If You Have A Low Threshold For Secondhand Embarrassment, You Probably Hate These 31 Awkward Scenes We Let Disney Channel Get Away With

    Debby Ryan's face in Radio Rebel is just the start.

    Hannah Marder
    by Hannah Marder

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Look, I love Disney Channel. It was basically my entire childhood. But looking back...there were a few moments that I thought were cool that are actually reallyyyyyy cringey.

    NBC

    Like...so bad that I can't even watch them. But in case you'd like to suffer through, here are 31 super awkward Disney Channel moments that I just really can't believe we let them get away with.

    I also included some noteworthy comments from BuzzFeed readers themselves!

    1. Lizzie's "rhythmic gymnastics" scene on Lizzie McGuire:

    Disney Channel

    "Lizzie doing 'rhythmic gymnastics' with the ribbon to the score of Chariots of Fire and everybody in awe like she was Kerri Strug."

    —AndreBa

    The music, the intensity of this scene, the guy trying to sabotage Lizzie's performance, Lizzie spinning around with a ribbon....iconic, yet very cringey.

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    2. Shane's dancing when he taught the campers a routine in Camp Rock:

    Disney Channel

    "I love Joe Jonas, but...he can’t dance."

    —talormadisonc

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    3. When Phil and Keely decided to date on Phil of the Future, and it was just reallyyyyy awkward:

    phil and keely decide to hold hands but can't clasp their hands together right. phil says "i'll go over...don't hold my finger...cool" as they figure it out
    Disney Channel

    "We recently rewatched Phil of the Future (my husband's favorite '00s show, lol), and there are a lot of cringe moments. I think the worst was the last episode when Keely and Phil decide to date. I almost had to turn it off."

    —s4e3512291

    There's no clip for this, but if you want to watch it, it's the beginning of the series finale!

    4. When Lizzie called the fireworks beautiful and Paolo replied, "Yes, you are" in The Lizzie McGuire Movie:

    Lizzie (looking up): "this is so beautiful." paolo (looking at her): "yes, you are"
    Disney

    Just so bad.

    5. Just *this* iconic face from Radio Rebel:

    Disney Channel

    WHY DID THE DIRECTOR NOT SAY ANYTHING?!? Also...her hair...

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    6. When Mitchie's lie was exposed in Camp Rock, and it was just unnecessarily dramatic:

    Tess says Mitchie has dishes to do, and Shane accuses Mitchie of lying all summer and being just like everyone else
    Disney Channel

    Suggested by 19biancahercules

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    7. The extremely unfortunate rap battle in Adventures in Babysitting:

    Sabrina Carpenter raps "but no matter what, i won't be a quitter, gonna care for these kids 'cause i'm the babysitter" while waving her hand around
    Disney Channel

    "My niece was watching a Disney movie called Adventures in Babysitting. They have a 'rap battle' scene. Oh, it is soooo cringe. Two little teen girls rap with their crew of kids. Oh, and I remember the chorus — yep, chorus — was like, 'She ain’t no quitter, she’s the babysitter.' Oh, so so bad! Why Disney, why!!!???"

    —u/mce7011

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    8. Everything about Troy running around the golf course in "Bet On It":

    Disney Channel

    I'm just imagining a group casually golfing and seeing this all happen.

    9. But especially when he looks in the water at his reflection, which is literally the fakest reflection I have ever seen:

    in bet on it, troy looks at his reflection and says "it's no good at all to see yourself and not recognize your face"
    Disney Channel

    "'Bet On It' will never not be entertaining. And the incredibly fake reflection makes it all the more better."

    —emmelineanderson

    Watch the full scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    10. Loretta's dance moves during "Nothing's Wrong With Me" in Pixel Perfect:

    Disney Channel

    Somehow, the crowd was loving it.

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    11. Stella's weird off-rhythm clap-dancing in the detention scene in Lemonade Mouth:

    Disney Channel

    Honorary mention to Mo spraying the cleaning bottle in her face.

    Watch the clip here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    12. The dance-off scene in Cadet Kelly:

    Disney Channel

    The confidence...

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    13. When Oliver and Lilly accidentally pulled off a Black woman's wig in Hannah Montana:

    Lilly and Oliver get their hands stuck in a Black woman's hair, then pull and the wig flies off and hits Hannah in the face
    Disney Channel

    First, Oliver gets his fingers stuck in it, then they rip it off, and it hits Hannah....ugh. Just bad.

    I can't find the scene online, but it happens during Season 2, Episode 14, "Everybody Was Best Friend Fighting"!

    14. Everything about Derek and Casey in Life with Derek, but ESPECIALLY this scene:

    Casey calls Derek the most annoying brother and Derek corrects "stepbrother" and then they stare at each other as if they're interested in each other
    Disney Channel

    I cannot even watch this scene because I start rooting for them to kiss (which is 100% the way you're supposed to feel), and then I'm like, HOLD UP. THEY'RE STEP-SIBLINGS.

    Watch the clip here at 7:41:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    15. Speaking of...*all* the chemistry between Alex and Justin on Wizards of Waverly Place, but ESPECIALLY the episode when everyone except Alex forgot about Justin, and their mom kept telling Alex to date him:

    Alex's mom asks who her new friend is then says he's cute, a catch, and alex should go out with him
    Disney Channel

    "The writing and chemistry for Alex and Justin was more than brother and sister. In one episode where everyone but Alex forgets Justin, their mother says they’d be great dating each other, much to their horror. That one was actually written, not just two actors who work very well together."

