Editor's Note: The end of 2012 is upon us (also the end of the world, if you believe in that sort of thing), so we thought we'd put a cap on things by sharing some of our personal favorite shows, albums, events and general shenanigans. Join us as we indulge in some navel-gazing!
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Once upon a time, I designed websites for the advertising arm of a daily newspaper empire. And what did I put on those high-cost Geocities clones, right beside the blinky text and pixelated logos? Animated GIFs, mofos. Back in 1999, this was a BIG DEAL in capital letters, and I was so happy to be part of it that I pissed rainbows everyday.
Unfortunately, animated GIFs fell out of fashion in the 2000s, and I moved onto boring stuff like telling people what to do with semicolons. But when the crazy social media people took over during the past few years and began sharing any moving images that featured sparkles and celebrities, the GIF made its triumphant return. And I was like Bono hopping across a stage.
Check out a few of my favorite motion blurs involving song -- but please, no more "Gangnam Style."
When I want to teach children how it's done on the East Side:
Remember when Miley "Don't Call Me 'Hannah Montana'" Cyrus was invited to perform on a kids' awards show? And remember when she shimmied down a pole and squatted on a platform? And remember when the entire nation gasped at once? That was fun.
When I want to have the best press conference:
Why the hell don't musicians take their cues from the Beatles and bring some whimsy to their mandatory appearances? You could announce that you're taking a firm stance against bunnies, and get away just fine because everyone would concentrate only on your adorableness.
When I'm just bein' Miley:
You know, I have a couple of minor issues with Lady Gaga -- her music is simply okay for pop and she craves provocative attention -- but this woman completely owns her personality, and I fully respect that.
