John Pork is an AI-generated influencer who has a pig’s head and a human’s body. He first graced social media platforms in September 2018. John Pork’s unique appearance resulted in numerous memes across social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Who is John Pork?
John Pork’s digital life started on Instagram, with a selfie standing outside Scotland’s Down Castle that they posted to the social media platform on September 24th, 2018. Their early content quickly garnered thousands of likes and established a strong online presence.
The creator of the anthropomorphic pig—who still prefers to remain anonymous—told Charlie Sawyer of screenshot-media.com in late 2023 that “I loved the idea of bringing a 3D character to life using social media, a place where he could evolve and adapt over time, keeping up with the world’s changes.”
In 2019, after a few months of no posts, John Pork marked their return to social media with a dance video on Instagram and TikTok. These drew even more viewers, with the Instagram post alone amassing over 97,000 views.
John Pork’s following kept growing with subsequent social media updates. A notable post from Dec. 24, 2022, wishing followers happy holidays, received over 21,000 likes, while their Instagram following climbed to 316,000 users by the end of that same year.
Why is John Pork calling?
In March 2023, user @rover.joe posted a TikTok that featured an edited selfie of John Pork overlaid with an incoming call graphic and sound effect. The post went viral, garnering over 2.7 million views, and the “John Pork is calling” meme was born.
Users were soon inspired to create similar content that featured incoming calls from other anthropomorphic characters, and memes that portrayed the “John Pork is calling” meme as a copypasta.
@rover.joe #fyp #meme #phone #foryou #johnpork ♬ Reflection (Ringtone) – X Ringtone
Pork’s creator said “The original ‘JP is Calling’ meme trend was both fantastic and amusing,” explaining how “it started with several TikTok profiles claiming they received a call from John Pork. Answering this call often led to mysterious outcomes, sparking fans’ creativity in various ways.”
“The bond between John and the audience is amazing,” Pork’s creator continued. “Building a connection with fans was a gradual process, marked by diverse reactions in the first years. These responses were eye-opening, guiding the development of John’s character and revealing the numerous directions he could explore.
“It’s a journey of exploration, with the audience playing a pivotal role in shaping John’s online persona, making the experience of mutual influence.”
@fuknibba42069 Blud pick up the phone#CapCut #jhonpork#pig #blud#fyp #xyzbca #a #fyp #AXERatioChallenge #pork #xyzbca #foryoupage #bacon_egg_and_cheese #pet #CapCut #xyzbca #xyzbca ♬ emilly lorraynne – emil
The Evolution of John Pork Memes
As John Pork continued to maintain an active presence on both Instagram and TikTok, they started to become the subject of memes on platforms like Reddit. Their unique appearance led to them being a hugely popular subject for online content, especially from 2019 onwards.
Some playfully suggested John Pork’s selfies revealed the real face of Technoblade, a YouTuber who uses a pig as an avatar. But most played off the influencer’s uncanny look.
On the Instagram it was talking about the virtual humans project, so I’m guessing it’s a social experiment. I think they focused on that one in particular because of the “John Pork will be real” meme pic.twitter.com/JC1YKdVDry
— gremic ⚜️ (@ImGremic) November 27, 2022
John Pork Death Hoax
The meme’s popularity surged, and in March 2023, a John Pork death hoax emerged, with videos claiming to report their demise gathering millions of views.
@.johnpork_ Rip John Pork #johnpork #pork #john #rip #justiceforjohnpork #johnporkcalling #johnathanpork #ripjohnpork ♬ cry – 🥟
@trihoof I should of picked up his calls. 😫😭 #johnpork #johnathanpork #bacon #news ♬ cry – 🥟
The TikTok narrative largely revolved around the idea that John Pork died due to no one ever answering his calls in the “John Pork is calling” memes. However, the original John Pork accounts remained active until November 2023.
Pork’s creator called this offshoot of the John Pork Is Calling trend “funny,” saying “many people thought John was calling for help.”
“I love how the project can take on different shapes in the hands of fans, no matter how absurd or crazy they may seem. Of course, I am still alive and thrilled to see what the future holds,” he said.
John Pork has a sister named Lola Pork
Just like her brother, Lola Pork is an anthropomorphic pig-human hybrid who first appeared in an Aug. 14, 2023, YouTube video by NIKPIG. She also has an Instagram account under the handle @lola.pork, though it is unclear whether this is related to John Pork’s original creator.
NIKPIG shared a series of horror episodes to his channel featuring John Pork calling his sister Lola.
More John Pork memes
John Pork’s continued status as a viral sensation is evident from the staggering number of views on the #JohnPork hashtag on TikTok. His content has captivated audiences and inspired waves of fan accounts and imitators. But despite the competition, the original John Pork maintains a consistent presence across social media platforms.
This bizarre yet captivating virtual character, epitomizes the unpredictable nature of internet fame and meme culture.
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Editor’s note: This article is regularly updated for relevance.
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