A lot has changed since That '70s Show went off the air in 2006, and even more has changed since the actual decade that the show parodies came to a conclusion. Things that may have been considered commonplace back then are today understood as offensive or even immoral in some regards.
Of all the characters onMichael Kelso. Although Kelso gave fans lots of laughs, it's hard not to notice that many of his traits would not go unforgiven by today's standards. Here are 10 things about him that would never fly nowadays.
Constant Misogyny
Kelso's intentions with women may have seemed harmless in the '70s, yet it's impossible to ignore that much of the way he talked about, interacted with, and treated the opposite sex was blatantly degrading. Simply put, Kelso is a misogynist, frequently objectifying women both to their faces and behind their backs.
The show might have made this look like a sign of the character's barbaric male stupidity, but that does not erase the fact that it was pretty scummy. Today, Michael would owe a lot of ladies a lot of apologies, and would probably face some real trouble for his sexist outlooks.
Pining After His Friends' Relatives
Whether it was a sister or a mother, Kelso had a weird thing for his friends' immediate relatives. Throughout the series, he was pretty open about his lover-boy crush on Laurie Foreman. He even expressed his desires right in-front of Eric and actually bragged to him about hooking up with her when it finally occurred. He also had weird flirtatious moments with Mrs. Pinciotti and Mrs. Burkhart.
Clearly, age and relation did not faze him. It's unclear if these longings were all okay in the '70s, but they definitely aren't kosher now.
Throwing His Friends Under The Bus
The cast of That '70s Show was noticeably ruthless towards each other. Nevertheless, they all remained great, loyal friends. Even Hyde, despite his cynicism, showed signs of comion when the others were in trouble.
Kelso, however, was a bit of an oddball in of selfishness. If it got him out of trouble, he would easily throw any of his friends under the bus. While all the other characters would take a bullet for Kelso despite his antics, Kelso hardly returned the favor and never hesitated to launch his buddies into the line of fire to save his own skin.
Objectifying His Girlfriends
It's already been established that Kelso was not very good to women, but one could at least expect him to have treated his girlfriends with dignity. Unfortunately, that was definitely not the case, as no matter if he was dating Jackie, Pam, or Brooke, Kelso would always end up viewing his girlfriends as nothing but sex objects.
Whenever he was talking to the guys about the women he was with, he always focused on their bodies and expressed the one exclusive thing on his mind: sex. This was a pretty outdated way of thinking even then, and it is definitely not permissible anymore.
Cheating On His Girlfriends
Because Kelso was so quick to dehumanize his girlfriends, it should come as no surprise that he was also super alright cheating on them. The man hardly had a filter or conscience, giving into just about any sexual opportunity without regards to his ongoing romantic commitments. Hardly did Kelso have a single girlfriend on the show that he didn't cheat on at least once.
Being unfaithful in a relationship was never irable but now in 2020, it is a sure sign of a person who is disloyal, untrustworthy, and ultimately unappealing.
He Never Asks For Consent
Speaking of Kelso's tireless sexual appetites, looking back on his approaches to intercourse or any sort of erotic activity, it's hard not to notice that he never went about doing the deed in a very ethical way. Consent is key and while that rule should have always been a staple, the '70s evidently had looser sexual politics.
Kelso clearly capitalized on the era's lax expectations, as sex never seemed like a mutually pursued thing for him. While we can't say we ever saw him directly take advantage of anyone, we also can't say we ever saw him directly ask for consent before trying his damnedest to get inside a girl's pants.
His Unapologetic Toxic Masculinity
Perhaps all of Kelso's looseness with women and misogynistic points of views stem from the fact that he never saw an issue with his toxic masculinity. Maybe in the '70s or even while the show was airing in the early 2000s, a bunch of guys sitting in a basement drunkenly discussing their female friends' chests didn't come off as problematic or sleaze.
Now, however, audiences won't be able to relate to this caustic kind of fraternal bonding. Although all of the male characters on the show indulged in such toxicity, Kelso frequently seemed at the forefront of it, and he rarely expressed any regret for the words he said.
His Deep Arrogance
Despite all of his flaws, Kelso still loves himself. In fact, nobody seems to love him more than he does. He frequently brags about his sexual prowess, good looks, and coolness, deeming himself an unmatched suave maverick even when he so clearly messes things up. One of his catchphrases is even "I'm too good looking."
This is a funny characteristic but nowadays, modesty goes a lot further than arrogance does. Kelso never seemed to latch onto such a virtue and would probably end up estranging a lot of people with his hedonism in today's world.
Kelso Embraces Stupidity
There is no denying that Kelso was an idiot, and while one can't knock the guy for not exactly being the smartest, it's his lack of ambition that deserve ridicule. Throughout the series, viewers actually witnessed him showing signs of having a functioning brain. He was able to reprogram his flashback sequence implied that he was once a good student.
What's not irable is the fact that, somewhere along the line, Kelso lost his intellectual drive and never put himself to good use. Although it makes for lots of amusement, such buffoonery is just not cool anymore.
Invading The Foreman Household
This one could really apply to any of the characters on That '70s Show other than Eric, but it was particularly egregious when Kelso did it. Essentially, everyone on the show invaded the Foreman household without permission in each episode.
Even after Eric left, everyone continued hanging out in his basement. The reason it was so much worse when Kelso did it is because he was such a thankless and destructive guest. Having no respect for other's property is not a great characteristic nowadays - not like it ever really was in the first place.