rickroll – Andy writes!

This Rickroll meme is on a serious roll, well beyond the confines of viral web pranks and into the real world. It’s an interesting example of how a meme can take on a life of its own.

Here’s YouTube footage from a “rickmob” flash mob that gathered on Friday at Liverpool Street Station. CNN has picked up on the scent, commenting on how pranksters voted Rick Astley’s big ’80s hit to be the song as the New York Mets’ new theme cheer. The result: some loud “Bronx cheers” from the stadium crowd (h/t for CNN link: Eddie Merille via Twitter). There’s even a muppet rickroll (h/t: Matt Herzberger via Twitter). And t-shirt seller BustedTees hopes to cash in on the meme by offering a Rick Roll’d t-shirt.

I even tried my hand at a rickroll during the recent CASE conference, inserting this chart (among other joke slides) into a presentation on measurement and analytics. (Click image for larger version.)