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Has Rick Rolling Lost Its Novelty Value? - Macleans.ca
From today’s event at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, I think it’s clear that Rick Rolling just doesn’t have the visceral kick it once did. Internet fads depend on their ability to confuse the people who aren’t in on them, but now, as with “All Your Base Are Belong To Us” and Star Wars Kid, everybody has experienced Rick Rolling in some form. So even network TV announcers aren’t confused by this any more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXJnOjAGR24
Also, I wanted to hear Rick sing instead of lip-synch.
Rick Rolling works when it’s being used to make fun of specific, widespread gullibillity. The best use of Rick Rolling I saw was when there was all this to-do about the secret Michelle Obama tape — the tape that supposedly existed of her ranting against “Whitey” and that several websites were breathlessly promising would come out. Several people said they had the YouTube video of Michelle Obama’s remarks, and linked to… “Never Gonna Give You Up.” That worked because there really were a lot of people online who thought they were going to find that nonexistent tape.
If you’re just doing it to get someone’s hopes up about something that might realistically exist, then it’s just mean.
I submit that the TV announcers were going to read whatever words were put in front of them, confusing or not. I doubt that they had a deep understanding of Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, either.
Jaime: welcome to the internet, it IS mean. But the reason it’s the first really successful version of the hey check out what I’ve got behind this curtain, or pull my finger to escape the internet is because we finally toned it down enough for general consumption. Distended male anuses or a woman making bad life choices in a bathtub will never escape the internet, not too far. a fun loving song like Rick Astley is perfect. I’d also question how mean it really is, pretty much every joke has a victim.
Rick Rolling never had any value. Let me summarize the premise of Rick Rolling by example:
“Excuse me, would you like $5?”
“Sure.”
“Ha ha, you’re stupid cause you believed what I said.”
Please explain the value.
Alan on
Rick Rolling works when it’s being used to make fun of specific, widespread gullibillity. The best use of Rick Rolling I saw was when there was all this to-do about the secret Michelle Obama tape — the tape that supposedly existed of her ranting against “Whitey” and that several websites were breathlessly promising would come out. Several people said they had the YouTube video of Michelle Obama’s remarks, and linked to… “Never Gonna Give You Up.” That worked because there really were a lot of people online who thought they were going to find that nonexistent tape.
If you’re just doing it to get someone’s hopes up about something that might realistically exist, then it’s just mean.
Jaime Weinman on
I submit that the TV announcers were going to read whatever words were put in front of them, confusing or not. I doubt that they had a deep understanding of Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, either.
Robert Hutchinson on
Has it taken this long for Maclean’s to notice Rickrolling is over? Yes.
Naomi on
Jaime: welcome to the internet, it IS mean. But the reason it’s the first really successful version of the hey check out what I’ve got behind this curtain, or pull my finger to escape the internet is because we finally toned it down enough for general consumption. Distended male anuses or a woman making bad life choices in a bathtub will never escape the internet, not too far. a fun loving song like Rick Astley is perfect. I’d also question how mean it really is, pretty much every joke has a victim.
Mikael C. on