History Main / MischiefMakingMonkey

* Aipom and Ambipom from ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' fit this description to a tee. Mankey as well, provided that [[BerserkButton it isn't angry at something]].

* A Visa card advertisement had orangutans stealing the luggage of Catherine Zeta-Jones, until she ransoms it back by using her Visa card to order a truckload of bananas. The monkeys are so impressed they want the Visa card as well. Catherine refuses and is about to drive off whereupon the leader of the monkeys shows he's nicked her carkeys too.

* ''Literature/GirlsToTheRescue'': Lek's pet monkey in "Mai's Magic" serves as his partner in crime. It's able to steal and plant items for him. However, the story presents Lek as the real problem; the end shows that Mai and her family took in the monkey for a while while Lek served time in jail for his scam.

* On an episode of ''Series/TheLucyShow'', Lucy gets a job babysitting, but finds out she's expected to care for a couple's three chimpanzees which they see as their children. The chimps put off going to bed with all sorts of tricks including riding bikes and playing Cowboys and Indians. The couple comes home to an exhausted Lucy who apologizes that the chimps aren't in bed. The "parents" are just glad she didn't run away like the last babysitter.

* In ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors'', Hideyoshi has a monkey motifs and has a mischievous, playful attitude.

* ''VideoGame/{{Spelunky}}'' has monkeys in the Jungle levels as a minor enemy. Unlike [[EverythingTryingToKillYou most things in this game]], they can't do direct damage to you; they simply latch onto your back for a bit and steal ropes, bombs, or money (or simply knock you down for a moment). The only real danger they pose is if one knocks you into (or near) something dangerous, like {{spikes|OfDoom}}, [[PiranhaProblem a piranha pool]], [[ManEatingPlant a mantrap]]....

Monkeys are often portrayed in fiction as mischievous little pranksters, who like to [[StickyFingers steal things]] ([[NiceHat hats seem to be a common target]]), throw stuff at people (including [[DungFu their own excrement]]), drop {{Banana Peel}}s, and otherwise make [[IncrediblyLamePun monkey business]]. Sometimes, the mischief-making monkey is a KarmicTrickster. Downright malicious examples can overlap with ManiacMonkeys, or, if they're funny, EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys.

May be a reason for HilarityInZoos.

Monkeys are often portrayed in fiction as mischievous little pranksters, who like to [[StickyFingers steal things]] ([[NiceHat hats seem to be a common target]]), throw stuff at people (including [[DungFu their own excrement]]), drop {{Banana Peel}}s, and otherwise make [[IncrediblyLamePun monkey business]]. Sometimes, the mischief-making monkey is a KarmicTrickster. Can overlap with ManiacMonkeys, or, if they're funny, EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys.

* Master Monkey on the TV series ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' is the most mischievous of the Furious Five, although it is not seen often in the movies.

* Sun Wukong from ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'' is what happens when a mischievous monkey gains extreme god-like powers. Had it not been for The Buddha's intervention, he would have overthrown heaven.

* In ''Series/{{Friends}}'' season one, Ross had a capuchin monkey named Marcel in order to get used to having someone who depended on him, in preparation for his then-unborn son. It got into a lot of mischief, including setting the girls' TV to the Spanish language SAP. Ross eventually gave it to a zoo, and it was last seen starring opposite Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme in ''Outbreak 2''.

Monkeys are often portrayed in fiction as mischievous little pranksters, who like to [[StickyFingers steal things]] ([[NiceHat Hats seem to be a common target]]), throw stuff at people (including [[DungFu their own excrement]]), drop {{Banana Peel}}s, and otherwise make monkey business. Sometimes, the mischief-making monkey is a KarmicTrickster. Can overlap with ManiacMonkeys, or, if they're funny, EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys.

* While his human partner WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} steals only what he really needs out of necessity, Abu will [[StickyFingers grab anything that isn't nailed down]], and [[ItAmusedMe takes great pleasure in using it to mess with people]].

* While his human partner WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} steals only what he really needs out of necessity, Abu will grab anything that isn't nailed down, and takes great pleasure in using it to mess with people.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}'': The baby baboon that steals Jane's sketchbook (and her portrait of him, in particular).

* In ''Series/SesameStreet: Counting Cafe'' for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis, Mr. Johnson rewards Grover with a star for each successful order he brings him. When he rewards Grover with the fifth star, a monkey wearing sneakers will appear and take the star from him. Grover then must find the monkey somwehere on Sesame Street so he can take the star back from him. The bananas the monkey throws give Grover clues on where he's hiding.

* In ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'', the third world is mainly inhabited by monkeys called Grinders that spit watermelon seeds at Yoshi and sometimes drop bombs.

* WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'s pal Abu is a thief. However, while his human partner steals only what he really needs out of necessity, Abu will nab anything that isn't nailed down, and takes great pleasure in using it to mess with people.

* Abu from ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' is a thief. And not a thief like Aladdin is a thief, who steals only what he really needs to steal out of a survival necessity. Abu steals anything and takes great pleasure in using it to mess with people.
* The baby baboon that steals Jane's drawings in Creator/{{Disney}}'s ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}''.

* A Visa card advertisement had orangutans stealing the luggage of Catherine Zeta-Jones, until she ransoms it back by using her Visa card to order a truckload of bananas. The monkeys are so impressed they want the Visa card as well. Catherine refuses, and is about to drive off whereupon the leader of the monkeys shows he's nicked her carkeys too.

* In ''Manga/InuYasha'', three little monkey youkai appear as playful pests. Subverted by their leader Sarugami, who's TheStoic.
* ''Franchise/{{Jewelpet}}'': Tata, a squirrel monkey Jewelpet, is very mischievous and chaotic, and often a nuisance to the heroes. He's also known for stealing stuff in the second and fourth seasons.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* On an episode of ''Series/TheLucyShow'', Lucy gets a job babysitting, but finds out she's expected to care for a couple's three chimpanzees which they see as their children. The chimps put off going to bed with all sorts of tricks including riding bikes and playing Cowboys and Indians. The couple comes home to an exhausted Lucy who apologizes that the chimps aren't in bed. The "parents" are just glad she didn't run away like the last babysitter.
* In ''Series/{{Friends}}'' season one, Ross had a capuchin monkey named Marcel in order to get used to having someone who depended on him, in preparation for his then-unborn son. It got into a lot of mischief, including setting the girls' TV to the Spanish language SAP. Ross eventually gave it to a zoo, and it was last seen starring opposite Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme in ''Outbreak 2''.
* ''Series/{{Community}}'': Annie's Boobs, the thieving monkey.
* On ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' Marshall may or may not have been mugged by a monkey; he refuses to say. From the same episode, Ted claims a monkey [[Film/KingKong stole a doll, climbed a model of the Empire State Building and was attacked by paper airplanes]], [[UnreliableNarrator but fans have their doubts]].
[[/folder]]

[[quoteright:350:[[Disney/{{Aladdin}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mischiefmakingmonkey_abu.jpg]]]]

* Abu from ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'' is a thief. And not a thief like Aladdin is a thief, who steals only what he really needs to steal out of a survival necessity. Abu steals anything and takes great pleasure in using it to mess with people.
* The baby baboon that steals Jane's drawings in Creator/{{Disney}}'s ''Disney/{{Tarzan}}''.

* Abu from ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'' is a thief. And not a thief like Aladdin is a thief, who steals only what he really needs to steal. Abu steals anything and takes great pleasure in using it to mess with people.

[[caption-width-right:350: Classic Abu]]