It’s hard to fathom a stage big enough to accommodate the presence of James Brown, Prince, and Michael Jackson. But these three giants were all on hand at Los Angeles’ Beverly Theater back in August 1983—marking a notable moment in music history, both for its sheer celebrity power and the legends it helped stir up in the following decades.
This was a particularly notable time for both Prince and Jackson. The former was ascending into superstardom, roughly 10 months after releasing his first U.S. Top 10 record, 1999, which featured a string of legendary hits ("Little Red Corvette," the title track, "Delirious"). Jackson was in the exact same position, except amplified into another stratosphere: His sixth LP, 1982’s Thriller, was a multi-platinum blockbuster that became one of the best-selling albums in history, propelled by ubiquitous singles like "Billie Jean" and "Beat It." Brown, despite being far from his commercial peak, was still renowned as "The Godfather of Soul"—and a force of nature on stage, which he proved throughout that L.A. gig.
- YouTube www.youtube.com
The show was already a huge deal, with the funk great performing alongside blues icon B.B. King. But it became a much bigger deal several songs deep, when Brown paused to introduce his first surprise guest. "Let’s give another standing ovation for a young man sitting behind you that you have no idea is in the audience," he says in the footage, preserved on YouTube. "Michael Jackson! Michael Jackson! Michael Jackson! Michael Jackson! Michael Jackson! Michael Jackson!" The singer walks on stage to uproarious applause, adding some smooth vocalizing and flashy dancing before walking over to his hero and whispering in his ear.
"Give him a big round of applause," James says, "because he just insisted that I introduce Prince!" After a beat, we see the artist emerge from the crowd via piggyback, strut on stage, grab an electric guitar, and crank out a funky, animalistic solo. From there, he takes off his jacket to reveal a bare chest, performs some Brown-styled moves, lets loose a raspy scream, and attempts some crowd-participation clapping—all before walking off and grabbing a prop lamp post, which topples almost completely over. The whole display is fascinating, bizarre, and impossible to look away from.
- YouTube www.youtube.com
The performance also illustrates the stylistic gulf between the tamer Jackson and more feral Prince—and if you look around the Internet, you’ll find tons of articles discussing how that divide was more than creative, representing a real-life rivalry between the two artists. Most of that information appears to be second-hand and hard to verify, but in a 1997 interview with Chris Rock, Prince—then using the moniker The Artist Formerly Known as Prince—was grilled about this supposed feud. Asked which artist made him think to himself, "I gotta get back in the studio," he responded, "Contrary to what a lot of people might believe, it was never somebody who was my contemporary." The comedian added, "There was never any rivalry between you and Mr. Jackson?" The Artist replied, "Not to me, no."
Rock also mentioned the story about Prince "turning down" a collaboration with Michael Jackson centered on 1987’s "Bad"—though it’s unclear if he’s asking about the song itself, the 18-minute music video, or both. (Prince was involved in neither, and a pre-fame Wesley Snipes co-starred as a gang member in the Martin Scorsese-directed visual.) "That Wesley Snipes character—that would have been me," Prince said. "Now you run that video in your mind. The first line is that song is, 'Your butt is mine.' Now I [said], 'Who’s gonna sing that to who? 'Cause you sure ain’t singing it to me, and I sure ain’t singing it to you. Right there, we got a problem."
- YouTube www.youtube.com
A woman feeling under the weather lies in bedCanva
A Carbon monoxide alarmCanva
A happy woman sips from a coffee mugCanva
An elderly man walks down an icy roadCanva 
An elderly man grilling at a partyCanva
Two people enjoying a walk through the woods
A woman pets her dogCanva 
A woman stands in front of a window listening to musicCanva
A group of people sit around a circle talkingCanva
A woman sleeping in bedCanva
Woman proudly displays an "I Voted" stickerCanva
A woman's ear with multiple piercingsCanva
A woman takes a bit out of a huge strawberry cakeCanva
The back of a woman's head with silver hair. Canva
A woman watches the sunset from her carCanva
A nurse holds a clipboard in a hospital hallwayCanva
A heavily-tattooed woman holds a mug of coffeeCanva
Stressed out man at workCanva
Stressed employee takes a break from workCanva
Overhead shot of three employees sharing a deskCanva
A pile of cashCanva
A pregnant woman clutches her bellyCanva
An eviction noticeCanva
Supportive Reddit comment Reddit | 
A gavel rests in front of a judgeCanva
Victoria Claflin Woodhull, the first woman to run for president of the United States in 1872rce Harvard Art Museum/Fogg Museum, Historical Photographs and Special Visual Collections Department, Fine Arts Library via 
Suffragists matching for women's right to vote in the early 20th centuryCanva
Female shopper looking for help
21 products that are gaslighting us into thinking they’re essential when they’re not
Some things in life are actually necessary—clean water, decent healthcare, basic human decency. But then there are the things that feel like they’re gaslighting us. The things we’re told we can’t live without, even though we survived just fine before they existed. Things like "smart" fridges, lawn fertilizer services, and yes—whole body deodorant.
