Overview[]
Protegent is an Anti-Virus computer software that is used to protect against malware, spyware and trojan, used to recover data, used to block sites for office productivity, lost laptop tracking, and adults can use to monitor what their children are doing on the computer while they’re doing it, though the software is heavily critisized for not actually working at all. They have a song on their website called “Protegent Rap” and it is sung by their mascot, Proto. Proto is a bootleg version of Whyatt Beanstalk (formerly known as Super Why), which is the main character of a kids show named "Super Why".
Protegent’s mascot, Proto. The design was slightly changed in 2020, with different hair style, hair color and slightly bigger eyes.
Origin[]
The meme started to get popular around 2017 through Vinesauce Joel's Windows Vista Corruptions, where he looks for malware to download and comes across Protegent (formerly Protegent 360) and their Protegent Rap, he downloads it. Some time later, Joel gives his computer a huge virus. He opens Protegent and Protegent says that everything is fine, despite the massive computer-destroying virus Joel downloaded.
Spread[]
The main draw to the Protogent Rap was a case of "So bad its good", where the rap was so flawed (Very low-budget animation, bad voice-acting, bad writing, outdated rap style, etc) that it was funny due to how bad it was (mainly from how Joel laughed at its awfulness), and people began to make distorted versions of the video in the format of edited memes.
Protogent and his rap became popular for a while, even getting some solid amounts of views, and another video made by Protogent with Proto getting malware on his computer and having it fixed became popular as well, but the fanbase died out after a while due to how the joke eventually got stale and it was difficult for people who didn't see Joel's video to get the joke without "fully embracing the cringe".
It had a small appearance on SiIvagunner's channel (since it's a vinesauce meme), but it wasn't big enough to make him closely related to the SiIvagunner channel itself.
By 2018, the meme was considered dead, as not many people were still using it, although the meme briefly rose back in popularity in 2019, with many more memes dedicated to it. The return lasted a short time, as the meme died again rather quickly, however, the meme is occasionally still used in YTPs by popular YouTubers to this day, and memes dedicated to Protegent itself are still often made, but newer memes dedicated to Protegent itself do not seem to get many views as of 2021. However, in 2022, the meme slightly revived again due to some popular YouTubers posting it again.
Protegent rap but its a poorly made ROBLOX music video
Protegent Rap remade in Roblox.
Aftereffects[]
- This meme later spawned the Super WHY! meme due to Proto, Protegent's mascot being a re-color of the main character from that show.
- Some time in 2018 or 2019, DHX Media, the company which owns Super WHY found out about these memes and threatened to sue Protegent if they did not change their mascot, this resulted in Proto, the mascot of Protegent being redesigned in 2019 with an original render that less resembles Whyatt Beanstalk from Super WHY.
- One of the scenes from Protegent's 3D ad was used for the "Yes" meme, which became popular.