34 Years Ago, George Wendt Starred in the Biggest Music Video of All Time
Comedy legend George Wendt has sadly passed away at the age of 76. Known to generations of fans as Norm from Cheers, Wendt's fame also extended to what was literally one of the biggest music videos of all time. On November 14, 1991, alongside Macaulay Culkin, Wendt opened what was, both then and now, a massive international event: the music video to Michael Jackson's "Black or White."
In the video, Wendt is one of the first people we see, a dad who is upset that Culkin is playing music too loud. But then, when Culkin takes his guitar up to Marty McFly/Spinal Tap levels, Wendt is blasted in his La-Z-Boy recliner all the way to the middle of Africa.
At the time, Jackson was the biggest star on the planet, and his music videos were already well-known for massive celebrity cameos. The video itself was directed by cinema legend John Landis, who had previously directed the video for "Thriller."
But, arguably, it was Wendt's inclusion at the beginning of the video that gave "Black or White" its power. A frumpy white dad-type guy is thrust into the multicultural world that Michael Jackson celebrates.
The legacy of Jackson might be mixed to this day, but the fact that Wendt was game enough to make fun of himself, is amazing. Even outside of Cheers, Wendt perfectly embodied a certain trope, and in "Black or White" he mocked that trope to send a positive, and memorable message to the entire world.
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