Since the advent of social media, many trends have focused on nonsensical terms and pictures. These trends, aptly named after their confusing and somewhat meaningless nature, are referred to as ‘Brainrot’ and oddly garner a substantial amount of traction on social media. The latest addition to the Brainrot trend includes AI-generated characters with names that are a mix of English and Italian.
Generally, these characters are a humorous blend of some inanimate object and an animal. For example, Bombardino Crocodilo is a fusion of a bomber jet and a crocodile, and Chimpanizini Bananaini is the mix of a Chimpanzee and a Banana. A few more notable Italian Brainrot characters include Tralalero Tralala, Trippi Troppi, and Cappucino Assassino.
Another notable character often included with Italian Brainrot characters is Tung Tung Tung Sahur. Ironically, the name Tung Tung Tung Sahur is based on an Indonesian ritual and is not Italian in any way.
John Pork Series
During the time directly preceding the Italian Brainrot trend, John Pork brainrot was exceptionally popular. John Pork Brainrot is originally based on a meme where a phone is ringing with a picture of a humanoid figure with a pig face, named John Pork, asking the audience whether they would pick up the call or not.
Building off of the phone call meme, the Brainrot revolves around the fact that John Pork is calling because he is in danger. While there are different variations on the story from different meme accounts, many of them feature Tim Cheese and Marvin Beak.
The general story starts with Tim Cheese, Marvin Beak, and John Pork as childhood best friends. Somewhere down the line, John Pork made Tim Cheese jealous, causing Tim Cheese to murder John Pork. Tim Cheese then pins the murder on Marvin Beak. Another character, Agent 5.5, leads an investigation that ends up incriminating Tim Cheese, leading Tim Cheese to kidnap Agent 5.5.
Skibidi Toilet Trend
Another popular Brainrot trend, potentially the inspiration for all other Brainrot characters, is Skibidi toilet. Skibidi toilet Brainrot features videos of a human head coming out of a toilet with distinct music remixed from Timbaland’s song Give It To Me.
Created in 2023, this particular Brainrot trend was the first of its kind. Most of the original creator’s Skibidi Toilet videos have over 20 million views. The series is so popular that there are officially licensed Skibidi Toilet toys.
The series’s general storyline involves the Skibidi Toilets terrorizing residents within a city. To fight back, a group of people with cameraheads, called the cameramen, wage war against the Skibidi Toilets. Throughout the series, there is constant back and forth between the Cameramen and the Skibidi Toilets, making the series somewhat suspenseful. The series is currently ongoing on DaFuq!?Boom!’s YouTube channel.
Brainrot Controversies
In the original Italian brainrot videos, AI-generated animals are paired with a video of an AI voice yelling their names and a few other phrases. While this trend may seem rather innocent at first, translations of certain phrases within the videos reveal that the AI voice is mocking certain religions and sensitive political topics.
“The words ‘Tralalero Tralala’ themselves are fine. The disturbing part is what comes after, one TikTok user notes. “One of [the latter] phrases translates to ‘God is a pig.’”
The phrases voiced by the AI-voice after Tralalero Tralala’s name are not the only ones that are polarizing. More controversial phrases are made in the song proceeding after Bombardino Crocodilo’s name as well. Funnily enough, the video creator also insults people who have translated the video itself within the description.
“Bombardino Crocodilo’s description mentions bombing children in Palestine,” writes one YouTube user. “Since when did bombing kids become a meme?”
“My dad caught my little brother singing [the Bombardino Crocodilo description], and scolded him immediately,” one TikTok user writes.
Like the TikTok user’s little brother, many impressionable children consume a lot of Brainrot videos and end up saying phrases they do not know the meaning of. The high increase in Brainrot content consumption in children leads to concerned parents and guardians.
“My kids say this a lot, and this is really scary for kids,” writes a concerned TikTok mom regarding Skibidi Toilet. “Why are kids watching this?”
“What is wrong with this generation bro,” another TikTok user writes. “My mom was right, its the damn phone.”
Why is Brainrot so Popular?
While it is unclear why these Brainrot characters are particularly popular, there are a few theories. One of these theories is that it gives people something unserious to discuss with a very low barrier of entry to join in conversation. Many social media users argue in the comments of brainrot posts about which character they believe would win in a fight or which character they side with.
“Tim Cheese [is] evil, this is propaganda,” mentions one TikTok user. “Agent 5.5 and John Pork need to be rescued.”
“I feel like everyone started on John Pork’s side,” another TikTok user writes under the same post. “Once they heard the true story, they turned to Tim Cheese.”
Another theory is that the sheer bizarreness of the creations made in the Brainrot realm contributes to its appeal and notoriety. While it certainly is not uncommon to link monkeys and bananas together, not many people would think to combine the head of a chimpanzee with the bottom half of a banana.
“Wow! One Instagram user exclaims. “I wonder how one could make these creatures.”
All of these factors, combined with the increased consumption of short-form content on social media, significantly contribute to the popularity of brainrot.
Based on the current trajectory of Brainrot popularity, it is clear that Brainrot is here to stay. Considering Brainrot’s impact on children, one can only hope that future Brainrot trends continue to be more lighthearted and less controversial, unlike a few of the Italian creatures.
Nevertheless, for now, audiences can safely enjoy the chronicles of John Pork, Marvin Beak, and Tim Cheese.
