John Pork is Calling
John Pork Is Calling is an Internet meme based on John Pork, a computer-generated fictional virtual influencer depicted as an anthropomorphic being with a human body and a pig's head. The meme became popular on TikTok in March 2023 after users began editing images of John Pork into mock incoming-phone-call screens, implying that the viewer was receiving a call from the character.[1]
The original meme later developed into a bizzare series of mock death-hoaxes and creepypasta-style videos that stated that John Pork died because the viewer failed to answer his calls.[2][3]
Background
John Pork is a virtual influencer who first appeared on Instagram in 2018. The character is usually shown in ordinary social-media settings, including selfies, travel photographs, and short videos, while maintaining the surreal appearance of a pig-headed human figure.[4]
Before the "John Pork Is Calling" meme, John Pork had already appeared in smaller internet jokes and fan edits. Some early memes compared the character's pig-like appearance to the avatar associated with the late YouTuber Technoblade.[citation needed] A 2020 profile by VirtualHumans.org described John Pork as a niche virtual influencer with an existing fan base on Instagram and related online communities.[5]
Origin and spread
The joke was based off of the absolute absurdity of an individual such as "John Pork" calling, rather than a punchline or narrative.[1] The format soon inspired other TikTok edits, including parodies in which other anthropomorphic or fictional characters appeared to call the viewer.[citation needed] Distractify reported that John Pork videos on TikTok were receiving hundreds of thousands or millions of plays and likes during the meme's initial spread.[1]
Death hoax
After the incoming-call meme became popular, TikTok users began posting videos claiming that John Pork had died. The joke was generally framed around the idea that John Pork had been calling for help and that viewers had failed to answer.[2] Indy100 reported that some TikTok videos claimed the character had been shot in Atlanta or found dead in a river, although the original creator of the John Pork account had not announced any such storyline.[3]
In an October 2023 interview with Screenshot Media, the creator of John Pork said the death rumor was a fan-made trend connected to the calling meme and described it as "a massive ruse".[6]
In popular culture
In October 2025, the game show Jeopardy! included a clue about John Pork that described the character as generated by artificial intelligence. The clue drew criticism from some viewers, who argued that John Pork had appeared on social media as early as 2018, before modern generative tools became widely available.[7]
Host Ken Jennings later addressed the criticism in a social-media video, saying the show's wording may not have been the best description of John Pork's original appearances, while noting that newer John Pork videos often used modern digital tools.[7]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ishak, Natasha (March 30, 2023). "Who is John Pork and Why Is He Calling on TikTok?". Distractify. Retrieved June 29, 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mooney, Georgia (March 30, 2023). "Inside the John Pork is calling TikTok meme claiming he is dead". The Tab. Retrieved June 29, 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "John Pork meme explained as TikTok mourns death of pig meme". Indy100. April 24, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2026.
- ↑ Pork, John (May 2018). "john.pork". Instagram. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2026. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Who is Virtual Influencer and Pigman John Pork?". VirtualHumans.org. November 9, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2026.
- ↑ Hodgson, Jodie (October 25, 2023). "Is John Pork calling or is he dead? Chatting with the creator of TikTok's most mysterious pigman". Screenshot Media. Retrieved June 29, 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Stenzel, Wesley (November 4, 2025). "Jeopardy host Ken Jennings apologizes after AI clue sparks backlash". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 29, 2026.
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