Arts+Culture / NewsWatch a 10-minute Pepe the Frog documentaryThe rise and fall of the innocent meme co-opted by the alt-right is explained in a short filmShareLink copied ✔️May 16, 2017Arts+CultureNewsTextTrey Taylor The people behind YouTube account Shots Fired “delve into the depths of the internet and explore” to create funny or bizarre videos, and they’ve delivered a 10-minute primer on the rise and fall of ubiquitous meme Pepe the Frog. Pepe: The Frog that Broke the Internet begins at Pepe’s genesis by Matt Furie, when the seemingly innocent frog pulled his pants down in a comic and said the unforgettable line, “It’s all good”. “Around 2016, Pepe’s image began to shift, and in 2017, Matt Furie, the original creator of Pepe the Frog, killed his creation in the now infamous comic released on National Free Comic Day,” the film’s YouTube description reads. Pepe was killed off this past week when Furie’s campaign to rebrand the meme, “Save Pepe”, ultimately failed. “The frog was just a chilled-out frog who likes to eat snacks and talk on the phone, smoke weed,” he said in a bid to save his creation. “All the characters are an extension of different parts of my personality, but particularly Pepe. He has these heavy eyelids and laid-back nature that I think I have.” What happened in the intervening years – Pepe becoming a beloved meme, adopted by the right wing as a symbol of hate, then slapped on skirts at Zara – is what the short doc explores. It’s a fun throwback for those who know the meme, and a nice intro to all things Pepe for those who were simply too cool to care about this odd internet enigma. Watch the film below: Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.READ MOREWhy did Satan start to possess girls on screen in the 70s?Learn the art of photo storytelling and zine making at Dazed+Labs BurberryTwiggy, Maya Wigram and more front Burberry’s SS26 campaign8 essential skate videos from the 90s and beyond with Glue SkateboardsThe unashamedly queer, feminist, and intersectional play you need to seeParis artists are pissed off with this ‘gift’ from Jeff KoonsA Seat at the TableVinca Petersen: Future FantasySnarkitecture’s guide on how to collide art and architectureBanksy has unveiled a new anti-weapon artworkVincent Gallo: mad, bad, and dangerous to knowGet lost in these frank stories of love and lossEscape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy