Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade viewers weren’t exactly feeling the holiday cheer this year.
“Time for the annual torture session that is watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” one user wrote on X on Thursday, November 27. “It disgusts me every year.”
While Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker brought their A-game to NBC’s broadcast of the 99th annual Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, not everyone was thrilled with what unfolded in New York City. Social media lit up with viewers complaining that the holiday kickoff focused on everything but the parade.
“Please just show the parade,” one X user wrote on Thursday. “I’d rather watch more commercials than sit through constant celebrity chatter. The show is literally called the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, yet we’ve seen less than two minutes of it in the last 45 minutes.”
Another viewer echoed the frustration:
“NBC: ‘Welcome to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.’
NBC proceeds to show anything but the parade.”
One user summed up the broadcast’s pacing with sharp sarcasm:
“Here’s 5 seconds of the parade, followed by 18 minutes of someone talking about how cool it is to be there, and 21 minutes of ads.”
As usual, the event opened with standout Broadway performances, including numbers from the cast of Buena Vista Social Club, Ragtime, and Just in Time. The latter drew praise online, with many impressed by Sarah Hyland’s vocal range as she appeared alongside Jonathan Groff and Sadie Dickerson.
When the floats and musical acts finally rolled in, reactions were mixed especially regarding the lineup’s generational appeal.
“Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade keeps throwing in 30-year-old hits every 5–7 minutes to keep us old people engaged,” one viewer joked. “Who’s your favorite?”
Aside from modern stars like Mr. Fantasy and Conan Gray, classic acts made appearances too. Foreigner performed atop the Stranger Things float, while Shaggy, Lil Jon, Busta Rhymes and Jewel each took the stage.
Shaggy’s medley featuring “It Wasn’t Me”didn’t land well with everyone online.
“Having Shaggy sing ‘It Wasn’t Me’ in between children’s floats at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” one X user quipped, sharing a gif of Jonah Hill shaking his head. Meanwhile, Busta Rhymes performing on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles float left some viewers scratching their heads.
Another social media post questioned why artists who peaked years ago were only now being celebrated at the parade.
“Was the Thanksgiving Day Parade waiting list 20+ years, and now Shaggy, Jewel, Busta, etc., are finally getting their chance to perform?” one X user wondered.
Despite the confusion among some viewers, plenty of fans were still embracing the festive spirit of Thursday morning’s tradition.
“I love Thanksgiving so much,” one X user shared. “But it truly feels like Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season once the Rockettes deliver their amazing Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade performance
