The Monkey Selfie refers to a famous series of images taken by Naruto, a Celebes crested macaque, using equipment belonging to nature photographer David Slater in 2011. While the photo gained immense popularity for the monkey's surprisingly human-like, toothy grin, it also sparked a historic legal battle regarding copyright law and whether animals can own intellectual property. In the world of internet culture, the image is the gold standard for 'accidental front camera' jokes and relatable moments of awkward joy. Users frequently caption the wide-eyed stare to represent everything from social media blunders to genuine, unbridled excitement.