[7], In January 2019, the video game Jesus Strikes Back: Judgment Day was released, which allows players to play as Pepe the Frog, among other figures, and murder various target groups including feminists, minorities, and liberals. [6], Pepe was used in blog posts on Myspace and became an in-joke on Internet forums. "I understand that it's out of my control, but in the end, Pepe is whatever you say he is, and I, the creator, say that Pepe is love.". Feels bad, man", "Russian Embassy Posts Pepe The Frog Meme, A White Supremacist Hate Symbol, According To ADL", "The Russian government just tweeted an image of a white supremacist frog", "White nationalist Richard Spencer punched during interview", "Pepe's creator comments on alt-right leader Richard Spencer getting punched", "Exclusive: The Creator of Pepe the Frog Is Voting for Hillary", "Pepe the Frog Creator Matt Furie Pens New Comic Showing Pepe's Alt-Right Nightmare", "Pepe the Frog creator's new Trump comic captures the horror of the 2016 election", "Pepe the Frog 'is killed off to avoid being a hate symbol, "Pepe lives! [87] The record gained attention from the group in September 2016 because of the name of the group (P.E.P.E) and art on the record depicting a frog holding a magic wand. As Matt Furie conceived him, Pepe the Frog was mellow, harmless and likable. [86] Benjamin claimed that Kekistanis could technically classify as an ethnic group for the British census, and contacted the Office for National Statistics to request that it be added,[88] but was unsuccessful. [93][94], Hong Kong protestors began to use depictions of Pepe the Frog as a symbol of liberty and resistance against the extradition bill and police brutality in the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests. The cartoonist who created Pepe the Frog has killed off the character in a rebuke to far-right extremists who transformed a benevolent internet meme into a racist, anti-Semitic symbol. [25][26] The Anti-Defamation League, an American organization opposed to antisemitism, included Pepe in its hate symbol database but wrote that most instances of Pepe were not used in a hate-related context. [77], Kekistan is a fictional country created by 4chan members that has become a political meme and online movement. [6][11], In the comic, Pepe is seen urinating with his pants pulled down to his ankles and the catchphrase "feels good man" was his rationale. ", "How Pepe the Frog Became a Nazi Trump Supporter and Alt-Right Symbol", "Donald Trump, Pepe the frog, and white supremacists: an explainer", "Hillary Clinton attacks Donald Trump for posting Pepe the Frog meme", "Pepe the Frog meme is now on the ADL's hate symbol database. Furie has welcomed the use of Pepe by Hong Kong protesters. New images of Pepe the Frog surfaced showing Pepe with an injured eye after a young female first aider got her eye gouged by a projectile thrown by police and spurred a new protest campaign called "An eye for an eye". [52] "Esoteric Kekism" references the "Esoteric Hitlerism" of writer Savitri Devi. "Before Pepe the Frog was a meme designated a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League, he began his life as a blissfully stoned frog in my comic book Boy's Club where he … Each comic is sacred, and the compassion of my readers transcends any differences, the pain, and fear of 'feeling good'. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Initially self-published, the book was subsequently published by Post Hill Press. Most people who have seen images of the now-infamous Pepe the Frog probably wouldn’t describe him that way. [90][91] There is some disagreement around the specifics of Groyper: it is alternatively said to be a depiction of the Pepe character,[91] a different character from Pepe but of the same species,[92] or a toad. [12][13] Furie took those posts down when the printed edition was published in 2006. In 2019, Pepe was used by protesters in the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests. In 2005, Matt Furie—then in his early 20s— created a comic book called Boys Club in which a cartoon frog named Pepe acted out the dumb, laid-back … PROTIP: Press the ← and → keys to navigate the gallery, 'g' to view the gallery, or 'r' to view a random image. ", "The Strange Internet Journey of Pepe The 'Chilled-Out Stoner Frog, "4chan's Pepe the Frog is bigger than ever—and his creator feels good, man", "Tumblr's Biggest Meme of 2015 Was Pepe the Frog", "We Asked The Art World How Much Rare Pepes Are Going For", "4chan's Frog Meme Went Mainstream, So They Tried to Kill It", "Pepe the Frog creator wins $15,000 settlement against Infowars", "Pepe the Frog meme branded a 'hate symbol, "Pepe the Frog's Creator Talks Making Zine History", "The Creator of Pepe the Frog Talks About Making Comics in the Post-Meme World", "This guy created the frog meme that's all over the internet — here's why he's 'kinda pissed off, "Read This: Could images of 4chan's 'sad frog' meme actually be worth money? "@codyave: @drudgereport @BreitbartNews @Writeintrump "You Can't Stump the Trump" https://t.co/0xITB7XeJV pic.twitter.com/iF6S05se2w". [44], Until September 2018, Social media service Gab used a Pepe-like illustration of a frog (named "Gabby") as its logo. Since late 2016, the satirical ethnicity of Kekistan has been used by U.S.