The 99th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, hosted by Al Roker, Hoda Kotb, and Savannah Guthrie on Thursday, November 27, delivered a series of truly unexpected and wonderfully bizarre moments, sparking widespread discussion across social media. While traditional holiday cheer was abundant with performances from singers like Lainey Wilson, Ciara, Colbie Caillat, and Gavin Degraw, other segments defied expectations, creating a memorable event.
This blend of conventional and eccentric is not accidental. Macy’s Studios creative production director, Brendan Kennedy, recently shared insights into the selection process for parade participants. He emphasized that he and his team intentionally seek out acts willing to embrace creativity and even “clown around” for the few minutes they have to tell a story on the street. Kennedy specifically asks potential participants if they are open to being a bit eccentric. This strategic approach explains many of the eyebrow-raising elements viewers witnessed.
Among the standout debuts was the first-ever Labubu float, themed “Friendsgiving in Pop City.” This new and popular toy character, along with other Pop Mart friends, celebrated the holiday, accompanied by a performance from the virtual K-pop group HUNTR/X. Viewers took to social media, with one person humorously noting, “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade announcer saying ‘Labubu debut is next’ gave me chills.” Another expressed disbelief, stating, “I can’t believe they put a Labubu float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade playing PinkPanthress hahaha.”
The musical performances also offered their share of surprises. Shaggy, on the Jennie-O Big Turkey Spectacular float, performed a medley of his early 2000s hits, including “Mr. Bombastic,” “It Wasn’t Me,” and “Angel.” While many millennials enjoyed the nostalgia, some questioned the appropriateness of lyrics like “Baby caught me on the counter / Creepin’ with the girl next door / Imagine both of us naked / Bangin’ on the bathroom floor” being broadcast amidst a children’s parade. Online, a viewer tweeted, “Shaggy singing ‘It Wasn’t Me’ among the kid floats at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is certainly A DECISION.”
The parade continued its trend of unexpected hip-hop appearances. Lil Jon brought his signature energy to the Toys “R” Us float, performing his 2014 hit “Turn Down for What.” Adding to the spectacle, Geoffrey the Giraffe, adorned in a fur-lined jacket and red sunglasses, enthusiastically danced alongside him. Similarly, Busta Rhymes joined the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on their float, delivering a medley of hits while the four turtles—Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Leonardo—performed choreographed routines. Social media users delighted in the surreal combinations, with one commenter asking, “Where were you when the Busta Rhymes and Ninja Turtles collab dropped at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?” Another simply stated, “Busta Rhymes doing ‘Break Ya Neck’ on the Ninja Turtle float… Lil Jon doing ‘Turn Down for What’ on the Toys R Us… I don’t understand anything… give whoever is responsible for this parade a raise!”
The hosts themselves contributed to one of the most awkward moments of the morning. Al Roker presented a “golden ticket” to a young girl, promising her a chance to see the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall during the holidays. However, when Roker asked her about her excitement, the girl unexpectedly replied, “I did that yesterday.” This left Roker and the Rockettes, who were present for the reveal, in a noticeable moment of discomfort.
Another mysterious performance came from Mr. Fantasy, widely believed to be actor KJ Apa’s alter ego. He appeared on the Jolly Polly Pirate Ship float, performing a new song while dressed in plaid pants, green sunglasses, and his distinctive black hair. He strutted and climbed on the ship as children on the float cheered. This led to online speculation, with one user theorizing, “My conspiracy theory is that Macy’s every so often invents characters for the Thanksgiving Day Parade and pretends they’re real celebrities or musicians. Mr. Fantasy?”
Even an artist known for poignant music delivered an unexpected tone for the festive event. Conan Gray performed his song “Vodka and Cranberry,” which, while well-received for its musical quality, featured lyrics like “Talk to me, I know you hate me / Looked at your picture and cried like a baby / Drank too much on a vodka and cranberry.” Its melancholic tone contrasted sharply with the other high-energy acts. The moment was further amplified when the broadcast transitioned from Gray to a close-up of Queen Latifah, who appeared to shed tears as the song concluded. One viewer online humorously questioned, “Why did they put Queen Latifah after the Conan Gray performance in the Macy’s parade like she was his mom?”
Ultimately, the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade showcased its ability to embrace the absurd. It delivered a spectacle that was, as one social media user put it, “truly everything, everywhere, all at once,” cementing its reputation as a unique and wonderfully unpredictable holiday tradition.