Skibidi Toilet
Skibidi Toilet | |
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![]() Thumbnail of the first short in the series depicting one of the titular Skibidi Toilets | |
Genre | Machinima |
Created by | Alexey Gerasimov (DaFuq!?Boom!) |
Country of origin | Georgia |
No. of seasons | 24 |
No. of episodes | 77 |
Original release | |
Network | YouTube |
Release | February 7, 2023 present | (UTC) –
Skibidi Toilet is a machinima web series of YouTube videos and shorts created by Alexey Gerasimov and uploaded on his YouTube channel DaFuq!?Boom!. Produced using Source Filmmaker, the series follows a fictional war between human-headed toilets and humanoid characters with electronic devices for heads.
Since the first short was posted in February 2023, Skibidi Toilet has become viral as an internet meme across various social media platforms, particularly popularized by Generation Alpha. Many commentators saw the series as Generation Alpha's first foray into internet culture.
Plot and characteristics
The series depicts a conflict between singing human-headed toilets—the titular "Skibidi Toilets"—and humanoids with CCTV cameras, speakers, and televisions in place of their heads. The Skibidi Toilets, led by "G-Man" (canonically "G-Toilet"[1]), threaten humanity. To counter them, the Cameramen and Speakermen form an alliance. Each kind has one member that is much larger, termed "Titans". A Toilet parasite infects the Speaker Titan, leading it to turn to the Toilets' side. Later, TV-headed humanoids and their titan are introduced, and with their help, the Speaker Titan is broken free from mind control.
The Titans convene to defeat the leader G-Toilet, and then the mastermind, Scientist Toilet, but initially are fooled by a decoy. After a strike mission, the Scientist Toilet is finally defeated, but only one member of the crew survives. The one remaining member meets a mysterious human seemingly involved in the creation of the toilets. Following the strike mission, the titans clash with the G-Toilet. It escapes, leaving the Camera and Speaker Titan severely damaged. Human survivors are discovered in the hideout. The "Astro Toilets"—a rogue splinter group arrive onto Earth, planning to destroy both the Skibidi Toilets and the alliance.
The show contains references to video games, such as the character G-Man, whose name and likeness come from the Half-Life video game series. The Cameramen's oft-performed dances are from the battle royale game Fortnite.[2] Business Insider described the series as "an endless arms race as both the toilets and their foes [produce] stronger fighters".[3] Technology website Wired credited the largely dialogue-free nature of the show for removing language barriers and aiding in the show's global popularity.[4]
Background and production
Skibidi Toilet is produced by Alexey Gerasimov (Russian: Алексей Герасимов, born 1997 or 1998),[2] who is also known by his alias "Blugray", or the name of his YouTube channel, "DaFuq!?Boom!"[5][6] Since 2014, he has been learning animation on his own. He lives in the country of Georgia.[note 1] His channel has seen prior hits; his video I'M AT DIP accumulated over 45 million views by July 2023, for example.[5]
The first episode was released on 7 February 2023 (UTC), with a 11 second runtime.[16] Every episode is produced using Source Filmmaker, a free Valve-published 3D computer graphics software, often used to create and edit clips and movies online.[8] Some assets used in the series are taken from video games such as Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike: Source.[7] The Skibidi Toilet in the first episode, for example, features the head model of a Civilian (Male_07
) from Half-Life 2 (pictured above).[17]
An unlicensed[9] mashup of the songs "Give It to Me" by Timbaland[2] and "Dom Dom Yes Yes" by Bulgarian artist Biser King,[15] created by TikTok user @doombreaker03,[18] appears in each episode as the theme of the Skibidi Toilets.[2] In 2024, the two songs' label Universal Music Group has issued copyright takedowns on the full version of the mashup, resulting in some videos featuring the mashup to be taken down.[9] "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears is featured in some videos as the theme of the resistance forces.[3]
