Anyone who thinks TV news traffic reports are just dry slabs of information has never caught Bob Herzog on "Good Morning Cincinnati." Yes, it's true that he helps direct viewers around potential tie-ups and bumps in the road, but he does it with a very particular flair, channeling Tom Petty lyrics when necessary (instead of the lyrics to "Free Fallin'," he sings "tree fallen" in the road, to help drivers avoid a blockage). 

And then there's his "Dance Party Friday," where producers have apparently let him have a free hand with content; here, he transforms into a song-and-dance man who'll do just about anything on camera, including channeling Elton John (to the tune of "Rocket Man," he croons, "And I think there's gonna be a long long line of cars as you try to get to work on time," adding, "I'm the Traffic Man") and donning costumes (cowboy, a wig, and a succession of skirts), all while shaking his bon-bon to songs such as "What's New Pussycat?" and "Celebration."

It's clearly no act; as Herzog notes on his Facebook page, "My flux capacitor is always fluxing," referencing "Back to the Future."

Herzog has gone mostly unheralded outside Ohio, but now he's gone viral by uploading two compilations of some of his best "Dance Party" moments. Traffic reports -- and local news -- may never be the same again. At least, until a cat wanders onto the set.

Check out the videos, and dig into more on Herzog's YouTube channel!

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This year, we discovered it was possible to mash up wildly divergent parts of pop culture (Cookie Monster and The Dark Knight), or pretend we were riding horses ("Gangnam Style" tributes) or just watch a cat spin on a turntable. And then we sent those videos around. Everywhere. To everyone.

In case you missed some of the year's great viral videos, we've compiled a list of our favorites.

(Note: Some of the videos may have adult language, or situations.)

Movies

Darth Vader visits Disneyland, rides teacups

Okay, so it was part of a big ad campaign following Disney’s acquisition of George Lucas’ space opera epic -- but that didn’t make the mashup of Lord Vader with the Happiest Place on Earth any less hilarious. Thanks to cheap editing software and a prevailing geek ethic, virals featuring comic book characters/movie franchise heroes (Batman Gets Lost Thanks to Apple Maps) and straight-up Pixar favorites (“Toy Story” toys burn up in family prank on Mom) were among the most popular this year. And let’s not forget the mashups: Prepare for your holiday travel with the Scariest Flights from Films in One Supercut and then calm your nerves by watching 250 Movies in 2 Minutes.

TV

Downton Tabby

Popular TV shows were ripe for parody. PBS’s “Downton Abbey” offered the most fertile ground for hilarity, from the use of cats (see above) to subbing in a former Will Smith character (The Fresh Prince of “Downton Abbey”). “Breaking Bad” also was popular for mixologists, who blended the meth-making characters with a pop tune (Taylor Swift Takes “Breaking Bad” Turn). Sometimes multiple shows got mashed together, as in Don Draper Eats Brains on “Walking Dead Mad Men.” And wouldn’t “Game of Thrones” be even more interesting if, instead of swords, they borrowed from "Star Wars"? (“Game of Thrones” with Lightsabers.)

PBS

Happy Little Trees Grow Again in Bob Ross video

If “Downton Abbey” held a warm place in many readers’ hearts, nostalgia for PBS and Muppet-related programming was white-hot. Gentle painter Bob Ross was able to paint again, while singing, thanks to auto-tune (see video above), a connection was forged between Cookie Monster and Batman (Video Proves Dark Knight is Secretly Cookie Monster), and the Muppets welcomed “The Voice’s” Cee Lo into their homes (Muppets Join Cee Lo on “All I Need Is Love” video). 

Music

USA Olympic Swimming Team’s “Call Me Maybe” Tribute

U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen Go “Gangnam Style”

A newcomer to the U.S. must think everyone is out there dancing (or galloping) in the streets 24/7, thanks to the flood of “Gangnam Style” and “Call Me Maybe” tribute videos. (The original "Gangnam Style" video itself hit 1 billion views on Dec. 21.) Among the most-watched of these videos here at TODAY.com were the Olympic Swimming Team’s tribute to the Carly Rae Jepsen song and the Naval Academy’s take on “Gangnam Style.” Ohio University’s band also got into the “Gangnam” act, as did Hugh Jackman when singer PSY visited the “Wolverine” set, and clever editors managed to get both Klingons and Bill Nye in on the Korean pop sensation. Even the president got in on it, unwittingly, thanks to auto-tune and some clever editing, as his “version” of “Call Me Maybe” proves.

