# Do The Roar

> Do The Roar is a 2010 catchphrase meme from *Shrek Forever After*, featuring Butter Pants, a blonde boy who demands Shrek perform his signature roar with a distinctive nasally voice.

"Do the Roar" is a catchphrase meme from the 2010 animated film *Shrek Forever After*, in which a pudgy blonde kid named Butter Pants demands that Shrek perform his signature roar in a deep, nasally voice. The scene first hit YouTube as remixed edits days before the movie's theatrical release, and it picked up a second wave of popularity on TikTok in the early 2020s as creators impersonated Butter Pants' distinctive vocal delivery.

## Origin
*Shrek Forever After* opened in American theaters on May 21, 2010[1]. But the meme beat the movie to the internet. On May 18, 2010, three days before the wide release, YouTuber Proclaimer001 uploaded a remix of the "Do the Roar" scene set to MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This," picking up roughly 1.3 million views over the following years[1].

The voice behind Butter Pants wasn't a child actor. Mike Mitchell, the film's director, recorded the lines as a temporary "scratch track" during production. Directors often lay down placeholder dialogue so animators can time scenes before professional voice talent steps in. Mitchell's delivery was so perfectly grating that the producers kept it in the final cut[2]. It's the same way Brad Bird ended up voicing Edna Mode in *The Incredibles* or Joe Ranft voiced Heimlich in *A Bug's Life*. Sometimes the director just nails the character better than anyone else could.

- **Platform:** YouTube (initial remixes), TikTok (2020s revival)
- **Creator:** Mike Mitchell (voice actor / film director), Proclaimer001 (first known remix)
- **Date:** 2010

## Overview
In *Shrek Forever After*, Shrek is stuck playing party entertainer at his triplets' birthday. A father approaches with his son and asks Shrek to do his "famous Shrek roar." The kid, credited as Butter Pants, cuts in with a flat, nasal command: "Do the roar." He repeats it without blinking. The delivery is so perfectly irritating that it stuck in the brains of everyone who watched the film.

What makes the scene work is Butter Pants' total lack of awe. He doesn't ask politely. He doesn't say "please." It's a command, like he's pressing a button on a vending machine[2]. The voice sits in this uncanny zone between bratty toddler and bored middle-aged man, which turns out to be the exact frequency needed to break an ogre's spirit.

## How It Spread
Within days of the film's release, more edits appeared on YouTube. On May 24, 2010, YouTuber OmgItsKiona posted a version that pulled roughly 731,400 views[1]. On January 8, 2011, Miki Nebulah uploaded a remix blending the scene with Lady Gaga's "Poker Face," which picked up around 696,000 views[1].

The format followed a YouTube Poop trajectory through the 2010s, with creators chopping and looping Butter Pants' line into absurdist edits. On February 19, 2018, YouTuber XpVerse uploaded an iteration that reached about 2.8 million views and 91,000 likes[1]. On November 6, 2020, YouTuber Bosh posted another take that hit roughly 3.1 million views[1].

TikTok gave the meme its second life. On April 18, 2020, TikToker @thesnikle posted a video doing the Butter Pants voice on repeat, earning around 1.8 million likes[1]. In 2022, @yaboyywill turned the impersonation into a recurring series. One of his videos from May 17, 2022 racked up approximately 28.4 million plays and 4.8 million likes in a single month[1]. By 2023, TikToker @steftee went viral with a similar approach, posting on May 6, 2023 and pulling roughly 27.7 million plays and 3.7 million likes in under two weeks[1]. That same year, other TikTokers linked "Do the Roar" to Gorlock the Destroyer, drawing a comparison to Shrek[1].

## How to Use
The meme works in a few different ways:

- **Voice impersonation:** Record yourself saying "Do the roar" in Butter Pants' flat, nasal monotone. The less enthusiasm, the better. The delivery should sound like a kid who's bored of being alive.
- **Remix/edit:** Take the original audio clip and splice it into other contexts. Music mashups, reaction edits, or looping the phrase over unrelated footage all work.
- **Reaction format:** Drop "Do the roar" as a comment or caption when someone is being pressured to perform on command. It maps well to situations where a person is expected to do their "thing" for an audience, whether that's a work presentation, a talent show, or just existing at a party.
- **Cosplay/re-enactment:** Dress as the kid (tiny vest, blonde hair, dead-eyed stare) and recreate the scene in public.

