I WANT MY MTV

GLEE is back! I cannot describe how happy it makes me to see Rachel Barry back on television every week. But that's not what this post is about.

Ok, well it sort of is. Today's season premiere left much to be desired both in the way of plot and musical performance. But the last 4:54 minutes of the program when Sue Sylvester reenacted Madonna's iconic "Vogue" music video more than made up for it. Wikipedia tells me that MTV ranked the original video as #5 on its "Top 100 Videos That Broke the Rules" list and that Rolling Stone magazine named it the #28 best music video of all time. And although I was 4 when it came out, I still felt the groundbreaking video's impact and would remain awed by the incredible grace and style of the black and white footage for years to come. I mean, my God, will you look at these photos?! No one was more stylish or innovative or daring than Madonna in the '80s and '90s.

And while we're on the subject of heartbreakingly stylish music videos, I will never stop worshiping the masterpiece that is George Michael's "Freedom! '90" video. Released in the very same year (1990) as "Vogue" and featuring five of the most beautiful women to ever walk the planet, it is simply stunning. Naomi with the headphones! Cindy in the tub! Linda in the sweater!

Ugh. It's just so beautiful. I want that to be the last thing I see before I die. And I want it played at my funeral. Plus, the song was secretly about the frustration of being a closeted gay man in the AIDS era. And the flaming leather jacket was meant to symbolize the destruction of George's ridiculous Wham! career. "Heaven knows I was just a young boy, didn't know what I wanted to be. I was every little hungry schoolgirl's pride and joy, and I guess that was enough for me." What more could you possibly want in a music video?!