TikTok loves Jean Philanthrope, but ‘French Lord Farquaad’s’ backstory is disappointing

I don’t know about you, but my TikTok has been filled to the brim with Jean Philanthrope, also called Jean Phil, who some dubbed “French Lord Farquaad”, a “character from One Piece”, and Beaker from the Muppets. 

TikTok is bustling with a load of unique characters, from the Peter Pan Girl to a guy kayaking through the Congo Basin. 

I have to say, Jean Philanthrope is up there in terms of originality. 

@jean_philanthrope

Jab, crochet. T’as senti le danger 😤

♬ original sound – shizu.mp3

Who is Jean Philanthrope/Jean Phil? 

With a haircut that draws Lord Farquaad comparisons, a passion for shadow boxing, and a brown houndstooth suit, Jean Philanthrope has amassed 190k followers in just a few weeks. 

His first video, which showed him shadow boxing in a kitchen, generated 13.8 million views, with subsequent clips also racking up millions of views. He has only seven videos on his page, and while most follow the same structure, views range from 1.7 million to 9.8 million. He has even more followers on Instagram, at 235k. 

As mentioned, all of Jean Phil’s videos follow the exact same structure. It’s usually him, centre frame, punching the air with a stoic expression on his face. 

@jean_philanthrope

She feels safe with the man.

♬ original sound – DjJoeMix Nj

And then there’s the elephant in the room: His hair. It’s bleach blonde, giving an Elizabethan king, and comes with a similarly coloured wispy moustache. 

Most Read

How to do the Hotel Lobby AI trend from TikTok that puts people into Quavo and Takeoff video

Here’s what the real Lizzie Borden’s father Andrew was actually like to be around

Aileen Wuornos and Lizzie Borden’s made-up connection explained after Netflix’s Monster

People love him… but not for long 

You can’t help but smile when Jean Philanthrope pops up on TikTok, and he’s since been lauded as some sort of cult icon. 

“This guy could beat me up and I’ll thank him,” one person admitted. 

Another said: “Bro looks like he invented history.”

@jean_philanthrope

Double G. Oui

♬ som original – Jah Son

But here’s the sad truth: He’s a completely made-up AI creation, with content creators confirming that his likeness is available as “AI overlays.”

But why? To make money, of course. If you follow the link in Jean Phil’s Instagram bio, you’ll be offered the chance to get involved with the JEANPHIL token, a new cryptocurrency. 

He’s not the only one, either. There’s a British counterpart, Archibald, also going viral for his unique haircut and memecoin, and Derek Mercer, a jacked AI creation, also flogging crypto. 

Already, people are saying it’s “not the same now that we know” that he’s AI. I hate that I fell for it. 

For more, like The Tab on Facebook. 

Featured image credit: TikTok/Jean Phil