Thanksgiving parade gets a live 'Rickroll'
The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York got "Rickrolled" on Thursday.
If you weren't watching the parade live or on TV, you probably saw the mass influx of Twitter messages: '80s pop singer Rick Astley, whose cheesy song "Never Gonna Give You Up" became the center of a corny Internet meme called "Rickrolling,", gave a surprise performance. "Rickrolling" originally started as tricking someone into clicking on a link to the "Never Gonna Give You Up" music video by claiming it was something else, like a highly anticipated movie trailer.
From what about a zillion Twitterers said, Astley emerged from a parade float sponsored by cable channel Cartoon Network, and started singing "Never Gonna Give You Up" live. The singer was recently honored at the MTV Europe Awards, but contrary to rumors, he did not perform.
Qik user Steve Garfield streamed the whole thing. Click here for a video (embedded above).
Singer Jonathan Coulton reacts to the 'live Rickroll' at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
(Credit: Twitter)
Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos. E-mail Caroline. 
"Cheesy" and "corny". Well, I guess all of us can't live up to your sophisticated taste in music. It must really be cool to be you.
Then, 20 years of peace went by, Rick Astley went away, and all of a sudden I get Rick Rolled one day. Thinking "well, this will go away fast" I was then bombarded with 9,000 new forms of Rick Rolling, all topped off by his performance in the damn parade.
I hate this song, perhaps more then any other song ever, it's something visceral that I can't even explain, and this is the song that comes back. Out of all the cheesy, corny 80s garbage, the cheesiest, worst one comes back to haunt me.
Why God?
...ugh..
But brilliant geek move by The Cartoon Network (if not a couple months old)
Believe me, my son watches too much of that cartoon on Cartoon Network that I know it. They even have video games based on it at cartoonnetwork.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXJnOjAGR24
If he didn't suck so badly, I would feel sorry for him.
Oh yeah, like in Rick's time? Do you even remember Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, or Iron Maiden?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TiQCJXpbKg&feature=related
"Out of all the cheesy, corny 80s garbage, the cheesiest, worst one comes back to haunt me.
Why God?"
Don't question God. He couldn't care less about a simple minded twit like you.
Comments people, why are you taking this so seriously? Just have a bit of fun, why don't you.
- by jachamp November 30, 2008 7:24 PM PST
- "I think Britney would have been more appropriate on that float"
- Reply to this comment
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(27 Comments)uhm...only if the float had been sponsored by a:
1) Psychiatric hospital
2) Twinkies
3) An alcohol manufacturer
4) A mobile home company
5) The RIAA
6) A cigarette manufacturer
7) All of the above