Kids

Autistic child ballerina dances her way into viewers' hearts with viral video

Songs are funny but kids are gold: One of our most popular stories of the entire year came from the video of an autistic child ballerina going through her steps in perfect precision with a pro. Katy Perry also stepped up to the mic with a little girl who had autism and sang with her onstage. And lest anyone think all kids can do is sing, it turns out they can also kick a little butt, as the “Dragon Baby” video showed in graphic (hey, stuffing is just pouring out of that toy’s wound!) detail. 

Cats and Dogs

Cat Wanders Into Weather Report

Cats don’t care. They just do their thing. And sometimes, when they do, a camera captures their awesome indifference. Another one of the year’s top clicks went to the kitty who wandered onto Univision’s Miami news set as Eduardo Rodriguez read out the weather; the crew just couldn’t stop laughing, but at no time did Rodriguez break a sweat. A cat also delighted readers with its ride on a record player, and to be fair to canines, the much-clicked sight of actor Kevin Bacon diving into a pool with his pet pit bull Lucy was also hugely popular.

So what was your favorite viral video of the past year? What did we miss? Let us know on Facebook!

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It seems everyone with a cell phone and a wedding invite has uploaded some sort of video documenting the hijinx that go on before, during or after the "I do's." We couldn't resist making sure this band's offering was part of the mix.

Gawker points to a clip uploded by YouTube user CaptainVibe in which the wedding band sneaks Metallica's "Enter Sandman" into the reception mix by cloaking it in smooth, decidedly non-heavy-metal Bossa nova tones.

The bandmembers can hardly keep a straight face as they play the song. And if you know it well enough, it's tough not to sing along in your own head, but with an extra-jazzy voice. "Exxxxiiiiit liiiiiiight, enterrrrrr niiiiiight ..." And, quick, while you're in that space, go back and listen to this version.

In so far as injecting Metallica into your wedded bliss goes, CaptainVibe's effort is certainly fun. But all due respect in that category must be paid to this wedding party, where the bride hopped behind the drums for "Master of Puppets."

For all the reasons to bang your head throughout a marriage, why not just start there?

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Beyonce fans may not be cut from the same cloth as fans of "The Benny Hill Show," but here's to hoping both sides can appreciate this video spoof of the singer's "Single Ladies."

Proving that just about anything is funny when sped up and set to the sounds of "Yakety Sax," watch how Beyonce's moves from the iconic video sync with the rapid-fire music.

It's all rather fitting considering the classic British comedy and its star paid so much attention to the single ladies in every week's episode.

Now, go watch Beyonce's original version. And practice that hand-turn move before you do any New Year's Eve dancing. It's way easier than the hip-shaking.

Hat tip to BuzzFeed for pointing out the Reddit find.

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The Killers keep making headlines with their video releases, but while their last one had a Christmas theme, the latest, "Here With Me," might be better suited for Halloween.

Directed by Tim Burton, it was filmed in the British resort town of Blackpool, according to Rolling Stone and -- oh, yeah, features Winona Ryder as the odd love interest of a young man. 

"The first time I saw The Killers perform live was in Blackpool, UK shortly after completing work on our first collaboration, the music video for 'Bones,'" wrote Burton in a post on the band's website. "When I heard the song 'Here With Me' I remembered seeing a wax figure of Winona in Louis Tussaud's Waxworks in Blackpool. The concept of the video is inspired by the 1935 film 'Mad Love,' starring Peter Lorre, as well as the works of Mario Bava."

Still, high-minded or not, Ryder (who appeared in Burton's 1990 film "Edward Scissorhands" and 1988's "Beetlejuice") does a dead-on, dead-eyed mannequin imitation. (Among a few other roles -- including a diner filled with Winonas.)

Check out the video!

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Don't you hate it when a clicky jingle gets stuck in your head? How about getting it stuck there in a dozen musical styles? New York singer Mia Gentile turned one of those addictive little commercial tunes into magic with her twist on the ubiquitous Stanley Steemer carpet-cleaning ad.

You know the jingle: "Call 1-800 STEEMER, Stanley Steemer gets carpet cleaner!" That's it. That's the whole shebang. But in Gentile's professionally trained voice, it comes out as a twangy country tune, a smoldering jazz song, a poodle-skirted 1950s romp and more.

