I was reading in the latest issue of Cookie magazine a list of YouTube kid friendly music videos to share with your wee one. The list had favorites like “Mickey” by Toni Basil, “She Drives Me Crazy” by Fine Young Cannibals, and “Say, Say, Say” by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson (back when Jackson was still Black, though his nose had started to disappear).

Feeling nostalgic and having a few minutes to myself, I YouTubed “Say,Say, Say” and was instantly transported back to the days when MTv only played music videos that were hosted by Martha Quinn and Adam Curry (that would be 1983), when the remote control to the VCR was connected to the VCR by a really, really long cord, and if you had a portable phone, you probably also had a hernia from schlepping the big carrying case around with you.

So, I’m watching the video and I realize that the Michael Jackson’s love interest in it is (wait for it) his sister, LaToya!!! His sister?! As his love interest in a music video?! WTF? How did the complete ickiness and gut roiling grossness of that escape me for so many years? Well, in my defense, in 1983, I was only 5 years old, but still! Thank God they just leave it to some coy flirting seeing as her character is evidently someone else’s lady friend, but still! Yikes! I must have been blinded by the wholesome goodness of Sir Paul and Linda McCartney, but boy was I seeing the light today when I watched the video. Of course, one might be tempted to say, “Well, why are you surprised? It is Michael Jackson.” I guess. . .

Oh well. The song is still outstanding, but I doubt I can ever watch the video again. Oh the humanity. His sister?! *shudder*