The aforementioned mashup is not original; in 2022, Turkish @yasincengiz38 popularized the mashup with his videos of him dancing to the song.[13][8] TikTok user Paryss Bryanne parodied this meme, complementing it with her style of jerky acting with rapid cuts. Gerasimov cites her adaptation as one of the inspirations for Skibidi Toilet.[7] Gerasimov shared in a Forbes interview that another inspiration comes from his recurring nightmares of toilets.[4][19] Ultimately, Gerasimov said that Skibidi Toilet's backbone is the other machinima videos created using sandbox game Garry's Mod, which were popular in the late 2000s and number in thousands.[4]
In the show's beginning, Gerasimov uploaded at least two videos weekly, and at times, even daily,[4] though the spacing between episodes has since been extended to improve quality.[11] Since YouTube's recommendation algorithm tend to prefer frequent uploaders, the initial upload schedule may have helped the show go viral.[16] As of January 2024, the series is reportedly being investigated by the Russian police for its alleged harm to children, following a report made by a Moscow resident.[11][20] In April 2024, the videos were presented to the legislative assembly of Saint Petersburg, Russia as demonstration in an annual children's safety report.[4]
Reception and influence
Popularity
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Monthly_YouTube_Views_between_DaFuqBoom_and_other_popular_channels.png/220px-Monthly_YouTube_Views_between_DaFuqBoom_and_other_popular_channels.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Corso_de_Corsos_Cochabamba_2024_73.jpg/220px-Corso_de_Corsos_Cochabamba_2024_73.jpg)
Skibidi Toilet's audience is predominantly among Generation Alpha, those born after the early 2010s. While the series does not appear on YouTube Kids, an app designed for children under the age of 13, it still enjoys popularity among elementary school students.[2] Some members of older generations have called the show brainrot,[21] while other internet users argued Generation Z had their share of "ridiculous" memes.[22]
Skibidi Toilet has sparked its audience to create and post fanworks, such as games, fan fiction, and art,[2] as well as the Generation Alpha slang "skibidi", which has no established meaning.[23] The slang was integrated into a TikTok meme where words in song lyrics are swapped with various Gen Alpha slang to create a nonsensical result.[24] Fans have made analysis videos and comment their theories in the YouTube's comment section, expanding on the lore.[4] Skibidi Toilet games have been created in game platform Roblox, with the two largest games reaching millions monthly.[6]
By November 2023, YouTube videos associated with Skibidi Toilet had accumulated over 65 billion views, while on the social media platform TikTok, the "Skibidi Toilet" hashtag went trending and garnered over 15.3 billion views. By December 2023, the channel DaFuq!?Boom! had amassed 37 million subscribers, experiencing rapid growth that, on occasion, had surpassed growth of MrBeast, the most subscribed channel on YouTube. The series has found its way into internet memes and Instagram videos. The Washington Post went as far as to call it "the biggest online phenomenon of the year".[2]
According to Tubefilter rankings, by the end of April 2023, DaFuq!?Boom! entered the fifty most viewed YouTube channels in the United States, at 33rd place. By June, the channel had achieved a milestone of five billion views, making it the most viewed YouTube channel in the US during that month. The editor, Sam Gutelle, noted that previously, the channel existed largely under the radar, except for a few "animation diehards in the meme community".[25] The Daily Dot's offshoot publication Passionfruit suspected the popularity of the series was due to how the "designs combined a simple, cute style with more uncanny elements", citing other popular characters like Sans and Siren Head.[18]
Skibidi Toilet has been referenced on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, with a short parody animation depicting US President Joe Biden as a Skibidi Toilet, dubbed "Skibidi Biden". Kotaku called the joke "the worst thing Stephen Colbert's ever done".[26]
Critical reception
The lifestyle magazine Dazed characterized Skibidi Toilet as "frenetic, unpredictable, funny and at times genuinely unsettling."[8] Yahoo!'s In The Know compared the animation style to that of a mobile game, describing it as having "choppy movements and exaggerated facial expressions".[27] Cartoon Brew, an animation-focused website, stated that while Skibidi Toilet "may look rough around the edges compared to major studio fare [...] there is no question that Gerasimov is a filmmaker who understands pacing, camerawork, sound design, and how to tell a story."[5]
