There is a tendancy amongst a surprisingly high amount of people to read "protagonist" as "good guy who should be emulated". IASIP is a good and largely well written show (although it doesn't pretend to be anything its not) BUT, since the main characters are shitty, shallow, selfish people who don't repent or improve, le epic redditor edgelords can just have a laugh and feel vindicated. We're meant to be laughing at the gang and sympathising with the bemused and disgusted people around them, whereas i think some people manage to miss the point completely, relating to the gang, and so instead end up viewing it as something like fucking south park.
iirc, the creators are not much fond of most of their fanbase.