Rizz Monkey
A smiling macaque stock-footage clip turned exploitable greenscreen template for flirting and 'rizz' edits on TikTok.
Rizz Monkey (also called Monkey With Rizz or Smiling Monkey) is a viral macaque that appears to smile and lock eyes with the camera, which creators frame as the monkey flirting with or 'rizzing up' the viewer. It became a go-to greenscreen and CapCut template for jokes about charisma and confidence.
History
On May 17th, 2022, the YouTube channel Funny Animals TV uploaded stock footage titled 'Black Macaque Looking At Camera And Smiling,' originally filmed by videographer Ami Bornstein. The clip sat mostly unnoticed until TikTok user @111_monkey repurposed it in February 2023, pairing the monkey's stare with captions about 'rizz' and a remix of Chris Brown's 'No Guidance.' That edit gained roughly 51 million plays and 8.3 million likes within two months, and the monkey became a standard greenscreen template for flirting-themed edits.
Cultural scores
Editorial estimates of cultural weight — Current Popularity tracks how much people are posting about this now, not historical fame.
Current Popularity = how actively people are posting about this today. Influence = lasting footprint. Cringe = online reception. Brainrot = absurdist energy. How scoring works
Timeline
2022-05-17
Funny Animals TV uploads the original macaque footage to YouTube
2023-02-01
TikToker @111_monkey turns the clip into a viral 'rizz' edit template
2023-04-27
Know Your Meme documents the format as Monkey With Rizz
Examples
- “Greenscreening the monkey into a restaurant or nightclub scene with the caption 'POV: you're about to get rizz'd'”
- “Duet videos responding to the monkey's stare as if it flirted with the viewer”
- “Looping the 7.5-second smile as a reaction GIF for confident or smooth moments”
Related entries
Culturally linked — not random recommendations.
Rizz
SlangShort for charisma — specifically someone's ability to flirt, charm, or attract romantic interest.
The Rizzler
MemeAn internet archetype and cultural title for someone possessing supernatural levels of rizz — effortless, almost implausible charisma.
Gigachad
MemeA hyperbolically masculine, heavily edited figure from a Russian artistic photography project — used as the ultimate 'Chad' archetype to represent someone who is supremely confident, successful, and beyond criticism.
Blockout 2024
EventA May 2024 social-media campaign urging users to block celebrities and brands seen as ignoring the Gaza crisis — framed online as a "digital guillotine" pressure tactic.
Ouii Shi
MemeA drawn-out 'ouu shii' reaction clip of a man watching a girl dance that became a widely reused TikTok sound and green-screen template.
Adin Ross
PeopleAmerican Kick/Twitch streamer known for NBA 2K roots, celebrity collabs, and high-drama livestream culture.
References
Sources behind this entry. Prefer primary reporting and established culture archives over rumor.
- The Definitive Guide to the Meaning of Rizz Monkey
parkmagazineny.com