Celebrities Video Photos

Toni Basil, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 22, 1943 is an American musician, video artist, actress and choreographer. She has worked with David Bowie, Talking Heads and Bette Midler among other names. Toni Basil is the guest judge tonight on “So You Think You Can Dance“.

I think most of the people still remember her music video “Mickey”. It was one of the most popular early MTV videos. In the video, Basil wore her head cheerleader uniform from Las Vegas High School, from which she graduated (the year on the uniform, 81, was two decades after her actual graduation).

And now, twenty seven years after Toni Basil’s chant-song “Mickey” reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts, the homegrown Las Vegas still has the red, white and blue cheerleader’s uniform she wore in the iconic music video.

“The Hard Rock Cafe asked for my cheerleader sweater, but I’m not ready to give it up yet,” says Basil, and she’s not just holding onto it because she likes the cut of the skirt.

While she’s not on the top of the charts right now, Basil is never far from the spotlight. And decades after graduation, LVH cheerleading still defines Basil to people who think of her rah-rah persona in the “Mickey” video every time her name is mentioned. While some performers would try to shrug off such a legacy, Basil, totally enamored of dance and her work, doesn’t let it bother her.