Fatboy Tops MTV Poll of Best Videos

By Stephen M. Silverman

08/01/2001 at 04:14 PM EDT

Britain's eccentric Fatboy Slim, 38, born Norman Cook, has beaten Michael Jackson, Madonna and Eminem to take MTV's best video of all time award for his 1998 video "Praise You," quirkily directed by Spike Jonze ("Being John Malkovich"). The cable music network's viewers chose Slim's effort in a poll to mark MTV's 20th anniversary. Jackson's 1982 "Thriller" came in second. (The voters' Top 100 will be broadcast in three parts starting Wednesday.) Other winners: Eminem at No. 3 with rap anthem "The Real Slim Shady"; Madonna (who had the most entries on the Top 100), No. 4 with "Ray of Light"; and the Beastie Boys, No. 5 with "Sabotage." MTV debuted Aug. 1, 1981 with six words that forever changed pop culture: "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll!" And with that, the MTV Generation was born. Today, MTV is beamed into some 350 million homes -- in 70% of the world. An all-star blow-out bash celebrating the channel's birthday will take place in New York Wednesday night. PEOPLE.com will be on hand to provide full report.