Entertainmentlip sync battlejanet jacksonJoseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Performs 'Rhythm Nation' Almost Better Than Janet Jackson Herself

You need to sit down for this.
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Senior Reporter, HuffPost

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Lip Sync Battle/Spike

It was holiday time on Spike's "Lip Sync Battle" Thursday, and boy, we must've been good this year. The cast of "The Night Before" stopped by and they delivered. 

Anthony Mackie got the crowd going with his performance of "2 Legit 2 Quit," and Joseph Gordon-Levitt amazed everyone with his rapping skills while performing "Yeah" by Usher. 

But Gordon-Levitt ended up giving viewers the best gift of all by performing "Rhythm Nation" in full makeup and costume as Janet Jackson. We already knew that Gordon-Levitt could sing and rap, but we had no idea that he could move like this. And that ponytail? COME. ON. 

ARE YOU KIDDING? 

IS THIS REAL LIFE? 

WORK THAT PONYTAIL. 

COMMAND THAT STAGE.  

Watch the entire performance below, and thank your lucky stars that Joseph Gordon-Levitt exists. 

Also on HuffPost: 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt on the Red Carpet
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Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt arrives on the red carpet for the 85th Annual Academy Awards on February 24, 2013 in Hollywood, California. AFP PHOTO/JOE KLAMAR (Photo credit should read JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
'Don Jon's Addiction' Press Conference - 63rd Berlinale International Film Festival(02 of11)
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BERLIN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 08: Director and actor Joseph Gordon Levitt attends 'Don Jon's Addiction' Press Conference during the 63rd Berlinale International Film Festival at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on February 8, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
'Don Jon's Addiction' Press Conference - 63rd Berlinale International Film Festival(03 of11)
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BERLIN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 08: Director and actor Joseph Gordon Levitt attends 'Don Jon's Addiction' Press Conference during the 63rd Berlinale International Film Festival at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on February 8, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
85th Annual Academy Awards - Red Carpet(04 of11)
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HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 24: Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt arrives at the Oscars held at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 24, 2013 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt from the film "Don Jon's Addiction," poses for a portrait during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival at the Fender Music Lodge, on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Victoria Will/Invision/AP Images) (credit:AP)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt(06 of11)
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Director, writer and cast member, Joseph Gordon-Levitt poses at the premiere of "Don Jon's Addiction" during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival on Friday, Jan. 18, 2013 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP) (credit:AP)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt(07 of11)
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FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2009 file photo, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt of "500 Days of Summer" poses for a portrait at the Gibson Guitar Lounge during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Gordon-Levitt co-stars in the time-travel drama Looper, which opens Sept. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Mark Mainz, File) (credit:AP)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt(08 of11)
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Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt attends the world premiere of "Premium Rush" at the Regal Union Square Theaters on Wednesday Aug. 22, 2012 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) (credit:AP)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt(09 of11)
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt attend the "Looper" panel at Comic-Con on Friday, July 13, 2012 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) (credit:AP)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt(10 of11)
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt poses backstage with the Hollywood breakthrough actor award at the 15th Annual Hollywood Film Awards Gala on Monday, Oct. 24, 2011 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Kristian Dowling) (credit:AP)
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Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, right, pose at the after party for the premiere of their film "50/50," on Monday, Sept. 26, 2011 in New York. (AP Photo/Starpix, Dave Allocca) (credit:AP)

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