Italian brainrot

Definition:

Italian brainrot – literally “Italian brain decay” – refers to one of the absurd video trends popular on TikTok, aimed at overwhelming the viewer with stimuli, confusion, and grotesque amusement. This genre typically employs digital parody aesthetics and artificial intelligence, often balancing on the edge of unease, humor, and the grotesque.

Origin:

The phenomenon stems from shitposting aesthetics and the postmodern, ironic internet culture. In internet slang, brainrot refers to content that is so intense, chaotic, or senseless that it’s said to “rot your brain.” The adjective Italian refers to a stylized, stereotypical Italian accent often used by AI voiceovers in these videos.

Development:

The trend gained popularity between late 2024 and early 2025, especially on TikTok, where the algorithm favors content that provokes a strong user response. Italian brainrot videos usually present absurd hybrids: animals combined with objects, accompanied by grotesque “Italian” narration and dynamic editing.

Sample characters include:

•   Tralalero Trallalà – a three-legged shark in sporty shoes,
•   Ballerina Cappuccina – a ballerina with a coffee cup instead of a head,
•   Bombardino Crocodilo – a crocodile with a bombolone pastry as part of its body.

Many of these materials use a narration style resembling children’s storytelling – simple, rhythmic language, exaggerated voice-over expression, and repetitive structures – which, when paired with absurd and grotesque imagery, results in a strong sense of cognitive dissonance and unease.

Fun fact:

Some videos in this trend are controversial – they’re accused of trivializing violence, blasphemy, or indifference to human suffering (e.g., references to the Gaza conflict). The brainrot aesthetic has also become the subject of critical analysis regarding the influence of overstimulation on youth perception and the redefinition of the boundaries of humor.

Example of usage:

1. I think the one with the crocodile and the one with the shark should be stopped immediately, and the meme itself is not just political, because the one with the crocodile symbolizes the bombing of Palestinian children in Gaza and disbelief in Allah. 💔 Besides, the meanings are rude and disgusting, it’s all stupid and should be stopped. ✋
   (User: Unkown_2013, comment under the thread “What does the Italian brain rot mean?”, Reddit, accessed: May 8, 2025) https://www.reddit.com/r/italian/comments/1jgfz7h/what_does_the_italian_brain_rot_means/?tl=pl
2. You know, translating Bombardino Crocodilo as ‘Bombardino Crocodilo, the alligator who bombs children in Gaza and Palestine and doesn’t believe in Allah but loves bombs’ (User: Yetteesss, comment under the thread “What does the Italian brain rot mean?”, Reddit, April 26, 2025) https://www.reddit.com/r/italian/comments/1jgfz7h/what_does_the_italian_brain_rot_means/?tl=pl
3. Is ‘Italian brainrot’ the stupidest internet trend yet? [Eng. Italian brainrot is the stupidest trend in the history of the internet?] https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/is-italian-brainrot-the-stupidest-internet-trend-yet/news-story/b3cdc5e5ffb370ef184aa72e2cff7e34
4. “FINALLY THERE’S Italian brainrot internet trend explained | news.com.au INDONESIA IN THINKNOODLES VIDEO (…) To be honest… brainrot tung tung tung tung sahur and tralalelo tralala are actually from Indonesia 🙂 but the most brainrot is Italian brainrot.” (Comment under video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pplu60NmwIA)
5. Also see: Instagram account dedicated to Italian Brainrot: https://www.instagram.com/italian.brainrot

Sources and context:

• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/italian/comments/1jgfz7h/what_does_the_italian_brain_rot_means/?tl=pl
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LDCuQLsCiw
• Article: https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/is-italian-brainrot-the-stupidest-internet-trend-yet/news-story/b3cdc5e5ffb370ef184aa72e2cff7e34