"This all started as a voiceover demo," Gentile told TODAY. "I had the idea to take one jingle and do it in a number of different musical genres to show my vocal versatility. I picked Stanley Steemer because it is one that I've heard SO many times over the course of my life, and I knew that others have, too. Recognizable, simple, fun to play with musically. My musician friend Roger Klug played all the instruments, recorded and edited the music tracks, and composed the jingle variations."

Mia Gentile / YouTube

Mia Gentile gives the Stanley Steemer jingle a new twist, or ten.

Gentile changes from formal gowns to a punkish mini-dress to a flamenco look. She sings the jingle in operatic fashion one minute, Joan Jett-style the next. For her flamenco number, she even sings in Spanish. ("Uno Ochocientos Stanley Steemer!") She dances, kicks, slinks and even goes goth.

"I loved doing every single character," Gentile told TODAY, saying she "cha cha'd (her) booty off" for the Latin music-accented tune, and "had a romping good time doing the Avril (Lavigne) video," in which she throws pillows, stomps around, and acts like "a Brat on Wheels."

"Roger and I imagined this kooky nobody girl who plays dress-up in her bedroom in front of a camera," she said. "After a day of filming and a bunch of editing, we came to realize that the girl wasn't a persona, it was me."

Gentile and Klug hoped the video would help her find an agent and some new career opportunities, but were overwhelmed with the positive response.

"When we first unleashed the video, one of the universal responses was, 'You've got to get this on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show,'" Gentile told TODAY. "But so far, Ellen hasn't called."

Stanley Steemer hasn't either, though they did post the video on the company's Facebook page with a positive comment. And Gentile admits she doesn't have an actual use for their product. "I don't even have any carpets to clean," she told TODAY. "I am a poor NYC artist trying to make it on Broadway."

What do you think of the video? Tell us on Facebook.

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Maybe the cat was a wannabe DJ, scratching the spinning Bob Marley record to add additional sounds. Maybe he was no fan of the late reggae legend's "Is This Love?" and was eager to switch the music to "Could You Be Loved?" or "Three Little Birds" instead.

But more likely, he was a cat fascinated with a spinning disc who got a little more than he bargained for.

The cat comes upon what appears to be "Legend," a collection of Marley's greatest hit singles, and starts to paw the spinning record, making the needle jump songs.

His fascination continues, and after a suspicious editing cut, he's suddenly completely sitting on the record, spinning right round, baby, right round. (We're wondering if his owner picked him up and set him on the album, as he didn't seem coordinated enough to make that leap alone.)

YouTube viewers had a great time in the video's comments. "Go home cat, you are drunk," wrote one. Some were appalled that the owner would let their pet ruin a vinyl record. One felt that the owner was abusing the cat by letting him (or her) get dizzy by spinning around on the album.

Corbo / YouTube

Kitty takes a spin.

And others thought the cat had a career in music ahead. "Someone get that cat a hoodie and a glowstick," wrote one fan. "And maybe some Dramamine."

Even the Marley family got a kick out of this little bit of cat scratch fever. 1Love.org, a movement started by the Marleys to raise charitable donations, tweeted out a link to the Huffington Post's take on the video with the caption, "The feline remix!"

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YouTube

Britney Spears moves her hands around her head.

No one will ever accuse Britney Spears or will.i.am of being lyrical geniuses, but as their new single went to No. 1 on iTunes this week and the video for "Scream & Shout" goes viral, we had to ask: Is this really all fans want from their pop stars?

The nearly 5-minute dance track plays like a forgotten sample from a Black Eyed Peas song, with Britney doing the Fergie talkie parts in what some are hearing as a pseudo-British accent. That's British, as in England. Not Britnish, as in Louisiana.

The whole thing comes off so visually lazy. More than 3 million people have watched Britney stand still, lie down and half-heartedly vogue. For his part, will.i.am puts his hands to his mouth. Oh! He's shouting. The 853 million people who have made "Gangnam Style" the most watched YouTube video ever are shouting, too. Because it's fun to watch!

It's 2012, so we gave up the why-does-everything-have-to-be-AutoTuned fight years ago. And we're still young enough to know about da club and the music played there, even if we can't stay awake long enough to go dance. But Britney and will are saying NOTHING, and this "Get off my lawn!" rant is for all those who still prefer a song that says SOMETHING.

The princess of pop -- who turns 31 on Sunday -- has had six No. 1 albums over her career. She ranks seventh on Forbes' list of 2012's highest-paid musicians -- $58 million in record sales, touring, endorsements and more. In the '90s, songs like "... Baby One More Time" and "Oops! ... I Did It Again" may not have said anything earth-shattering on their way to No. 1, but compared to "Scream & Shout" ...

