When Grammy-winning artist Doja Cat stepped onto the MTV Video Music Awards stage in a Thom Browne dress from the designer’s Spring 2018 collection, she had to have known she was tempting the internet’s meme machine. Her so-called “worm” look nearly overshadowed her “Best Collaboration” VMA win for her song “Kiss Me More” with SZA, and it certainly eclipsed her equally bonkers looks of the evening, including a chair headpiece and chicken-feet shoes.
The psychedelic yellow-and-blue tiered ensemble will go down in history as one of Doja’s most memorable, if only because of its uncanny similarity to a startling array of fictional characters and inanimate objects.
“I never thought I’d be dressed as a worm accepting an award,” the singer said, and we must admit, Doja, neither did we. Below, 10 things the “Say So” singer looked like as she accepted her shiny silver moonperson.
1) The Alaskan Bull Worm from Spongebob Squarepants
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We give this comparison a 6/10, if only because the notorious bull worm is aSpongebob antagonist, and we’re afraid of making it angry.
2) Mr. Electricidad from The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl
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When peering into Doja Cat’s big blinking eyes, some saw George Lopez’s impossible-to-forget turn as villain Mr. Electricidad/Mr. Electric in 2005’s The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, an ostensibly for-children acid trip.
3) A Playskool Glow Worm
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Honestly, we see it.
4) Heimlich from A Bug’s Life
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“I’m a beautiful butterfly!” cried the caterpillar Heimlich in the 1998 Disney-Pixar film A Bug’s Life. We have little doubt Doja jives with that aspirational energy.
5) Lady Gaga at the 2013 VMAs
Comparing anyone‘s VMA fashion to Lady Gaga’s is a bold choice, but, fine, we’ll let this one slide.
6) A water bear
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The scientific term is tardigrade, but “water bear” is considerably less nightmarish.
7) The caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland
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Another caterpillar—this one considerably less cute and cuddly than Heimlich. Not inaccurate, though.
8) A croissant
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Croissants count as a snack, right? If so, we’ll endorse this comparison.
9) The sun baby from Teletubbies
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Only a childhood icon like this eternally happy baby deserves a spot next to Doja’s in infamy.
10) A chindi rug
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Doja’s costume would probably make a chic throwback accessory in a ’70s remodel. Throw it down next to a refurbished credenza, and you’ll make a killing on Facebook Marketplace.
Lauren Puckett-Pope
Associate Editor
Lauren Puckett-Pope is an associate editor at ELLE, where she covers news and culture.
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