-based alt-right protesters opposed to what they view as political correctness. [94], A 2020 documentary, Feels Good Man, relates the story of Pepe's origins and co-option by the alt-right, and Furie's attempts to regain control over his creation. That poor man did not know the can of worms he just opened. [27][9] In January 2017, in a response to "pundits" calling on Theresa May to disrupt Trump's relationship with Russia, the Russian Embassy in the United Kingdom tweeted an image of Pepe. Pepe became a tongue-in-cheek symbol of the "alt-right" fringe movement and its loosely connected brand of white nationalism, neo-Nazism and anti-immigration. "The artist isn't in control of his work once it enters the culture in the way it has," Spencer said. [43] The book's author, a vice-principal with the Denton Independent School District, was reassigned after the publicity. “Boys Club” resembled many aspects of his life, especially his friends. [8][19] Later in the election, Roger Stone and Donald Trump Jr. posted a parody movie poster of The Expendables on Twitter and Instagram titled "The Deplorables", a play on Hillary Clinton's controversial phrase "basket of deplorables", which included Pepe's face among those of members of the Trump family and other figures popular among the alt-right. Pepe the Frog (/ˈpɛpeɪ/) is an Internet meme consisting of a green anthropomorphic frog with a humanoid body. But internet trolls hijacked the character and began flooding social media with hateful Pepe memes more than a year before the 2016 presidential election. Pepe the Frog also took off after pop singer Katy Perry tweeted the following as a "sad frog" meme: Australian jet lag got me like pic.twitter.com/kriAAd6mZe. Pin Tweet Shop the Meme. [95] Furie responded in an email with a protester, stating "This is great news! Matt Furie with a great single page send-off. [40], In June 2017, a proposed app and Flappy Bird clone called "Pepe Scream" was rejected from the Apple App Store due to its depiction of Pepe the Frog. By now, you probably know about Pepe’s topsy-turvy genesis. [4][5][6], In the 2010s, the character's image was appropriated as a symbol of the alt-right movement, as well as by white supremacists. [7] The Anti-Defamation League included Pepe in its hate symbol database in 2016, but said most instances of Pepe were not used in a hate-related context. It is based on the meaning of the word Pepe: 'To go Pepe'. The progenitor of Boy's Club was a zine Furie made on Microsoft Paint called Playtime, which included Pepe as a character. #freecomicbookday #mattfurie https://t.co/lKGUL9lmyd pic.twitter.com/qhngOyoVPV. These images, sometimes as physical paintings,[15][16] were sold on eBay and posted on Craigslist. Previous: View Gallery Random Image: [52] This deity, in turn, was associated with Pepe the Frog on internet forums. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Furie stated that he would continue to "enforce his copyrights aggressively to make sure nobody else is profiting off associating Pepe the Frog with hateful imagery. Pepe the Frog was created by American artist and cartoonist Matt Furie in 2005. [80][87] Kekistanis have also adopted Internet personality Gordon Hurd (in his "Big Man Tyrone" persona) as their president and the 1986 Italo disco record "Shadilay" as a national anthem. [20], Also during the election, various news organizations reported associations of the character with white nationalism and the alt-right. [2][6] 4chan users referred to those who used the meme outside the website as "normies" (or "normalfags"). In 2008, the page containing Pepe and the catchphrase was scanned and uploaded to 4chan's /b/ board, which has been described as the meme's "permanent home". The original artist of the pepe the frog character has killed him off. In the Hong Kong context, Pepe the Frog is not perceived as being connected with far-right ideology. No, They're Not Alt-Right", "青蛙Pepe曾被指極右象徵 今常見香港示威現場 創作者咁回應…", "Pepe青蛙成逆權運動文宣～網民去信告知原作者，原作者：「Pepe for the people！」", "Hong Kong protesters transform alt-right