Apple store gay monkey
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On April 9th, Redditor Chaz4220 posted a photoshop to /r/jschlatt putting the boy in a Gamestop, gaining over 190 upvotes in just under two years (shown below, right).
The meme persisted into 2021, continuing to inspire new variants. For instance, in the image below you can see that Lana del Rey's hands are deformed and even dissolving into the phone.
(X user @yassambassador)
Moreover, in the second picture, allegedly captured in the Apple Store, a blurred "SAFE" sign is visible in the background, both celebrities have deformed fingers and Chalamet's phone has weirdly formed charging cables attached.
(X user @yassambassador)
As social media users pointed out, the AI-generated images appeared to have been inspired by the "Monkey Boy" meme, which dates from around 2010.
Know Your Meme, a website dedicated to documenting such internet phenomena, published an article about the meme.
If you don't want to be deceived by AI-generated images and videos in the future, read our tips here.
Gay Little Monkey Boy At Apple Store
About
Gay Little Monkey Boy At Apple Store refers to an image of a child in a tight monkey costume using a display iPhone at an Apple Store, standing with one leg straight and one bent at the knee, foot on top of the other, in what's considered a "gay" stance.
The gay little monkey at the Apple Store video captured a moment that was both adorable and hilarious, quickly spreading across TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Viral Spread: Gay Little Monkey Meme Explained
The gay little monkey meme took off because it combined humor, cuteness, and a bit of unexpected sass.
The gay little monkey is no exception—it’s playful, relatable, and a little bit rebellious.
Risks and Considerations: Viral Fame Isn’t Always Easy
While the meme is fun, it’s important to consider the welfare of animals involved in viral content. Tabloid Prodigy reposted it on June 24th as their "picture of the day" and Krapps posted it on June 29th in its own post titled "Monkey Boy – The Legend Continues," playing up the idea of the mystery of the monkey boy.
Spread
The image spread online over the course of the 2010s.
Why is it called the gay little monkey?
The phrase is part of the meme’s humorous captioning style, reflecting the monkey’s cheeky and carefree behavior, not a literal description.
3. For example, on September 23rd, Redditor weedIizard posted a photoshop to /r/traves replacing the monkey boy with a Minecraft character in a monkey skin (shown below).
On October 20th, YouTuber chickenbootsauce posted a video of an original song loosely about the gay little monkey boy image using the little monkey image (shown below).
A Quick Introduction
At first glance, the phrase gay little monkey might sound like a random or even confusing combination of words. For example, on June 20th, 2012, it was posted to /r/pics titled "Monkey Boy at Apple Store."
What The F--k Gay Little Monkey
Around September 2019, MySpace user windows93 posted an image macro of the monkey boy captioned "what the f--k gay little monkey" (shown below, left).
The image was first uploaded to the web in 2010 and became popularized over the course of the decade in image macros and photoshops as an exploitable.
Origin
The exact origins are unknown, but the earliest archived upload of the image of the monkey boy was posted to ZanyPickle on June 18th, 2010, in a meme dump "grab bag" collection post.
The trend was kicked off by TikToker @microplasticangel on November 20th, 2023, after they posted a slideshow of AI-generated images showing singer Lana Del Ray and actor Timothée Chalamet making a Thanksgiving meal together while dressed in Gay Little Monkey outfits.
The slideshow, set to Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You," gathered over 5.2 million plays and 800,000 likes in a week.
Images from another TikTok by @microplasticangel were reposted to X by user @yassambassador asking "is this real" on November 19th, gathering over 19,000 likes in a week (seen below, left).
Is the gay little monkey real or CGI?
The monkey is real, captured on video by a bystander at the Apple Store, making the meme authentic and relatable.
4.
What is the origin of the gay little monkey meme?
The meme originated from a viral video of a playful monkey inside an Apple Store, which quickly spread across social media platforms in early 2025.
2. It is unclear and unlikely that this is the original upload (shown below). It reminds us that humor, curiosity, and a bit of unexpected charm can unite people across the world.
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On March 3rd, Instagram page @hykeq posted a version of the image macro with Minecraft music over it, gaining over 54,000 views in eight months (shown below).
Continued Spread
On November 21st, 2021, Instagram page boomer.jim posted an image macro using the monkey boy to mock people who used to watch Ben Shapiroanti-SJW videos as a teenager during Thanksgiving dinner, gaining over 38,900 likes in a day (shown below).
Gay Little Monkey AI-Generated Images
In November 2023, AI-generated images combining the "Gay Little Monkey" with various celebrities began going viral.
The Internet’s Reaction 5 Heartwarming Truths
The phrase wtf gay little monkey became a common reaction online, expressing surprise and amusement. How is this even real?”
The Cultural Impact of the Gay Little Monkey Meme
Beyond just laughs, the gay little monkey meme has sparked conversations about internet culture, viral content, and how simple moments can capture global attention.
Why Do We Love Viral Animal Memes?
Animals, especially ones showing human-like traits, resonate deeply with us.
Within hours, it was shared thousands of times, sparking the gay little monkey from the Apple Store trend.
WTF Gay Little Monkey?
On Nov. 19, 2023, two images were shared, allegedly showing Timothée Chalamet and Lana Del Rey in costume, apparently imitating an internet meme known as "Gay Little Monkey Boy in Apple Store." The most viral post on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption asking "is this real" reached over 640,000 views as of this writing.
Another post on X showed a screenshot of a TikTok post with the in-question pic and read:
tiktok is actually crazy cuz like i just sobbed over one video and the next is ai generated lana del rey and timothee chalamet as gay little monkey from the apple store
The images were also shared on Reddit with a caption "the drewth is a pandemic at this point."
the drewth is a pandemic at this point
byu/mazzys17 inemergencyintercom
Both images had tell-tale signs of being generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) software, however.
The song was originally posted to SoundCloud by Moe Lester and features Keeyoki and Nate, but was removed according to the upload's description.
Gay little monkey
He lookin’ kinda fresh
he lookin’ kinda funky
On January 13th, 2020, Instagram user jacks_spam_n_such posted a version replacing the boy with Kanbaru from the animeBakemonogatari, gaining over 800 likes in just under two years (shown below, left).
On November 20th, X user @airbagged posted a meme using the image, gathering over 41,000 likes in a day (seen below, right).
On November 24th, X user @Baileymoon15 posted a version of the image showing British singer Ed Sheeran in the "Gay Little Monkey" suit, gathering over 80,000 likes in two days (seen below).
Various Examples
Search Interest
External References
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This quirky term has sparked curiosity, confusion, and even laughter across social media platforms.