MTV: Model Television

MTV launched on this date in 1981. To celebrate, and in the wake of Blurred Lines, let’s look at a smattering of SI models’ appearances in music videos.

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In a moment of artistic license, Christie Brinkley portrays Billy Joel’s “red-haired girl in a Chevrolet” in the video for Keeping the Faith.

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Paulina Porizkova is some kind of sexy mental patient in The Cars’ Drive.

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George Michael’s legendary video for Freedom! ’90 features a bevy of supermodels, including Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford.

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Stephanie Seymour plays a doomed bride in the Guns N’ Roses video November Rain, in the most tragic cake-in-the-rain incident this side of MacArthur Park.

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Speaking of The Cars, their sound is a clear influence on Fountains of Wayne’s Stacey’s Mom, just as Phoebe Cates is a clear influence on Rachel Hunter in the titular role.

(Phoebe has spawned at least two tributes from SI models, the other being Heidi Klum.)

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Robin Thicke gets around, doesn’t he? He spends Sweetest Love in bed with Jessica White.

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And speaking of sweet, Gavin DeGraw rescues Genevieve Morton from a loutish boyfriend and takes her on a joyous breaking-and-entering spree in Sweeter.

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And finally, Kate Bock is informed of a lothario’s intentions for the evening in The Lonely Island’s Jack Sparrow video.