AboutWhat does the meme depict?

The 'Awkward Look Monkey Puppet' meme features two images of the puppet character Kenta from the Japanese children's television show Ōkiku Naru Ko. The meme template includes Kenta first looking towards the camera with a sidelong glance and then looking away. This glance was digitally altered to enhance the awkward expression. The meme captures the puppet in an uncomfortably awkward moment, making it relatable and humorous for various situations where one might feel caught off guard or embarrassed.

OriginWho did it first?

The television series 'Ōkiku naru Ko', featuring a puppet named Kento, aired from April 7th, 1959 to March 18th, 1988. The show reached Latin America with a Spanish-language dub titled 'Niños en Crecimiento', airing from April 13th, 1984, where the character Kento was known as Pedro. An extended clip from the series containing several shots of Pedro was uploaded to YouTube by user Vart vartmaz on August 8th, 2008. (Watch on YouTube). The specific 'Awkward Look Monkey Puppet' meme originated on May 5th, 2016, created by Facebook user Daniel Flores. He significantly altered the visual context by photoshopping Pedro/Kenta's eyes to make them appear as if glancing towards the camera in an awkward manner. The meme was first shared within the private Facebook group named 'Con qué Profesor DE LA U.LIMA debo matricularme', with the intent to humorously depict the feeling of being noticed while staring awkwardly.^[1]

Origin: 2016