Orlando Brown has an explanation for why he was rocking snake eyes on "Dr. Phil" -- and, as it turns out, he might've just been in a festive mood.
TMZ has obtained a new clip previewing Orlando's upcoming appearance, in which Dr. Phil attempts to help Orlando amid claims he's suffering from a mental disorder. Phil addresses the elephant snake in the room ... what's with the contacts, bro?
Orlando bursts into laughter and describes them as some sort of homage to Michael Jackson's "Thriller." Phil tried to play off the awkward moment by calling it a Halloween gag.
The interview was shot around mid-October ... so it kinda makes sense.
Still, the MJ reference comes off as troubling ... especially in light of Orlando's friend telling Dr. Phil that OB sometimes claims Michael is his father.
As we reported ... Orlando's pal says the one-time Disney Channel star has burned just about all his bridges.
His troubles with the law this year have been plentiful -- domestic disputes, bounty hunters and an alleged burglary -- so his friends think Dr. Phil is the last resort. The episode airs Friday.