Pepe the Frog

{{Alt-right}}
'''Pepe'''<ref group=Note>For completeness, a pet form of the Spanish name José ("Joseph")</ref> '''the Frog''' (emojified as 🐸 and formerly known as "'''Feels Good Man'''") is a green anthropomorphic frog used as an Internet [[meme]]. The character was created by artist Matt Furie in his comic ''Boy's Club''.<ref name="4chan's Pepe">{{cite web |title=[http://www.dailydot.com/lol/4chan-pepe-the-frog-renaissance/ 4chan's Pepe the Frog is bigger than ever—and his creator feels good, man] |date=April 12, 2015 |work=The Daily Dot |last=Khan |first=Imad }}</ref> In 2008, its popularity steadily grew across [[Myspace]] and {{wpl|Gaia Online||,}} being popularized by [[4chan]] in the same period.<ref name="4chan's Frog">{{cite web |title=[http://motherboard.vice.com/read/4chans-frog-meme-went-mainstream-so-they-tried-to-kill-it 4chan's Frog Meme Went Mainstream, So They Tried to Kill It] |date=April 9, 2015 |work=Motherboard |publisher=Vice Media |last=Kiberd |first=Roisin |accessdate=January 4, 2016}}</ref> By 2015, it had become one of the most popular memes on [[Tumblr]], the residence of 4chan's current nemesis, the [[SJW]].<ref>Hathaway, Jay (December 9, 2015). [http://nymag.com/selectall/2015/12/tumblr-was-here-for-pepe-the-frog-in-2015.html "Tumblr's Biggest Meme of 2015 Was Pepe the Frog"]. ''New York Magazine''. Retrieved September 13, 2017.</ref>

While originally without political associations, he became associated with the [[alt-right]], [[white nationalism]], and [[Donald Trump]] in 2015 (although it doesn't mean everyone who uses or likes the meme is a nationalist).<ref>Olivia Nuzzi, [http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/05/26/how-pepe-the-frog-became-a-nazi-trump-supporter-and-alt-right-symbol.html How Pepe the Frog Became a Nazi Trump Supporter and Alt-Right Symbol], ''The Daily Beast'', 26 May 2016</ref> [[Hillary Clinton]]'s campaign condemned both Trump and his son for posting images of Pepe on Twitter.<ref>Elizabeth Chan, [https://www.hillaryclinton.com/feed/donald-trump-pepe-the-frog-and-white-supremacists-an-explainer/ Donald Trump, Pepe the frog, and white supremacists: an explainer], ''Hillary for America'', September 12, 2016</ref>

The [[Anti-Defamation League]] has listed Pepe as a hate symbol, but noted that most instances of the character were not used in a hateful context.<ref>Anti-Defamation League, [http://www.adl.org/combating-hate/hate-on-display/c/pepe-the-frog.html Pepe the Frog], ''Hate on Display™ HATE SYMBOLS DATABASE''</ref> Matt Furie tried getting his frog back,<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/18/us/save-pepe-the-frog-trnd/ #SavePepe: Campaign aims to reclaim Internet frog from hate groups] CNN, 18 October 2016.</ref> but with little success. In May 2017, he killed off the character,<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/08/pepe-the-frog-creator-kills-off-internet-meme-co-opted-by-white-supremacists Pepe the Frog creator kills off internet meme co-opted by white supremacists]</ref> but Pepe could not be so easily and permanently slain, and has returned to us.<ref>[http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-27/pepe-the-frog-rises-from-the-dead,-creator-says/8654568 Pepe the frog rises from the dead, creator says]</ref> Furie later launched his #SavePepe campaign on Kickstarter and social media to fund a new ''Boy's Club'' issue and reclaim the character.<ref>[https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/6/28/15879734/matt-furie-save-pepe-kickstarter-campaign Pepe the Frog's creator can't save him from the alt-right, but he keeps trying anyway]</ref> He has since taken legal action against various websites, as well as prominent alt-right figures such as [[Richard Spencer]], [[Mike Cernovich]] and [[Baked Alaska]], for appropriating Pepe.<ref>[https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/8x8gaa/pepe-the-frogs-creator-lawsuits-dmca-matt-furie-alt-right Pepe the Frog’s Creator Goes Legally Nuclear Against the Alt-Right]</ref> In 2019, conspiracy theorist [[Alex Jones]] settled a copyright violation lawsuit with Furie after Jones used Pepe without permission on a promotional poster.<ref>Scott Newman, [https://text.npr.org/s.php?sId=731520403 Alex Jones To Pay $15,000 In Pepe The Frog Copyright Infringement Case.] [[NPR]], 11 June 2019.</ref>

