--- title: A Mariah Carey Invisible Chair Photo Got the Best Reactions description: The Internet lost their collective minds after a video of Mariah Carey seemingly sitting on an invisible chair went viral. canonical: https://time.com/5047679/mariah-carey-invisible-chair-internet-responses/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-12-04T18:13:29.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-12T08:33:52.481Z og:title: The Internet Thinks Mariah Carey Has An Invisible Chair og:description: Apparently, the Elusive Chanteuse doesn't need a chair og:url: https://time.com/5047679/mariah-carey-invisible-chair-internet-responses/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt07c788695d1f50fc/6988f383096a94d4466a0a10/mariah-carey-invisible-chair-internet-reactions.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2000 og:image:height: 1125 og:image:alt: AHF World AIDS DAY Concert and 30th Anniversary Celebration: Featuring Mariah Carey, DJ Khaled, Mario Lopez, Laverne Cox og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Internet Thinks Mariah Carey Has An Invisible Chair twitter:description: Apparently, the Elusive Chanteuse doesn't need a chair twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt07c788695d1f50fc/6988f383096a94d4466a0a10/mariah-carey-invisible-chair-internet-reactions.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Internet Is Convinced Mariah Carey Has an Invisible Chair in This Magical Photo > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=e6630e48-4808-4e64-98fd-5c9589a40f99&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Daily | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Richard Hall, Editor | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The informed consumer. A scaled audience of readers who turn to TIME to stay informed and make sense of the world, with meaningful reach across education and research, nonprofits and civic life, media and communications, government and public institutions, and business and professional services. ### TIME The Brief: key statements * The Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * The Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=e6630e48-4808-4e64-98fd-5c9589a40f99&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/subscribe?i=e6630e48-4808-4e64-98fd-5c9589a40f99&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's daily news newsletter? The Brief is TIME's daily newsletter, edited by Richard Hall. It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=e6630e48-4808-4e64-98fd-5c9589a40f99&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Mariah Carey's Reaction To Being Labeled As The 'Queen Of Christmas' Might Surprise You [Watch (HLS stream): Mariah Carey's Reaction To Being Labeled As The 'Queen Of Christmas' Might Surprise You](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/9J4wPFLI.m3u8) (2:29)  _Published 2017-12-05. The Grammy-winning artist also shares her holiday traditions and the one Christmas trend she doesn't follow_  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Dec 4, 2017 6:13 PM UTC The Grammy-winning artist also shares her holiday traditions and the one Christmas trend she doesn't follow  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Dec 4, 2017 6:13 PM UTC It’s finally December which means that it’s officially the season to play [Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas”](http://time.com/4556886/mariah-carey-all-i-want-for-christmas-is-you-spiking/) shamelessly on loop. For her fan base [the Lambily](http://time.com/4887472/mariah-carey-cowboy-hat-country-songs/), however, it appears that the spirit of the holiday season has manifested itself in some seeming on-stage magic for their festive queen, undisputed [queen of Christmas](http://time.com/4587954/mariah-carey-christmas/), Mariah Carey. In a video of Carey performing at a concert that surfaced on Friday, the Elusive Chanteuse graciously signs autographs for her loyal fans while appearing to sit on nothing but thin air, prompting a slew of speculation online about how she could sit without a chair. > [](https://twitter.com/MariahCareyITA/status/936496859484434432) The Internet soon divulged into a hot debate about how Mimi was able to sit, ranging from very strong thigh muscles (probable) to the presence of an invisible chair (also not outside of the realm of possibility when you consider [MC’s iconic _MTV Cribs_ episode](http://time.com/4419460/mariah-carey-instagram/)); however, most fans were convinced that it was the magic of the holiday season that gave Mariah the ability to sit without a chair. Read the most vocal responses below. > [](https://twitter.com/1942bs/status/936636279298711552) > [](https://twitter.com/Nuchole/status/936739735489224705) > [](https://twitter.com/balmainstripper/status/936675047380520961) > [](https://twitter.com/sscheek/status/937013595941978112) > [](https://twitter.com/allidoislovemc/status/937168085068500992) ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] Come on guys, sing it. Sing it everybody! No one else is singing, alright. Mariah Carey's " All I Want For Christmas is You" has dominated the holiday charts for years, and now the pop star is bringing her talents to the big screen with the new animated film under the same name. Mariah's " All I Want For Christmas is You" features little Mariah as she chases her ultimate holiday wish of adopting a puppy. Of course. We had to grant a Christmas wish of our own and ask a super star if she still listens to her classic Christmas hit. I listen to the song with. I mean I try not to listen to the song until Christmas. I perform the song. But as far as just sitting around and listening to it I try to wait until it's The Christmas season. [ MUSIC ] And I listened to a lot of other artists and their Christmas songs as well. I just put them on the playlist and keep playing Christmas music until After Christmas and then everybody is like okay ready, like you can stop now. No! No, no no, never stop Mariah. And with such an iconic voice around the holiday season the popstar's six year old twins, Rocco and Monroe, must know their mom is pretty much the Queen of Christmas, right? I don't accept that name because I feel like it's, I don't know who gave that to me but that's too much I humbly Thank them and I do have an extraordinary love for the holiday season and it is the best time of the year. All year long I just wait and look forward to cooking and just decorating my Christmas trees. It's real. And I have a few different Christmas trees and we decorate some of them. And some of them there's a lady that helps us with that. And then there's one that the kids and I do together and my extended family and friends. And we just we all enjoy ourselves. And I do cook in the kitchen as well when I have the time. Hey girl, you go, Mariah, from the trees to the food, it sounds like the perfect Christmas although it's clear the singer looks forward to many holiday traditions, wearing an ugly sweater, well that does not make the nice list. I do not. Everybody likes to do that Christmas sweater and I just create my own ensembles. [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5047679/mariah-carey-invisible-chair-internet-responses/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5047679/mariah-carey-invisible-chair-internet-responses/"},"headline":"The Internet Is Convinced Mariah Carey Has an Invisible Chair in This Magical Photo","datePublished":"2017-12-04T18:13:29.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-12T08:33:52.481Z","description":"Apparently, the Elusive Chanteuse doesn't need a chair","url":"https://time.com/5047679/mariah-carey-invisible-chair-internet-responses/","keywords":["Newsfeed","celebrities","viral","Mariah Carey"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt07c788695d1f50fc/6988f383096a94d4466a0a10/mariah-carey-invisible-chair-internet-reactions.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Cady Lang","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/cady-lang/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt07c788695d1f50fc/6988f383096a94d4466a0a10/mariah-carey-invisible-chair-internet-reactions.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"AHF World AIDS DAY Concert and 30th Anniversary Celebration: Featuring Mariah Carey, DJ Khaled, Mario Lopez, Laverne Cox","caption":"AHF World AIDS DAY Concert and 30th Anniversary Celebration: Featuring Mariah Carey, DJ Khaled, Mario Lopez, Laverne Cox","creditText":"Tommaso Boddi—Getty Images for AIDS Healthcare","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5047679/mariah-carey-invisible-chair-internet-responses/","name":"The Internet Is Convinced Mariah Carey Has an Invisible Chair in This Magical Photo"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Mariah Carey's Reaction To Being Labeled As The 'Queen Of Christmas' Might Surprise You","description":"The Grammy-winning artist also shares her holiday traditions and the one Christmas trend she doesn't follow","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/9J4wPFLI/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2017-12-05T14:31:50.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/9J4wPFLI.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5047679/mariah-carey-invisible-chair-internet-responses/","duration":"PT2M29S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5047679/mariah-carey-invisible-chair-internet-responses/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```