The core joke is always about the gap between Shrek's terrifying roar and the kid's complete indifference to it. Apply it to any moment where effort meets apathy.

## Cultural Impact
The "Do the Roar" scene punches above its weight as a piece of minor-character comedy. Within the film's plot, it's the breaking point that drives Shrek to sign Rumpelstiltskin's contract[2]. Without Butter Pants' relentless nagging, Shrek might have tolerated the party. The kid's refusal to be impressed by the roar proves to Shrek that he's no longer a feared ogre. He's been turned into a tourist attraction[2].

There's a layer of commentary baked into the gag. Butter Pants represents a specific type of media consumer who doesn't care about the performer, only the content. He doesn't want to know Shrek. He wants the catchphrase, like pressing play on a clip[2]. That dynamic hit differently in the TikTok era, where creators face the same "do the thing" pressure from audiences who treat them like content dispensers.

The animators leaned into the kid's design to sell the joke. His face uses exaggerated "squash and stretch" techniques. When he says "Do it," his mouth barely moves, but his whole head vibrates with entitlement[2]. It's why he reads clearly even in a blurry thumbnail.

## Fun Facts
- Butter Pants' voice actor is Mike Mitchell, the director of the entire film. His "temporary" recording was so good the production team never replaced it[2].
- The first meme remix appeared three days before the movie's official U.S. release, meaning the scene was already being remixed from early screenings or promotional clips[1].
- After Shrek finally roars with enough force to blow out candles and silence the forest, Butter Pants calmly responds "I love you, Daddy" and walks away, unfazed[2].
- The character's official name, Butter Pants, comes from the film's credits and production notes[2].
- DreamWorks' animators designed Butter Pants' face so his head seems to vibrate when he speaks, creating a uniquely unsettling quality even in still frames[2].

## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is Do the Roar?
"Do the Roar" is a catchphrase from *Shrek Forever After* (2010) where a kid named Butter Pants monotonously demands Shrek perform his roar. The scene became a meme through YouTube remixes and later TikTok impersonations[1].

### Where did Do the Roar come from?
It comes from a scene in the 2010 DreamWorks film *Shrek Forever After*, during a birthday party sequence. The first meme remix hit YouTube on May 18, 2010, before the movie's wide release[1].

### What does Do the Roar mean?
In meme usage, it represents being pressured to perform on demand. The humor comes from Butter Pants' total lack of enthusiasm or respect for Shrek, treating him like a coin-operated ride rather than a feared ogre[2].

### How do you use Do the Roar?
You can impersonate Butter Pants' flat, nasal delivery in videos, remix the original audio into edits, or use the catchphrase as a reaction when someone is expected to "do their thing" on command[1].

### Is Do the Roar still popular?
The meme saw major TikTok revivals in 2022 and 2023, with individual videos reaching tens of millions of plays. As of 2023, it was still generating viral content through voice impersonation trends[1].

### Who voiced Butter Pants?
Mike Mitchell, the director of *Shrek Forever After*, voiced Butter Pants. He recorded the lines as a temporary scratch track, but the delivery was so perfectly annoying that the studio kept his performance in the finished film[2].

### What is Butter Pants' real name?
The character's official name is Butter Pants, per the film's credits and production materials. Most viewers just call him "the Do the Roar kid"[2].

### Why did Do the Roar go viral on TikTok?
TikTok creators discovered that impersonating Butter Pants' distinctive voice was both easy to replicate and immediately recognizable. @yaboyywill and @steftee each pulled tens of millions of plays with their versions in 2022 and 2023[1].

### What happens after Shrek does the roar?
After Shrek unleashes a massive roar that blows out candles and silences the area, Butter Pants calmly says "I love you, Daddy" and walks away completely unbothered. The non-reaction is the real punchline[2].

### Is Butter Pants related to Rumpelstiltskin?
No. Despite fan speculation, Butter Pants is just a random kid at the birthday party with no connection to any villain. His lack of plot significance is part of what makes him funny[2].

## References
1. [Why the Do the Roar Kid Is Still the Best Part of Shrek Forever After - Pre Tend](<https://pre-tend.com/why-the-do-the-roar-kid-is-still-the-best-part-of-shrek-forever-after-1sam>)
2. [Do the Roar - Know Your Meme](<https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/do-the-roar>)

---
Source: https://meme.com/memes/do-the-roar
Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library