Many publications highlighted a viral tweet in which user @AnimeSerbia called the series Generation Alpha's Slender Man.[8][7] Insider claimed the series exemplified the start of a new generation gaining prominence, using the relationship between millennials and Gen Z as an example,[28] a stance that Indy100 repeated, who commented that "[Gen Z] will be facing the same mocking and ridicule they dished out to Millennials".[10] News.com.au opined "[the series] is a timely reminder that Gen Alpha are on the horizon".[29]
The Washington Post noted the series' uniqueness in creating a narrative entirely out of short-form videos and on YouTube's ability to stay relevant while competing with TikTok.[2] Adam Bumas, in a guest piece for Ryan Broderick's newsletter, Garbage Day, remarked the series leans into "weird internet aesthetics", creating a nostalgic element.[30] Business Insider echoed this stance, remarking on the series' use of old video game assets.[3] An article by theatre firm The Civilians argued the series reflects Generation Alpha's fear of surveillance and dehumanization.[31]
Several parental websites[2] and Indonesian newspapers[32][33][34] claimed that Skibidi Toilet's violence and bizarre visuals may have a harmful effect for young children, dubbing it "Skibidi toilet syndrome" (Indonesian: sindrom Skibidi toilet). The Guardian dismissed such claims, labeling it a "moral panic".[11] British newspaper The Daily Telegraph called on regulators to mandate age restrictions on online videos similar to the film industry, citing Skibidi Toilet's perceived violence.[35] Wired however, said while violence is constant, it is limited to "cartoonish explosions and punches".[4] Viral videos have surfaced where children sit inside containers and mimic the toilets.[2]
Adaptations and licensing
On 24 July 2024, it was announced that filmmakers Adam Goodman and Michael Bay are "in talks" with Gerasimov for a movie and television series adaptation of Skibidi Toilet.[14] Goodman revealed that the adaptation may be a live-action/animation hybrid film, and that it may be stylistically similar to the John Wick and District 9 franchises.[17] The reception was largely skeptical: The A. V. Club said it would be difficult to "translate [...] Internet subculture into traditional formats",[36] and Gizmodo believed the movie would have to be "unfathomably expensive to present an experience that’s somehow “deluxe” to its inspiration".[37] The magazine Complex has commented that Michael Bay would be a perfect filmmaker for the adaptation, citing his work in the Transformers film series.[38]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Logo_of_the_company_%22Invisible_Narratives%22.png/220px-Logo_of_the_company_%22Invisible_Narratives%22.png)
Media company Invisible Narratives is run by the aforementioned Bay (chief creative advisor) and Goodman (CEO and founder). It has agreed to act as a brand licensing agency for Gerasimov. The company has given license to Bonkers Toys to produce Skibidi Toilet toys, while the National Electrical Contractors Association has been contracted to manufacture remote-controlled devices, such as drones. The company said it encourages fan-run YouTube channels to create Skibidi Toilet content, as long as attribution is present.[16][6]
In late 2023,[39] a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) claim was filed against sandbox game Garry's Mod, allegedly by Invisible Narratives, which claimed to be on behalf of Gerasimov.[40] Garry Newman, the creator of Garry's Mod, shared in chat platform Discord the alleged notice on 29 July 2024, which claimed Garry's Mod was using copyrighted Skibidi Toilet characters including "Titan Cameraman, Titan Speakerman, Titan TV man, and Skibidi Toilet" as well as that "There is absolutely no licensed Steam, Valve, Garry's Mod content related to Skibidi Toilet".[41] Gerasimov later posted that he did not send the claim, and that he was trying to contact the creator of Garry's Mod, Garry Newman.[42] Newman later confirmed to IGN that Gerasimov had been in touch and the matter has since been resolved.[39] The United States Copyright Office shows the character "Titan Cameraman" as being claimed by Invisible Narratives on 21 August 2023.[43][39]
See also
- YouTube poop, a genre of humorous mashups
- List of Generation Z slang
- Surreal humor
- Toilet humor
- List of internet phenomena
- Generation gap
- Elsagate, another YouTube controversy
References
- ^ DaFuq!?Boom! (9 July 2023). skibidi toilet 47 (Video description). Archived from the original on 11 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
