Evidently, this collection of “tubes” that we call the Internet has gone Rick Astley crazy lately. “Rick rolling” is an Internet fad that just doesn’t want to die. In case you haven’t had the “pleasure” of being Rick rolled yet, here’s how it works: someone will post a link on a blog, message board or web site under false pretenses. The text will tell you that the link goes to a funny news story, a YouTube video or something of interest. However, when you click on the link, your browser window it is immediately resized and loads the music video for Rick Astley’s 1980s-era hit “Never Gonna’ Give You Up.”
Not only that, but the video itself jumps around on your computer screen, making it nearly impossible to click it away. Once the video stops moving around (it takes about 30 seconds), you find that trying to close the video only opens a series of Windows warning messages, containing the lyrics to the entire song — one line at a time! The point of this, of course, is to make you sit through the entire video, in all of its 80s long-dustered, spiky-haired glory.
Technically, the “Rick roll” is very similar to a computer virus or spyware, except that it usually has no malicious intent other than subjecting you to listening to — and watching — the Rick Astley video in its entirety. The prank of “Rick rolling” people has spread all over the Internet, and become very popular on YouTube, among other sites.
As with every Web trend, individuals have created their own unique twist on “Rick rolling,” and there is even a Muppet version of the “Rick roll,” and a “reverse Rick roll,” which plays the video both forwards and backwards. Oh brother!
The phenomena of “Rick rolling” has become so popular that as an April fools prank this year, YouTube redirected every video on their site — millions of them — to the Rick Astley “Never Gonna’ Give You Up” video, fooling millions of Web surfers on April 1st.
But how does Rick Astley feel about the “Rick roll” fad sweeping the Internet? In an interview, Ashley said he finds the phenomena “funny,” but that he also understood how it could be the pretty “annoying” to many people. Overall, the baritone pop crooner appears to be taking this new fad in stride and with a good sense of humor.
Having recently returned to the music business after nearly a decade away to focus on being a dad, Astley now finds his popularity growing immensely — especially online. The singer recently released an album of cover versions of soulful classics, and is touring Europe and the United States. Prepare to be “Rick rolled” in person when Astley arrives at a venue near you.
