7. (Yes, I'm counting revolutions, not simply the act of spinning. I care too much not to count revolutions.)
2:39 This is the best.
With his boys watching, Mike starts doing that slow spin/body roll/vertical worm in which he locks up most of his limbs but, due to his phenomenal ankle work, manages to still rotate.
NEVER STOP PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ANKLE WORK OF MICHAEL JACKSON.
3:03 Mike is still doing it. Bless him.
3:05 "ATCHA-OOOO"
3:08 The song's over and the crowd is cheering. More important: LOOK AT MIKE'S HAIR.
He's like a magical faun with a curl. Very rare.
3:14 So Mr. Jackson just bowed, and, in the eyes of the audience, that's all they get. And they're thankful, because for three minutes, Mike put on an incredible show. It's just crazy to think they hadn't the first clue that there were seven more minutes left.