"... Baby One More Time":
My loneliness is killin' me / I must confess I still believe / When I'm not with you I lose my mind / Give me a sign, hit me baby one more time."

"Scream & Shout":
"Everybody in the club / all eyes on us / all eyes on us / all eyes on us."

Listen for yourself right here (and turn it down if you don't want to blast a couple naughty words):

Granted, it's a will.i.am song and Britney is apparently along for a lyrical ride that only includes telling you to turn this [expletive] up because it's her, [expletive]. But we're such a long way from choreography that brought us the pigtailed schoolgirl here, or the Martian in red leather over here. Why does Britney make dance music if she doesn't even dance anymore?

In a time when 13-year-old Rebecca Black gets a major Internet beat-down for singing about a day of the week, international superstars will.i.am and Britney Spears are screaming and shouting about much less.

Tell us how you like the song. Vote in the attached poll!

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Cee Lo Green. Muppets. What more do you need? Well, according to "The Voice" coach and musician, "All I Need Is Love," the title track to the awesome music video in which he stars alongside everyone's favorite cloth creatures.

The video, which popped up Monday on YouTube via PitchforkTV, features Cee Lo pulling up in front of the Muppet house (dressed in an odd, if festive, red pleather coat) after getting lost on his way to an Atlanta Christmas party. Naturally, the Muppets invite him in and chaos (including flying fish and the appearance of Santa, played by "The Office's" Craig Robinson) ensues. Other things to look for include:

• a smartphone Kermit case held by Walter (of last year's "The Muppets")
• the Muppets' "Mahna Mahna" tune sampled in
• a Muppet of Cee Lo himself
• a possible recreation of the Last Supper in one scene (suggested by Lee Mills at MySpace)

It's a ripping good nearly seven minutes (be sure to stick around for the credits, with more Muppet mania), and just the way to kick off the holiday season. (And for those who want the song all by itself, it's from Green's "Cee Lo's Magic Moment" Christmas album.)

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Tuesday night, President Barack Obama won another four years in office, which means someone else also just got re-elected: Fadi Saleh, the genius behind BaracksDubs, will now have a second term to keep producing hilarious, quick-cut videos of the president "singing" to popular tunes.

And Saleh, a 19-year-old biochemistry major, is wasting no time; last night, he posted his first post-election mash-up of clips from Obama speeches married with MC Hammer's 1990 hit "U Can't Touch This."

In the short video, Obama may look presidential at the podium, standing in front of numerous cheering crowds, but thanks to the terrific editing and vocal tweaks, he gets down and funky, even removing his jacket at one point and uttering "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots" randomly at the end.

Check it out!

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Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

President Barack Obama says he might be able to do Psy's "Gangnam Style" moves.

The virus known as "Gangnam Style" has spread all the way to the Oval Office.

More from Rolling Stone: Breaking down Psy's 'Gangnam Style' video

During an Election Day interview with New Hampshire radio station WZID-FM, Barack Obama was asked about the sensation sparked by K-Pop star Psy, whose "Gangnam Style" video is up to nearly 660 million views on YouTube as of Tuesday (the song itself has been perched at Number Two on Billboard's Hot 100 for weeks).

"I just saw that video for the first time, and I think I can do that move," said Obama, referring to the horse-dance move that Psy performs throughout the clip. Asked whether he would do the "Gangnam Style" dance if he is reelected president, Obama said, "I'm not sure that the inauguration ball is the appropriate time to break that out," then suggested an alternative. "You know, maybe do it privately for Michelle."

More from Rolling Stone: 'Gangnam Style' is all the rage

Obama has been chiming in on pop culture hot topics – from Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj's "American Idol" feud to his friendship with Jay-Z and Beyoncé – during radio interviews throughout the campaign.

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Got two minutes? So long as you don't have a problem with the strobe effect, you can quickly view clips of IMDB.com's top 250 films, expertly mashed together with clever, stuttery editing and a soundtrack that also mashes up music from The Beatles, Joan Jett, House of Pain and Cypress Hill.

You'll see Tom Hanks dancing on the "Big" keyboard," the famed "not going to take it anymore" anchor eruption from "Network," and young Jenny encouraging Forrest to run, among other snippets.

(Warning: Brief profanity.)

Here's the list (which does change frequently), but see what films you recognize without cross-referencing. Check it out now!

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