->''"Sad, that I must litter space with ape corpses."''
-->-- '''Baktosh [[RedBaron "Redclaw"]] nar Kiranka''', ''VideoGame/WingCommander''

Generally in sci-fi/fantasy settings where there are other non-human sentient species, they will often refer [[FantasticRacism pejoratively]] to humans as apes or monkeys. Sometimes, even a human is seen doing this. More likely to happen in settings where humans are depicted as being [[HumansAreMorons less intelligent or civilized than other sentient races]].

The ''BigBad'' tends to do this often if he's not human himself, or if he is not human anymore. When used by StarfishAliens, it can sometimes raise FridgeLogic issues if there's no basis for them to know what apes or monkeys are, in the first place.

Despite this trope's use of the word "ape" as an insult, it should be noted that biologically, humans actually ''are'' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hominidae a species of ape]]. The insult implies that the human in question is uncivilised and therefore cannot be distinguished from an ape. Compare "Neanderthal".

A subtrope of FantasticSlur.



[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Freeza is very adamant about the Saiyans being "mere monkeys" even when he's getting his ass kicked by one. Indeed, having tails even when not transformed, they ''are'' technically monkeys rather than apes. Not that it reduces the FantasticRacism any. And Freeza isn't particular. He uses all variations of "ape" and "monkey" to insult the Saiyans.
* In ''Manga/LovePistols'', ''zoomans'' (humans developed from other animals than apes) use the word "monkey" sometimes neutrally, and sometimes as a slur.
* In episode 5 of ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'', Haruko insults Amarao with something along the lines of "primitive monkey!", to which Amarao responds that it is politically incorrect to refer to "underevolved species" that way.
* In the first half of ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', Viral consistently refers to the human heroes as "naked apes", as do Generals Adaine and Cytomander. (Thymilph isn't around long enough to do it and Guame presumedly knows better.)
* In ''GetterRobo'', the Dinosaur Empire refers to humans as "arrogant apes."

* From ''[[Comicbook/{{X-Men}} New X-Men]]'' 130:
-->'''Xavier'''[addressing human troops]: The X-Men have this deliberately engineered "emergency" under control. We've just lost one of our rescue team, do you understand? We're in no mood to play chimpanzee politics...
** Then again, this could just as easily be an insult directed at [[AcceptableTargets politicians]], if not more so considering Xavier's beliefs on human-mutant relations and the fact that mutant humans are just as much ape as the regular sort of humans

* The Black Hole aliens from ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' films ''Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzilla'' and ''Film/TerrorOfMechagodzilla'' refer to earthlings as primitive apes, despite the fact that they themselves look like gorillas.
* In ''BuckarooBanzai'', the Red Lectroids insultingly refer to human beings as "monkey boys".
* ''Film/MenInBlack'': The Bug calls humans "monkey boys", which is almost certainly a ShoutOut to ''Buckaroo Banzai''.
* The angels in the ''Film/TheProphecy'' series constantly refer to humans as "talking monkeys".
* Alluded to in an inversion of sorts in PlanetOfTheApes quite a few times-'human' is the insult. Notably verbalized in Zira's comments like "You know what they say, human say, human do." and "to apes, all men look alike."
** Also, the apes have their own version-they hate to be called 'monkeys'.
* ''InheritTheWind'' has a version said by another human, played for cynicism. "Darwin was wrong. Man's still an ape."

* In ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'', there are several pointed references to humans being descended from apes, and more than one character addresses or refers to Arthur with some variation of "monkey man". What ''they're'' descended from isn't mentioned.
* Mendoza, an immortal human in ''TheCompanyNovels'', refers to normal humans as monkeys.
* During the Man-Kzin War period of Larry Niven's ''KnownSpace'' series, the Kzinti constantly referred to humans as "monkeys". By the ''{{Ringworld}}'' period, they have stopped doing that, having had their collective asses handed to them too many times by the humans to casually dismiss them anymore.
** The monkey comparison is occasionally presented by the narrative as being a ''positive'' one, in that [[HumansAreSpecial as monkeys we have curiosity, which leads to learning potentially valuable things]] that the feline Kzin do not. Clearly they never heard that [[AnimalStereotypes cats are curious too.]]
* In ''Franchise/StarshipTroopers'', the DrillSergeantNasty frequently refers to his recruits as apes to motivate them. [[TruthInTelevision This is not unknown in Earth's military history.]]
-->[[ArcWords Come on, you apes! You want to live forever?]]
* Used frequently by Mudge in reference to Jon-Tom in ''{{Spellsinger}}''. Also on one occasion by Dorcas the hinny.
** Given that monkeys in Mudge and Dorcas's world are [[PettingZooPeople fully sentient and civilized]], the implication may have been that Jon-Tom is foolish or frivolous rather than primitive.
* In ''Literature/CodexAlera'', one of the [[WolfMan Canim]] insults the human protagonist with a phrase that roughly translates to "monkey-boy". The spirit of this trope when turned on another species is also seen in that the worst insults you can offer a Cane are "dog" and ''especially'' "jackal".
* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', Ferrovax the dragon sneeringly refers to ''all'' the humanoids at Bianca's party, human or vampire, as "monkeys".
* Played with in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' series: the Librarian at Unseen University, a human transformed into an orangutan, actually ''prefers'' being an ape (well, a ''different kind'' of ape), but, as in the ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes'' example, call him a "monkey" (or even ''say'' "monkey" around him) at your peril.
** At one point in ''Discworld/GoingPostal'', a bird has a malicious expression that is explained as it "remembering the days it was a giant reptile that could have taken these sons of monkeys to the cleaners." Apparently, Discworld once had dinosaurs, and they [[DinosaursAreDragons weren't dragons]].

