Now, for some, this requires an explanation. Most of this explanation is relative to the fact that, well, the Rickroll was performed in the presence of my co-workers, who now may or may not think I'm gay. Most will never read this, but I feel compelled to explain the Rickroll for those who aren't already in the know.
It started with a Web site I will not name here, but it's a site known for hatching many of the most popular Internet memes, among them lolcats. One thing they can't take credit for, though, is the hyperlink bait-and-switch. It's all too easy to send someone a link (especially if you can disguise it through HTML code) that looks like pertinent content, but actually directs to something else. For years, people would use this approach to deliver content from a noted "shock site," something like Tubgirl or Goatse (and if you don't know, trust me, you really don't want to know).
This particular site adopted a different approach when they realized every member had seen Tubgirl, Goatse and friends. For some reason, an image of a duck on wheels became popular. Not surprisingly, it was dubbed the "duckroll." This was all well and good. Then, apparently there was some rumored release of a video game preview or a movie trailer preview on YouTube. When the initial servers couldn't handle the load, a forum poster quickly offered a YouTube mirror for everyone to watch.
Those who clicked were treated to...a music video for 1980s pop singer Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up." Surely, you know the song; it's the song that makes you envision a soulful black musician making promises of eternal faithfulness. The video, though, showcases Astley, a slim white British musician, delivering the lyrics. Couple that with the fashion and "dance moves" symbolic of the '80s, and you have a flashback like no other. The variant was labeled a "Rickroll." And with that, the practice grew quickly, even beyond the realm of its originating Web site. Rickrolling was easy to do, relatively harmless, and always good for a laugh. And the more unexpected, the better. Depending on who you ask, the trend peaked or jumped the shark when, at the 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Astley himself emerged from a parade float and lip-synched "Never Gonna Give You Up," effectively Rickrolling the parade in person. I vote for the former.
Of course, Carmine was quick to embrace the humor inherent in the Rickroll, and he labeled me as his target. The first few Rickrolls were low-key, just disguised links as they used to do things. Then, he left a CD in my car stereo with a single track, so I was greeted to "Never Gonna Give You Up" when I got ready to leave the office. While I was awaiting a call from a guy named Richard in New Jersey, Carmine gave me a message from Rick with a 973 area code. I dialed, only to find that it was Rick Astley at the other end to tell me how he'd never give me up. I've received Rickroll calls on my cell, almost always when my battery's near death. And then, this spring sometime, my friend Ashley e-mailed me a song by a new artist named Reliant Sky. I listened to the MP3, recognized the first couple notes immediately, and learned that Carmine had put Ashley up to forwarding the track along. (He also pointed out that Reliant Sky is an anagram of Rick Astley. He puts time into this.) I figured that was the peak.
Then my birthday. We always do cakes at the office, so when Carmine's mom and two co-workers were at my back with a cake, it wasn't too surprising. Then, I stood up to blow the candles out...
The cake itself was beautiful, though I can't give all the credit to Carmine. Chris had to forward his mother a good still shot of Rick from the iconic video. Stop & Shop crafted the confectionary masterpiece. And Mrs. Sarno simply executed the plan as her boys requested. The result was a flawless Happy Birthday Rickroll. But something this involved could only derive from one mind, and for that, I give mad props to Carmine.
The only problem is, it's much like when Carmine composed "Ode To Counter-Strike" at RPI. How do you top that?
Truth is, I'm a little afraid to find out.
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