PETA Suit Claims Monkey Holds the Copyright to Famous Selfie, but the Ladies of The View Are Confused—Watch Now!

Co-hosts don't understand what the animal would do with money

By Francesca Bacardi Sep 23, 2015 6:37 PMTags
Naruto MonkeyDavid J Slater/Wildlife Personalities Ltd

We're all just trying to make a buck, but now it seems monkeys are, too.

Remember when wildlife photographer David J. Slater stepped away from his camera for a hot second only to discover a crested black macaque named Naturo had snapped a selfie? Well, PETA has decided that the monkey should be paid for his grintastic mug. In a new lawsuit, PETA is suing on behalf of Naruto, claiming he should hold the copyright because he's the "author" of the photo.

Although the photos were snapped in Indonesia, PETA says California has jurisdiction because that's where Slater is based, according to CNN. Slater has responded to the lawsuit on Facebook Tuesday, writing that the organization is being "greedy."

"I am obviously bemused at PETAs stunt but also angry as well as sad," Slater wrote. "This makes animal welfare charities look bad which saddens me, deflecting away from the animals and onto stunts like this."

While Slater is "angry" and "sad," the ladies of The View were just straight up confused. "What is the monkey going to do with that money," asked co-host Paula Faris.

Raven-Symoné just wanted to know if Naturo was living in a sanctuary or wildlife preserve, presumably because she thought that would make a difference with the legal ramifications. Whoopi Goldberg, however, responded with a joke.

"Let me call his lawyer and find out, " she quipped.

All legal issues aside, Joy Behar summed up what we were probably all thinking. "Even this ugly monkey thinks he looks good enough to take selfie," she joked.

Mastering the art of the selfie—perfect lighting, angle, etc.—is always important, but Naruto probably wasn't thinking about his appearance when he took the picture. That being said, we should all be thankful the monkey survived the picture-perfect moment, as the self-indulgent photos have killed more people than sharks have this year.

Watch: Our Top 9 Favorite Animals in Film