Some claim that Pepe is the incarnation of the [[ancient Egypt]]ian god Kek<ref group=Note>Chosen for being the name of a very old World of Warcraft meme</ref> (also known as Kuk<ref group=Note>Useful travel fact — the word "kuk" literally means "[[penis|cock]]" in [[Sweden|Swedish]].</ref> or Keku), and worship him as such as part of another 4chan in-joke called the "Cult of Kek",<ref>[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/cult-of-kek Cult of Kek], ''Know Your Meme''</ref> which has been defined by the "experts" at [[Wikipedia]] as a [[parody religion]].<ref>{{wpa|Parody religion}} [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parody_religion&oldid=800474001 Archive].</ref> The connection between Pepe and Kek has been endorsed by [[neoreactionary]] philosopher Nick Land<ref>[http://www.xenosystems.net/kek/ Kek,] xenosystems.net.</ref> and by [[Davis Aurini]].<ref>[https://youtube.com/watch?v=5FU2nG9gTlc Pepe, Kek, and the Rise of an Elder God]</ref>

As a result of widespread [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act|DMCA]] take-downs instigated by Furie's attorneys in 2017 (including against ''[[The Daily Stormer]]''),<ref>[https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/9/21/16333162/pepe-the-frog-alt-right-dmca-takedown-fair-use-matt-furie To save Pepe the Frog from the alt-right, his creator has invoked copyright law’s darker side: Matt Furie has issued DMCA takedowns against alt-right websites using Pepe’s likeness. The fair use implications are troubling] by Aja Romano (Sep 21, 2017, 11:40am EDT ) ''Vox''.</ref><ref>[https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/ne5w5w/neo-nazi-site-daily-stormer-takes-down-pepe-images-after-getting-copyright-claims-from-its-creator Neo-Nazi Site Daily Stormer Takes Down Pepe Images After Getting Copyright Claims From Its Creator: The Daily Stormer has removed all images and references of the famously chill frog after getting DMCA notices from Matt Furie.] by Matthew Gault (Jul 10 2018, 7:24am) ''Vice''.</ref> the alt-right appears to have a newer fascist frog mascot named '''[[Groyper Army|Groyper]]''', who is derived from Pepe but is fatter and more grotesque in appearance.<ref>[http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2017/12/04/groyper_the_far_right_s_new_meme_is_a_more_racist_version_of_pepe_the_frog.html The Far Right's New Toad Mascot Is a Fatter, More Racist Pepe the Frog] by Aaron Mak (Dec. 4 2017 5:48 PM) ''Slate''.</ref>

==Re-cooptation==
In 2019, Pepe was repurposed by the certain sections of the [[progressive]], anti-[[authoritarian]] protests in Hong Kong as a symbol of their struggle to maintain the [[one country, two systems]] that had been agreed upon when [[Britain]] returned Hong Kong to [[China]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20191202055306/https://www.wired.com/story/pepe-the-frog-meme-hong-kong/ Pepe the Frog Means Something Different in Hong Kong—Right? Pepe is popping up all over Hong Kong—on walls, in forums, in sticker packs for apps—as a symbol of resistance against an authoritarian state.] by Emma Grey Ellis (08.23.2019 03:22 PM) ''Wired'' (archived from December 2, 2019).</ref> However, this was not supported by all protesters due to its prior association with the alt-right.<ref>[https://lausan.hk/2020/facing-down-the-hong-kong-protests-right-wing-turn/ Facing down the Hong Kong protests’ right-wing turn] Zoe Zhao. Lausan, March 28, 2020.</ref>

==Take a peep at these Pepes==
===Alt-right and pro-Trump Pepes===
<gallery>
File:Trump wall pepe.jpeg|Border wall Pepe
File:Praise_Kek.jpg|Example meme portraying Pepe as the Egyptian god Kek
File:Holocaust pepe.png|Concentration camp guard Pepe
</gallery>

===Innocent Pepes===
====By Matt Furie====
<gallery>
File:Pepe_the_frog-Feels-good-man.png|The original drawing of Pepe by Matt Furie
File:Pepe's Funeral.jpg|Pepe's Funeral by Matt Furie, 2017
</gallery>

====By Hong Kong protesters (who have also adopted Pepe as a symbol of their cause)====
<gallery>
File:P1110393 (48851461613).jpg|Pepe in Hong Kong, 2019
File:831港島 04.jpg|Pepe in Hong Kong, 2019
</gallery>

====Memes====
{{ev:youtube|ll2Au3CdV2k|400}}

==See also==
*[[Alt-right glossary]]
*[[Gab]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}
[[Category:4chan]]
[[Category:Antisemitism]]
[[Category:Alt-right]]
[[Category:Anti-vaccination movement]]
[[Category:Cartoons and comics]]
[[Category:Fascism]]
[[Category:Homophobia]]
[[Category:Internet culture]]
[[Category:Islamophobia]]
[[Category:Internet]]
[[Category:Memes]]
[[Category:Parody religions]]
[[Category:Racism]]
[[Category:Transphobia]]
[[Category:Trumpism]]

Categories: 4chan, Antisemitism, Alt-right, Anti-vaccination movement, Cartoons and comics, Fascism, Homophobia, Internet culture, Islamophobia, Internet, Memes, Parody religions, Racism, Transphobia, Trumpism