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The internet meme known as Rickrolling has finally come of age — and spawned a sequel. At more than 6 months old — an eternity in internet years — it’s proven more durable than most memes. Even Rick Astley himself is sick of it (according to a spokeperson, Rick’s “done talking about Rickrolling”) and a recent Firefox update includes a “Rickroll protection filter.” The “Never Gonna Give You Up” video on YouTube has garnered more than 10 million views. For all intents and purposes, it seemed like the Rickroll had done its time, and the world had moved on — Spaghetti Cat and the LOLrus had taken its place. It was time for the Rickroll to go quietly into that good night.
That was before the Barackroll hit the scene. And it must be seen to be believed.
In the tradition of the Rickroll, the Barackroll cannot live in a vacuum. Half the fun of the Rickroll was watching it be unleashed on people IRL — people at basketball games, anchors on news broadcasts, even on unsuspecting Scientologists during protests. So it was only a matter of time before someone got Barackrolled in public — and who could be a more natural target than his arch-rival, John McCain? Watch and be amazed!
(That’s what you get for giving a speech in front of a bluescreen!)
Comments (9)
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My word, that McCain video was uncomfortable to watch (even as a non-supporter). Then I thought, wait, I think this just might have been on the news had it really happened. Then I caught the bluescreen reference.
I’m a little slow this morning, but I sure was shocked until I figured it out. Brilliantly done.
posted by EV on 10-20-2008 at 7:56 am
You make it sound like McCain really got Barackroll’d at the convention, but I believe that is a clever digital trickery…that is what I gather from the creator’s blog. He’s pretty talented!
posted by Gretchen on 10-20-2008 at 7:58 am
That is soooo funny!
I love the YouTube generation, you can never get away with anything anymore, and if you give enough speeches you can apparently be made up to rickroll someone!
Great job on the video editing, it’s McCain’s fault for looking grumpy at his own convention. I’d guess the Barack backdrop won’t be the last one somebody will digitally put back there.
Do you think these guys were waiting around with a checklist of words looking for Obama to say? Strangers… aching… commitments…
posted by Dave on 10-20-2008 at 9:58 am
Genius!!! If only, if only this could happen at an actual McCain rally in the closing days of the election. But I guess they don’t travel with bluescreens.
posted by Southern Buddhist on 10-20-2008 at 11:35 am
Awesome cuts!
posted by Johnny Cat on 10-20-2008 at 11:52 am
Yeah…looks like that was some fancy photo-shop and video editing and didn’t really happen live, but it would have been pretty funny.
Pretty sure that’s actually footage from the RNC, after those protesters broke in? Maybe?
posted by Jenna on 10-20-2008 at 12:04 pm
Well done sir. I had yet to see that Barackrolled video that everyone had been talking about. Whoever made the second video pulled the perfect John McCain facial expressions, haha.
posted by JB on 10-20-2008 at 2:01 pm
Haha, I had seen the Barackroll, but the McCain video is amazing. (I didn’t get the impression that the video was being passed off as a real event.)
posted by Jodi on 10-20-2008 at 4:36 pm
A friend saw this and was gullible enough to consider and even believe that this was real. Really people?? C’mon.
It’s funny and they did a great job with it. It’s been out a month though; MF is a little slow..
posted by Rick on 10-21-2008 at 1:36 pm