Pepe the Frog into pro-democracy symbol", "Sundance 2020: Spree, Feels Good Man | Sundance | Roger Ebert", "Pepe the Frog Creator: I'm Reclaiming Him. A Pepe cartoon released Saturday in comic book stores shows Matt Furie's creation in an open casket. [62][63][64][65] The phrase is widely used[52] and 4chan users see Kek as the "'god' of memes". [96][97] In the Hong Kong context, Pepe the Frog is not perceived as being connected with far-right ideology. The suit was settled out of court in August 2017, with terms including the withdrawal of the book from publication and the profits being donated to the nonprofit Council on American-Islamic Relations. [52][68] Kek references are closely associated with Trump and the alt-right. [86][87] Self-identified Kekistanis have created a fictional history around the meme, including the invasion and overthrow of other fictional countries such as "Normistan" and "Cuckistan". "This whole Pepe co-opting experience has been pretty rough on Matt as an independent artist," Cohen said. [79] The name is a portmanteau of "kek" and the suffix "-stan", a common Central Asian country suffix. The app's developer, under the name "MrSnrhms", posted a screenshot of his rejection letter on /r/The Donald. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Matt Furie BOY'S CLUB #1 Original 2006 Teenage Dinosaur RARE Pepe Frog VF at the best online prices at eBay! "The Republicans have an elephant. Its four anthropomorphic roomies parodied his own “post-college zone” of … The slack-jawed frog was originally created by artist Matt Furie in 2005 as part of the zine “Boy’s Club.”The comic revolves around the absurd, marijuana-fueled antics of Pepe and his crew ― Andy, Brett and Landwolf. on 4chan, as if he had the ability to influence reality through Internet memes. One comic in particular featured Pepe urinating with his pants pushed all … [3] Different types of Pepe include "Sad Frog", "Smug Frog", "Angry Pepe", "Feels Frog", and "You will never..." Frog. [41][42], A children's book appropriating the Pepe character, The Adventures of Pepe and Pede, advanced "racist, Islamophobic and hate-filled themes", according to a federal lawsuit Furie filed. [45][46], In 2018, Furie succeeded in having images of Pepe removed from The Daily Stormer website. He Was Never About Hate", "How Internet Trolls Won the 2016 Presidential Election", Culture Warlords: My Journey into the Dark Web of White Supremacy, Alt-America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump, Storming of the Legislative Council Complex, 2020 detainment of Hong Kong residents at sea by China, Controversies of the Hong Kong Police Force, Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times, Memorials for the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pepe_the_Frog&oldid=994128666, Controversies of the 2016 United States presidential election, Articles with dead external links from March 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Short description is different from Wikidata, All articles that may contain original research, Articles that may contain original research from June 2017, Articles lacking reliable references from November 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 14 December 2020, at 05:48. [13], In 2014, images of Pepe were shared on social media by celebrities such as Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj. "That's a huge challenge," said Oren Segal, director of the ADL's Center on Extremism. [32] Fantagraphics Books, Furie's publisher, issued a statement condemning the "illegal and repulsive appropriations of the character". [55][56][57][58][59][60] Kek is associated with the occurrence of repeating digits, known as "dubs",[original research?] Pepe the Frog is an online meme character popular with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and online fascists. "It just didn't pick up.". Fantagraphics, which published "Boy's Club," also published the one-page strip in which Furie killed off Pepe. [6][12][14] As Pepe became more widespread, 4chan users began referring to particularly creative and unique variants of the meme as "rare Pepes". In a Time magazine essay last year, Furie described Pepe as "chill frog-dude" who debuted in a 2006 comic book called "Boy's Club" and became a popular online subject for user-generated mutations. A sign with Pepe with an injured eye held by a young nurse with one eye covered gained international media attention. "Before he got wrapped up in politics, Pepe was an inside-joke and a symbol for feeling sad or feeling good and many things in between," Furie wrote. Matt Furie created the cartoon character Pepe the Frog in 2005 as a kind of peaceful