Eminem’s “Houdini” Music Video Gets Approval From Adam West’s Family

Eminem is silly again. The rapper is gearing up for the release of his new album, The Death of Slim Shady, and his new single “Houdini,” lays the groundwork. “Houdini” is a throwback to the old Shady style in every sense of the word. It not only recaptures the sound of the early 2000s (tries to, at least), but it recreates elements of Eminem’s iconic “Without Me” video. In particular, the part where Eminem and Dr. Dre dress up like Batman and Robin.

Em and Dre don’t go for the modern, gritty Batman look, either. Their silly costumes and wall climbing activities are pulled directly from the 1960s TV show starring Adam West. The beloved comedy actor died in 2017, but his daughter, Nina Tooley, had nothing but positive things to say about the tribute. “My dad would have loved the video,” she told TMZ. “I could hear my dad’s distinct chuckle when the rapper was trying to scale a building with the ‘Bat Rope’ just like he and [Burt Ward] did in the series.” This type of response is no surprise to longtime West fans.

Adam West was known for having a sense of humor about himself and the Batman TV show. He loved that fans would parody and pay tribute to the show over the decades. He even did so himself when he voiced the Caped Crusader in the 2017 animated film Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. Eminem has been similarly vocal in his love for superheroes. He got a chance to record the theme song for the blockbuster film Venom. He also praised the likes of Spider-Man and Batman during an interview with Genius.

“I’ve always been into comic books,” the rapper stated. “Spiderman, Hulk, old Batmans, Supermans — mostly vintage Marvel sh*t from before I was born. Just being able to have those pieces of history is crazy.” Eminem then went on to flex his comic book knowledge against other rappers who claim to be experts. “I would not want to face off with somebody comparing comic book knowledge,” he asserted. “But I know a pretty good amount.”