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Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” is a potpourri of early ‘90’s personalities…plus Rebecca Black: A Critical Analysis

The second track and latest single from Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream album is an eight–minute mega–video depicting a geeked–out Perry waking up after a wild house party. 

Things start getting interesting after a quiet evening of sudoku is interrupted by a neighboring lawn party organized by Rebecca Black along with modern–day Hanson and “Uncle” Kenny G. Then a brief retelling of She’s All That takes place where Perry is turned into a beauty, albeit ‘80’s fluorescent beauty, with the help of Black. There’s some Wii dancing, a surprisingly–convincing “Robot Dance” by Black, and a tenor sax–soloing “Uncle” Kenny G with house band, Hanson. The video also prominently features Darren Criss and Kevin McHale of Glee fame. Directed by Marc Klasfeld and Danny Lockwood, the video isn’t what I pictured for what has always been my favorite track from this album—I imagined a more upscale and adult video for this track, like if Black’s “Friday” video was set the the music of “Last Friday Night” but with obscene quantities of vodka—still the video is original and enjoyable, if predictable. I predict the single will do well. In addition, it looks like Rebecca Black won’t be fading into obscurity anytime soon.