stoner animal for his comic “Boys Club.” By 2008, the frog had become a meme at 4chan…. Pepe started as a character in Furie's 2005 small indie comic Boys Club. By 2015, it had become one of the most popular memes used on 4chan and Tumblr. Now Furie wants his comic frog back. [6] In 2015, Pepe was #6 on Daily News and Analysis's list of the most important memes and the most retweeted meme on Twitter. The Anti-Defamation League branded Pepe as a hate symbol in September 2016 and promoted Furie's efforts to reclaim the character, with a social media campaign using the "#SavePepe" hashtag. [33] On October 17, Furie published a satirical take of Pepe's appropriation by the alt-right movement on The Nib. Matt Furie’s art comes from a mix of child-like enchantment and momentary adult situations. He posted his comic in a series of blog posts on Myspace in 2005. [21][22][23] In May 2016, Olivia Nuzzi of The Daily Beast wrote that there was "an actual campaign to reclaim Pepe from normies" and that "turning Pepe into a white nationalist icon" was an explicit goal of some on the alt-right. [52][63] The Internet meme has its origin on the internet message forum 4chan and other chans, and the board /pol/ in particular. [51] The phrase then became associated with the Egyptian deity of the same name. © 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. He's currently based in Los Angeles. [99], "Frog meme" redirects here. Spare a thought for poor Matt Furie, a wonderful indie comics creator whose Boys' Club comics featured a lovable frog called Pepe that was adopted … [53][54], During the 2016 United States presidential election, Kek became associated with alt-right politics. –Matt Furie, 2015 interview with The Daily Dot[2], Pepe the Frog was created by American artist and cartoonist Matt Furie in 2005. Segal said he doubts Pepe's cartoon death will erode his iconic status with the "alt-right" movement. I find complete joy in physically, emotionally, and spiritually serving Pepe and his friends through comics. Matt Furie was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1979 and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware in 2001. He originally created Pepe the Frog in 2005 and introduced the image to … Pepe first appeared in the fairly unremarkable webcomic Boys Club, in which he was one of four anthropomorphic animal flatmates. Richard Spencer, a white nationalist who popularized the term "alt-right," said it could have the opposite effect. Copyright © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Matt Furie’s created the socially inept frog back in 2008 for the comic book series called “boys club” but the frog was quickly adopted by the internet and crowned the king of memes. Artist Matt Furie says internet-famous frog will 'rise from the ashes, "Pepe the Frog rises from the dead, creator says", "Pepe Is Banned From the Apple App Store", "Apple deems Pepe 'objectionable' and bans the frog from its App Store", "An assistant principal wrote a children's book about alt-right mascot Pepe the frog. [90][91], In August 2019, it was reported that various demonstrators at the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests were using Pepe as a "resistance symbol". Its usage as an Internet meme came from his comic Boy's Club #1. In fact, Furie’s wildly popular teenage weirdoes became an overnight internet sensation when Pepe the Frog was widely adopted by users of 4chan and remixed ad infinitum from there (including uses by pop stars like Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry), giving Boy’s Club built-in recognition with many. [89][better source needed], A variation of Pepe known as "Groyper" or “Easter Frog” was used as early as 2015, and became popular in 2017. [68], Heat Street's Ian Miles Cheong credits Carl Benjamin, who uses the pseudonym Sargon of Akkad on YouTube, for popularizing the meme. Pepe the Frog was originally created in 2005 as part of “Boys Club”, a comic strip based on Matt Furie and his stoner college friends Free shipping for many products! [95][98] Hong Kongers were generally unaware that Pepe the Frog had been appropriated by the alt-right and white supremacists in the United States. Pepe originated in a 2005 comic by Matt Furie called Boy's Club. The Democrats have a donkey. Whether it's a dog (Andy), a bunny (Brett), a frog (Pepe), or Landwolf (a humanoid version of snuffaluffagus), or any combination of such, puerile acts that are just as puerile as the art that depicts them floods each panel. He created a comic called Boys Club, which is about four anthropomorphic pals living out a post-college haze. Furie … [90] Groyper is depicted as a rotund green, frog-like creature