Michael Jackson’s “Liberian Girl” Is A Perfect Time Capsule of The 80s

Welcome to 1989. Let’s play a game: can you watch all of Michael Jackson’s 1989 music video Liberian Girl and count how many stars with cameos are still successful today?

A deep critical analysis and some essential Dan Aykroyd gifs like this one after the jump.

Taken straight from Wikipedia, here are the correct answers. Consult your test books.

• Beverly Johnson
• Malcolm-Jamal Warner
• Sherman Hemsley
• Brigitte Nielsen
• Paula Abdul
• Carl Weathers
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Quincy Jones
• Jackie Collins
• Amy Irving
• Jasmine Guy
• Rosanna Arquette
• Lou Diamond Phillips
• Olivia Newton-John
• John Travolta
• Corey Feldman
• Steven Spielberg
• Debbie Gibson
• Rick Schroder
• Blair Underwood
• “Weird Al” Yankovic
• Bubbles
• Suzanne Somers
• Lou Ferrigno
• Don King and “Son”
• Mayim Bialik
• Virginia Madsen
• David Copperfield
• Billy Dee Williams
• Richard and Emily Dreyfuss
• Danny Glover
• Olivia Hussey
• Dan Aykroyd
• Steve Guttenberg

No, that wasn’t a gas leak. That was Dan Aykroyd and Steve Guttenberg riding in on police motorcycles as if they’re the big honchos at the end because why the hell not? Maybe those two drunkenly killed a few police officers on the way to the music video shoot, got away with it because of Hollywood privilege, and then just kept their sweet bikes?

There are so many great moments in this music video: seeing Michael Jackson on his way to becoming a monster, 80′s stars choosing to act tough and “too cool to be there” in the vain belief they would be around for a while, the “vertigo shot” used on a listless Steven Spielberg. It’s that moment at the end that takes the prize; Aykroyd’s reaction to realizing MJ was behind the camera this entire time. It is the hammiest, most unnatural thing this reporter has ever seen. I dream about it. I walk down the street and everyone’s face looks like Dan Aykroyd doing that face. I love it. This is a video leagues above “Thriller”.