cinemaman confronts g-toilet
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lorenz, Taylor (10 December 2023). "How a toilet-themed YouTube series became the biggest thing online". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ a b c Dodgson, Lindsay (14 October 2023). "'Skibidi Toilet' isn't mindless — it's a 'cultural touchstone' that captures the anarchic spirit of the internet". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g Bumas, Adam (10 June 2024). "Who's Afraid of 'Skibidi Toilet'?". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d Lang, Jamie (3 July 2023). "How The Animation Channel DaFuq!?Boom! Became Youtube's Biggest Hit This Summer". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on 6 August 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
- ^ a b c Lorenz, Taylor (24 July 2024). "How 'Skibidi Toilet' became one of the most valuable franchises in Hollywood". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d Smith, Ryan (18 July 2023). "What is Skibidi Toilet? Inside the eerie videos taking over the internet". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Greig, James (12 July 2023). "Skibidi Toilet: the terrifying new creatures haunting the internet". Dazed. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ a b c Ingham, Tim (14 March 2024). "Down The Skibidi Toilet: Why Universal Music Group's 'Project Timeout' is hitting TikTok with endless copyright takedown requests". Music Business Worldwide. Archived from the original on 20 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ a b Ellie, Abraham (31 August 2023). "The bizarre 'Skibidi Toilet' meme explained". Indy100. The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d McKinnon, Alex; Harmon, Steph (22 January 2024). "Skibidi Toilet: what is this bizarre viral YouTube series – and does it deserve the moral panic?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ France, Lisa Respers (25 July 2024). "'Skibidi Toilet:' If you don't know what it is, you will". CNN. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
- ^ a b Reynolds, Brandon R. (19 June 2024). "Every Generation Throws a Toilet Up the Pop Charts". WhoWhatWhy. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ a b Wallenstein, Andrew; Steiner, Robert (24 July 2024). "'Skibidi Toilet' Film and TV Franchise in the Works From Michael Bay, Adam Goodman — Listen to the Exclusive Interview". Variety. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ a b Curtis, Charles (24 July 2023). "What are Skibidi toilets? Explaining the bizarre YouTube video series that's taking over the internet". For The Win. USA Today. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d Steiner, Robert (24 July 2024). "'Skibidi Toilet': Flushing Out Audience Data on an Internet Phenomenon". Variety. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ a b Foster, George (24 July 2024). "Skibidi Toilet Movie And TV Franchise In The Works". TheGamer. Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
- ^ a b Bumas, Adam (25 July 2023). "Understanding Skibidi Toilets: Lore, History, and Beyond". Passionfru.it. Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ Placido, Dani Di (21 February 2024). "'Skibidi Toilet' Creator Talks Inspiration, Dreams And 'Insane Ending'". Forbes. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
- ^ Quinn, Allison (17 January 2024). "Russian Cops Forced to Investigate Famous Singing Toilets". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 22 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ Press-Reynolds, Kieran (25 June 2024). "How brainrot humour infected the internet with surreal gibberish". Dazed. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ Press-Reynolds, Kieran. "While some are making fun of Gen Alpha's 'brainrot' memes, Gen Zers are reminding each other of the ridiculous memes they grew up with". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ Kircher, Madison Malone (8 November 2023). "Gen Alpha Is Here. Can You Understand Their Slang?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ Varma, Thejas; Ledezma, Cecilia (1 February 2024). "From 'Minecraft' parodies to Gen. Alpha's 'rizzful' songs". The Michigan Daily. Archived from the original on 17 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Gutelle, Sam (26 June 2023). "Top 50 Most Viewed U.S. YouTube Channels • Week Off 06/25/2023". Tubefilter. Archived from the original on 11 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ Zwiezen, Zack (23 May 2024). "This Might Be The Worst Thing Stephen Colbert's Ever Done". