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'Friday' tops 2011 YouTube most-watched list

YouTube's list of the most-watched videos of the year tips its hat to the likes of Rebecca Black, a talking dog, and a pint-size Darth Vader.

Amanda Kooser
Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.
Amanda Kooser
Rebecca Black
Rebecca Black is the reigning queen of YouTube. Fun, fun, fun, fun. Rebecca Black

I have to confess that I'm not among the nearly 200 million viewers who have indulged in YouTube's most-watched video of 2011: Rebecca Black's "Friday" music video.

Hold on a sec, I'm going to go check it out... OK, I'm back. Someone, please get it out of my head. It hurts.

Ultimate Dog Tease video
This poor pooch was short a few treats, but had plenty of YouTube views. Video screenshot by Amanda Kooser/CNET

According to YouTube's list of the most-watched videos of 2011, the runner-up for most-watched vid of belongs to a four-legged creature. "Ultimate Dog Tease" features a talking pooch being teased by an owner listing a variety of tantalizing meats. That one racked up almost 75 million views.

The rest of the list includes viral hits like "Saturday Night Live" music videos, Nyan cat, a "Star Wars"-themed Volkswagen ad, and a momma cat hugging a kitten.

YouTube also revealed its list of fastest-rising search terms. Ted Williams, the homeless man with the golden radio voice, took the top spot for January. More recently, Skyrim buzzed up a storm in November.

Many years in the future, cultural anthropologists will look back at the 2011 YouTube list and come to the conclusion that we were a "Star Wars"-obsessed, tone-deaf society with a penchant for anthropomorphic animals. Sounds pretty accurate to me.