Recently, our sister-site Upworthy asked their Facebook audience the question: What's a product or service that feels like it's gaslighting all of us into thinking it's necessary? More than 8,000 responses poured in. The answers were passionate, funny, and surprisingly unified.
Here are 21 products, services, and systems people called out for pretending to be essential—when they might actually be optional, overpriced, or flat-out invented.
1. Whole body deodorant
"Take a shower," said Shannon H.
“How did we ever manage all those years without it!! 😂😵💫” added Karen R.
Others noted it may help people with medical conditions—but for the average person, it's definitely a marketing creation.
2. Health insurance
It topped the list. Erica L. explained: “My doctor prescribes, the pharmacist issues meds, nurses care for people, surgeons do surgery—Health Insurance stands between health care and patients and says no, exclusively on whether they think it’s financially effective to treat you.”
Important note: Health insurance can provide life-saving access for many—but what people are frustrated by here is the profit-first system, not care itself.
3. The wedding industry
Multiple people slammed the high cost of modern weddings.
JoElla B. put it plainly: “We spend too much time and money planning one day, and not enough thought on how to blend two lives in a mutually beneficial one.”
Others called out expensive dresses, venues, and pressure to perform for social media.
4. Bottled water
Carole D. said: “Water in plastic bottles! Get a cup!”
While bottled water has value in emergencies, it’s often just filtered tap water—sold for profit in plastic.
5. Baby product overload
“Most baby products,” wrote Kelli O. “They really aren’t as needy and complicated as companies want us to think.”
6. Fabric softener
“It’s bad for clothes, bad for the Earth, bad for the wallet, and totally unnecessary,” said Gail H.
Some experts agree—many softeners contain chemicals that can reduce fabric lifespan and irritate skin.
7. Smart appliances
“Adding ‘phone controls’ to every appliance instead of making them last as long as they used to,” wrote Sherry S.
When your fridge needs a software update, something’s gone off the rails.
8. Makeup and anti-aging products
“Anything anti-aging,” said Melissa T., “Please just let me age into the gargoyle I was meant to become.”
Others questioned products designed to “fix” eyelashes, eyebrows, pores, and graying hair.
April S. added, “Products that women are convinced they MUST have in order to be ‘beautiful’ and therefore ‘loved.’”
9. Cosmetic surgery
Ron P. called out the industry as a whole. And while body autonomy matters, many commenters questioned whether insecurities are being commodified and sold back to us.
10. Ticketmaster and “convenience fees”
“Let’s go back to waiting in line at a record store,” wrote Nicole C.
Zaida B. added: “Convenience fee for online purchases—then charging $10 more at the actual event.”
11. Engagement rings
James P. didn’t mince words: “Engagement rings.”
The diamond industry has long been criticized for manufactured scarcity and marketing-fueled necessity.
12. Lawn chemicals and services
“Plant native grasses and you don’t have the pests or need for constant watering,” wrote Jamie B.
Environmental groups have raised similar concerns over runoff and unnecessary pesticide use.
13. AI and generative tech
“This stuff squeezes the lifeblood and individuality out of the human experience,” said Teresa L.
Saskia D. and others echoed skepticism about its necessity, even as many of us are being pushed to use it.
14. Funeral services
Amy W. shared: “My parents both have already paid to have themselves cremated and are very adamant that they do not want anything big done for them. In their words, ‘I won’t care, I’m dead.’”
Of course, some families find comfort in tradition—but the cost and pressure can feel overwhelming and predatory.
15. Rinse and repeat
Amy D. nailed it: “It’s just to sell more. Not even sure you need it at all.”
16. Credit Card Surcharges
Shawn S. took aim at the extra fees popping up at checkout: “That is the cost of doing business and shouldn’t be the burden of the purchaser.”
Many questioned why customers are increasingly being asked to pay extra simply for the convenience of using a card.
17. Constant phone upgrades
“Apple are notorious for releasing the same shit every year,” said Steph S.
Diana H. added, “Needing to upgrade our phones so frequently.”
Built-in obsolescence and marketing cycles drive most of the demand.
18. Vitamins and supplements
“If I took every supplement they say I NEED I wouldn’t need food. Nor could I afford it,” said Tausha L.
19. Fake pockets on women’s pants
Jessica W. said, “I have to buy men’s pants for work because women’s pants would just get torn up too fast!”
Form over function, and then they charge more for it.
20. Disposable everything
“The ‘convenience’ of disposable everything,” said Rick R.
It’s killing the planet—and draining wallets.
21. Tipping
“I’m sick of supplementing for corporations that refuse to pay a living wage,” wrote Susan V.
Tipping culture has evolved into something far removed from its original intent, and for many, it now feels like a burden shifted onto the customer.
The bigger picture
People aren’t saying all these things should vanish tomorrow. But when we start seeing convenience sold as necessity, and insecurity turned into billion-dollar markets, it's worth asking: who benefits from all of this?
And more importantly—who pays?
This article originally appeared earlier this year.