with its chin resting on interlocked fingers. [34][35] This was his first comic for the character since he ended Boy's Club in 2012. The alt-right social media platform used by suspected Pittsburgh shooter Robert Bowers", "Anger over "sick" video game that allows you to play as Donald Trump gunning down migrants, feminists and Antifa", "Mosque Arson Suspect Left Social Media Hints of Anti-Muslim, Anti-Semitic Views", "Alt-right trolls Pennsylvania with billboard of Trump Pepe", "Wew, lad: Everyone hates this meme that simply refuses to die", "Bungie explains how Destiny 2 armor resembling hate symbol made it into the game", "Writings of French Hindu who worshipped Hitler as an avatar of Vishnu are inspiring the US alt-right", "In Charlottesville, GOP candidate for governor Corey Stewart allies with alt-right-inspired blogger who wants to protect 'glorious Western civilization, "Naked Nigel, the God Kek and modern politics", "Cucks & Kek: Racism's Old Guard Reaches Out To An Online Generation", "Meet the White Nationalist Trying To Ride The Trump Train to Lasting Power", "Trump Fans Unleash Last-Minute Flood of Pepe the Frog Memes", "Trump's Occult Online Supporters Believe 'Meme Magic' Got Him Elected", "4chan Isn't Sure Whether It's Excited the Times Wrote Up Its Anti-Semitism", "Trump Supporters Outraged By Slight To Pepe Meme", "CPAC's Flirtation With the Alt-Right Is Turning Awkward", "The alt-right is trying to co-opt that dumb purple bird on Facebook", "Kek, Cucks, and God Emperor Trump: A Measurement Study of 4chan's Politically Incorrect Forum and Its Effects on the Web", "How an ancient Egyptian god spurred the rise of Trump", "Trump Supporters And Neo-Nazis Are Using Secret Chatrooms To Harass Shia LaBeouf", "The Emerging Racists: The Challenge of Covering the Radical Right", "Steal This Show S02E02: 'The Platform Is You, "In Elaborate Joke, Internet Provocateurs Turn 'Trash Bird' Into Nazi Icon", "Les trolls de 4chan sont persuadés d'avoir fait élire Donald Trump", "What 'alt-right' really means: a glossary of terms", "More Swastikas Surface In Hell's Kitchen, Newtown Creek Nature Walk", "What the Kek: Explaining the Alt-Right 'Deity' Behind Their 'Meme Magic, "Hiding in plain sight: how the 'alt-right' is weaponizing irony to spread fascism", "Democracy in Crisis: Populism, Belonging, and Inside Jokes at Trump's Reality Show Rally", "The Battle for Berkeley: In the name of freedom of speech, the radical right is circling the Ivory Tower to ensure a voice for the alt-right", "Deconstructing the symbols and slogans spotted in Charlottesville", "Here's a guide to the white nationalist groups involved in the Charlottesville demonstration", "What is Kekistan? [28][29] White supremacist Richard B. Spencer, during a street interview after Trump's inauguration, was preparing to explain the meaning of a Pepe pin on his jacket when he was punched in the face, with the resulting video itself becoming the source of many memes. [2] It became an Internet meme when its popularity steadily grew across Myspace, Gaia Online and 4chan in 2008. [8][9] Since then, Furie has expressed his dismay at Pepe being used as a hate symbol and has sued organisations for doing so.[7]. Fantagraphics spokeswoman Jacq Cohen said she would be surprised if Furie never draws Pepe again but she hadn't discussed his plans for the character with him. The Internet's Most Controversial Political Meme Explained", "Meet Big Man Tyrone, the president of Kekistan (not a real country)", "The Far Right's New Toad Mascot Is a Fatter, More Racist Pepe the Frog", "Why alt-right trolls shouted down Donald Trump Jr", "Why Donald Trump Jr. Was Heckled by 'America First Nationalists, "Activists Adopt Pepe Memes in Hong Kong Protests", "How Pepe the Frog became face of Hong Kong protests – despite cartoon being a symbol of hate in US", "Hong Kong Protesters Love Pepe the Frog. [30][31], In an interview with Esquire, Furie said of Pepe's usage as a hate symbol, "It sucks, but I can't control it more than anyone can control frogs on the Internet". [84][85] Kekistanis identify themselves as "shitposters" persecuted by excessive political correctness. — Brandon Kelly (@therealphaTT) May 6, 2017 In a Time magazine essay last year, Furie described Pepe as "chill frog-dude" who debuted in a 2006 comic book called "Boy's Club" and became a … [1] On May 6, 2017, on Free Comic Book Day, it was announced that Furie had killed Pepe off in response to the character's continued use as a hate symbol. The comic centered around crude bodily humor… "[38][39] Soon thereafter, Furie announced his intention to "resurrect" Pepe, launching a crowdfunding campaign for a new comic book featuring Pepe.