The Astley Paradox
An internet joke about asking Rick Astley for the film Up and treating either possible answer as a broken promise from his best-known song.
Context
The joke plays on different meanings of the words in the song “Never Gonna Give You Up”. Handing over a copy of Up seems to contradict one promise, while refusing seems to contradict another.
Its apparent contradiction comes from wordplay between giving someone a film and giving up on a person.
Examples
- Someone asks Rick Astley to lend them Up, then claims that either lending it or refusing will defeat the promises in the song.