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ Mather, Katie (21 July 2023). "What is 'Skibidi Toilet'? Creepy YouTube series is being called 'Gen Alpha's Slenderman'". In The Know. Yahoo, Inc. Archived from the original on 25 August 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ Pearcy, Aimee (1 August 2023). "Gen Zers are worried they're getting old and out of touch after realizing they don't understand Gen Alpha's memes". Insider Inc. Archived from the original on 1 January 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ Foster, Ally (4 August 2023). "New viral Gen Alpha meme is making Gen Z feel 'old'". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 August 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ Bumas, Adam (20 July 2023). "An onslaught of toilets". Garbage Day. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ Bella, James La (12 June 2024). "The Semiotics of Skibidi Toilet". Extended Play. The Civilians. Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ Rohmi Aida, Nur; Hardiyanto, Sari (4 August 2023). "Ramai soal Sindrom Skibidi Toilet, Apa Bahayanya untuk Anak?" [About Skibidi Toilet, What Are The Dangers For Children?]. Kompas (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ Wahyu Kurniawan, Romafi (3 August 2023). "Hati-Hati, Kecanduan Skibidi Toilet Bisa Berbahaya Bagi Anak-anak" [Beware, Skibidi Toilet Addiction Can Be Dangerous For Children]. Jawa Pos (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ F. Pujangga, Raka (7 August 2023). "Waspada Bahaya Sindrom Skibidi Toilet Pada Anak, Segera Arahkan Ke Konten Positif" [Beware of the Dangers of Skibidi Toilet Syndrome in Children, Immediately Direct to Positive Content]. Tribun Jateng (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 19 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ Collin, Robbie (21 March 2024). "The twisted children's movies bypassing the censors – and giving parents nightmares". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ^ Carr, Mary Kate (24 July 2024). "Michael Bay's new ambitious project is to take "Skibidi Toilet" mainstream". The A. V. Club. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ Jackson, Gordon (24 July 2024). "Michael Bay Could Make Skibidi Toilet His Next Great Cinematic Franchise". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on 31 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
- ^ Frank, Allegra (27 July 2024). "A Michael Bay 'Skibidi Toilet' Movie Makes Perfect Sense". Complex. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ a b c Stedman, Alex (30 July 2024). "Garry's Mod/Skibidi Toilet DMCA Claim Has Been 'Resolved,' Creator Garry Newman Says". IGN. Archived from the original on 31 July 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Smith, Graham (30 July 2024). "Michael Bay's Skibidi Toilet movie production company has apparently sent DMCA takedowns to Garry's Mod". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on 31 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ Wolens, Joshua (30 July 2024). "Mystery afoot as Garry's Mod gets hit by Skibi-DMCA apparently on behalf of Michael Bay's Skibidi Toilet film studio: 'Can you believe the cheek?'". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 31 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ Gault, Matthew (30 July 2024). "Garry's Mod Creator Says Skibidi Toilet Served Him With a Copyright Takedown Notice". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on 31 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ "United States Copyright Office". 30 July 2024. Archived from the original on 31 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
Notes
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/40px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Playlist of Skibidi Toilet on YouTube
- DaFuq!?Boom! – Alexey Gerasimov's YouTube channel
- DaFuq!?Boom!'s YouTube stats – by Social Blade
- Skibidi Toilet at IMDb
- Dexerto interview with Alexey Gerasimov
- "Attack of the Skibidi Toilets" – editorial cartoon by Sage Stossel for the Boston Globe
- 2020s YouTube controversies
- 2020s YouTube series
- 2023 establishments in Georgia (country)
- 2023 in Internet culture
- 2023 web series debuts
- Generation Alpha
- Internet in Georgia (country)
- Internet memes introduced in 2023
- Machinima works
- Surreal comedy web series
- Toilets
- Viral videos
- Works about wars
- Works based on Half-Life (series)