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* The Ninth Doctor from ''Series/DoctorWho'' refers to humans as "stupid apes" on several occasions.
** As do the new series' Silurians, some of whom want to wipe humanity out.
* The Xindi from ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' refer to the humans as being "ape-like". In this case it is generally intended as more descriptive than insulting, and the same term is also used for Primate Xindi.
* [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Uriel]] on ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' refers to humans as "mud monkeys." Lucifer condemns humans for being "murderous hairless apes".
* The Cat on ''Series/RedDwarf'' calls Lister, Rimmer, and Kochanski "monkeys" on a regular basis.

* CrashTestDummies' "Superman's Song" contains the line "dumb as an ape".
* The Music/{{Tool}} song "Right In Two", which is sung from the perspective of angels, refers to humans as monkeys.

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* In ''ShermansLagoon'', the characters refer to humans as "hairless beach apes".
* In one ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' strip, Calvin asks whether Hobbes believes that humans evolved from apes. Hobbes' response: "I sure don't see any difference."

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'', the [[SpaceElves Eldar]] derisively refer to humans and other species they deem inferior as "mon-keigh". It only ''sounds'' like "monkey," though; the meaning is "those which have to be exterminated."
* In the ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' setting, a trideo program out of Tir Tairngire had an elvish title that translated as "Keeper of the Monkey House". It's a flagrantly-racist comedy about an elven landholder's dealings with idiotic, destructive, irresponsible human tenants.
* Subverted in the {{Ravenloft}} setting's Wildlands, where the natives refer to humans as "hairless apes". The subversion is that the natives are all [[TalkingAnimal sentient animals]], so actually ''approve'' of the "ape" part: it's the hairlessness they find objectionable.

* In ''Theatre/PrincessIda'', Lady Psyche teaches that men, [[StrawFeminist as opposed to women]], descended from apes and so remain apes at heart:
-->For the Maiden fair, whom the monkey craved,\\
Was a radiant Being,\\
With a brain far-seeing--\\
While a Darwinian Man, though well-behaved,\\
At best is only a monkey shaved!
* In ''The Hairy Ape'' by Eugene O'Neill, the AntiHero "Yank" takes being called an ape so seriously that, by the play's final scene, he wholeheartedly believes he is one.

* In ''VideoGame/WingCommander'' the [[MegaNeko felinoid Kilrathi]] refer to the humans as "hairless apes" and similar terms.
* In ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'', [[LizardFolk Azala]] refers to humans as apes.
* ''SwordOfTheStars'', the nickname for humans is 'ape' or 'monkey'. This nickname was originally used by the Tarka, but was adopted by most major species -- including humanity itself. That said, [[IntelligentGerbil most of the species]] from ''Sword of the Stars'' have similar nicknames: Tarka are 'crocs' or 'lizards', Hivers are 'bugs' and Morrigi are 'crows'. The Liir probably have one too, but it's not mentioned. As for the Zuul, they have no name for themselves. Zuul is just what the other races call them, which is a Liir term derived from the word "Suul'ka", meaning "abominable" (any further epithets would probably be redundant).
* Sakuya does this to the heroine a few times in ''VisualNovel/HatofulBoyfriend''. The heroine can return fire with poultry comments. [[MoodWhiplash This stops being funny]] in [[CarnivoreConfusion certain storylines]].

* In ''{{Homestuck}}'', unusually, it is some of the humans who refer to themselves this way when talking to trolls (John calls human babies [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=003567 "little pink monkeys"]], and Dave refers to the human civilization as growing from the foundations of [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004672 simian reproductive potency]].) Only once Gamzee [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004718 calls Dave the "pInKeSt oF MoThErFuCkIn sTaR MoNkEyS"]].
* "Hairless apes" from TwoKinds
* In ''[[http://www.the-gutters.com/comic/69-steve-willhite The Gutters]]'' the shark refers to humans as "hairless monkeys".
* Artie the [[UpliftedAnimal uplifted gerbil]] in ''{{Narbonic}}'' occasionally refers to humans as "plains apes". This has been taken up by many of the transgenic community in ''SkinHorse''.
* In ''TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob,'' aliens sometimes call us "primates" or "bald monkeys" or such, but more often they deride us for being ''vertebrates,'' since the Nemesites and Ipecacs are arthropods. Riboflavin calls Bob a "verminous little spine thing" at one point.

[[folder:Web Originals]]
* [[http://laserpotato.deviantart.com/gallery/41360631 Worm Jeff]] often refers to humans as apes and monkeys.

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* On ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', Nibbler describes Earth as being ruled by "psychotic apes".
* On ''Crash Nebula'', the ShowWithinAShow from ''FairlyOddparents'', the kid who will grow up to be Crash is repeatedly insulted by the other space students calling him one variation or another on [[EvolutionaryLevels "moderately evolved primate"]].
* In ''MegasXLR'', Gorrath calls humans "monkey men".
* [[Disney/{{Dumbo}} "Grab that rope, you hairy ape!"]]
* Many times, slow-witted [[TheSimpsons Homer Simpson]] is compared to an ape. This actually becomes a major plot point in a trial that mirrors the Scopes Trial after Ned Flanders tried to get Creationism taught in Springfield Elementary.
* The botanical ''[[WesternAnimation/TheTick Tick]]'' villain, El Seed refers to humans as "monkeys" and human superheroes as "supermonkeys".

[[folder:Real Life]]
* "Porch monkey" and "Apefricans" are racist slurs used to insult black people.