Is there anything more early 1990s than the music video for Paula Abdul’s “Opposites Attract?” Back before she was best known as a judge on reality talent shows like American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance, Paula Abdul was one of the biggest pop stars of the late 1980s and early 1990s. She was discovered by The Jacksons while cheerleading with the Laker Girls and went on to choreograph music videos for Janet Jackson and Tom Hanks’ “Chopsticks” dance on the giant keyboard in Penny Marshall’s 1988 comedy Big.
After landing a deal with Virgin Records, Paula Abdul released her debut album Forever Your Girl in 1988. A sleeper hit, the album crept its way to the top of the Billboard Charts and spawned several hits, including “Straight Up,” “Cold Hearted” and the title track “Forever Your Girl.” The sixth and final track released from the album was “Opposites Attract” which hit the charts in 1989 and climbed to number one in February 1990.
The accompanying music video for Paula Abdul’s “Opposites Attract” is about as early 1990s as can be. It’s got all the hallmarks of a pop video with one foot in the late 1980s and the other stepping into the new decade. There’s the alleyway set design complete with graffiti to suggest an inner city setting, the random animated background sequence and – of course – the fact the “Opposites Attract “ video features a live-action Abdul interacting with animated characters in the style of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Watch the video in all its early 1990s glory below.
The animated cat singing and dancing with Paula Abdul in “Opposites Attract” is a character called MC Skat Kat, voiced by singing duo The Wild Pair and created by the video’s co-director Michael Patterson, who also animated 1980s pop band A-ha’s iconic “Take On Me” video. The oh-so 1990s intro rap heard in the music video was performed by rapper Derrick “Delite” Stevens and featured lyrics penned by actor Romany Malco of A Million Little Things fame.
“Opposites Attract” went on to win the award for Best Music Video at the Grammys in 1991, pipping both Phil Collins’ “Another Day In Paradise” and Sinéad O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” to the post. While it might be more 1990s than a double denim ensemble, the legacy of Paula Abdul’s “Opposites Attract” lives on today. Not only was it parodied in a 2005 episode of Family Guy titled “The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz” - with Peter Griffin replacing MC Skat Kat - more recently Paula Abdul hilariously recreated the “Opposites Attract” video with the help of James Corden on The Late Late Show.