    —jbmasta

    16. Oh, and by the way, that episode also includes Justin getting naked in the living room (after he turns invisible):

    Justin takes off his pants, and Alex asks what he's doing. Justin says he's making himself totally invisible, and Alex says "ew no!"
    Disney Channel

    Literally just standing naked next to his sister.

    17. As well as his dad sitting on him, Justin putting a pillow over his crotch, and his mother making a joke about the pillow drawing her eye to his...you know what:

    alex and justin's dad says alex's friend is invisible and naked and he sat down on him, and their mom asking if he's holding a pillow over his crotch then saying she doesn't feel comfortable talking to it
    Disney Channel

    All good family fun!

    Again, I don't have a clip, but it's Season 1, Episode 12, "Justin's Little Sister"!

    18. When the girls rescued Toto by singing to him at the end of The Cheetah Girls:

    the girls call for Toto and the firefighter says he can't hear, so they start to sing and he says, "that's it!"
    Disney Channel

    Toto couldn't hear the girls shouting, but when they start singing quietly, the firefighter's all like, "OMG, IT'S WORKING"?!? I just can't deal with the cheesiness. At the time, I thought this was realistic and sweet.

    You can watch a (low-quality, sorry!) version of the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    19. When Caitlyn did a weird little dance and played awful keyboard sounds, and Mitchie genuinely went "she's really good!" in Camp Rock:

    Caitlyn: "This is in honor of you awesome Camp Rockers!" *dancing and playing the keyboard — Mitchie: "She's really good"
    Disney Channel

    Was she, though? Was she?

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    20. And when Mitchie calls Tess's bracelet "so blingalicious," also in Camp Rock:

    Tess: (showing her bracelet) "It's from my mom. Every time she wins a Grammy, she adds a charm" Mitchie: "Love it! Totally blingalicious"
    Disney Channel

    Demi, I love you, but this writing wasn't doing you any favors.

    There's no video, but it happens soon after Mitchie meets Tess!

    21. Last Camp Rock one...this weird dance/march scene from Camp Rock 2:

    Disney Channel

    You may have seen this on TikTok, where people hilariously edit it into other scenes.

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    22. When Troy gave Gabriella a necklace with his first initial on it in High School Musical 2:

    Troy giving Gabriella a T necklace — she asks, "T as in Troy" and he says "well, I...yeah"
    Disney Channel

    This was so weirdly possessive to me?? And she was so flattered?? Also, that necklace was ugly as hell.

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    23. When Lizzie screamed about how she wanted a bra on Lizzie McGuire:

    Lizzie screaming that she wants a bra
    Disney Channel

    Look, I appreciate that Lizzie McGuire talks about real preteen issues, but I still cringe at "I WANT A BRA! WE WANT A BRA!"

    Watch the scene here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    24. And everything about the Aaron Carter kiss on Lizzie McGuire:

    Aaron looks at Lizzie and they kiss, then Aaron shuts the door
    Disney Channel

    I remember freaking out over Aaron Carter kissing Lizzie in Lizzie McGuire when I was younger, but looking back...it is one of the most awkward things I've ever seen. The look he gives her before! The fact that they do not even seem to kiss, and then he SHUTS THE DOOR IN HER FACE!!!

    Wacth the scene here (starts at 1:55):

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    25. When Zuri and Jessie switched bodies and Luke said he was attracted to his sister in disguise on Jessie:

    Emma: "Jessie! Did you just call us boogers and poopy butts?" Luke: "I have never been so attracted to you" Zuri (as Jessie): "You nasty!"
    Disney Channel

    Oh man, this scene. Luke being attracted to Jessie was already cringe; then you add on the fact that it's actually Zuri here and he's attracted to her personality, and THEN you add on the fact that Debby Ryan as Jessie is imitating a Black character in a pretty caricatural voice...this scene is too cringe.

    I can't find the clip, but this is from Season 2, Episode 13, "To Be Me, or Not to Be Me."

    26. Also on Jessie, when Luke wouldn't stop flirting with Jessie and at one point revealed he'd set up a camera in her room:

    Luke says he's checking the webcam in her bedroom, and his siblings look at him strangely
    Disney Channel

    :/

    Again, I can't find the clip, but it's during Season 4, Episode 1, "But Africa Is So... Fari!"

    27. AND this super weird joke from Jessie:

    Mrs. Chesterfield says, "I just want to squeeze his cheeks" and Jessie says, "Please tell me you mean his face"
    Disney Channel

    Why were there so many suggestive jokes on Jessie???

    This one happens in Season 4, Episode 19, "The Fear in Our Stars."

    28. When Zack and Cody formed a physical link in The Suite Life Movie (so they could feel everything the other felt), and started hitting themselves to hurt the other one:

    Disney Channel

    29. Also, when they turned into weird, glowing versions of themselves and fought for twin superiority:

    Cody's "soul" says he has the superior intellect, while Zack says he also has the inferior personality
    Disney Channel

    This movie is a fever dream.

    30. And when Cody ran his fingers down a machine in the lab and affectionately (and kinda sexually???) said, "Shh, baby, don't speak":

    Disney Channel

    My friend and I still quote this to each other.

    I can't find clips for these, but you can see a few of them in the trailer for this truly bonkers film:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    31. And finally, the most awkward Disney Channel moment of — Hilary Duff's "You're watching Disney Channel" outtakes:

    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    Iconic.

    Watch them here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

    What Disney Channel moments always make YOU cringe? Let us know in the comments below!

    Submissions have been edited for length/clarity.