Koko and Friends
November 11, 2011 2:19 PM Subscribe
Koko, the Western Lowland Gorilla who is able to understand more than 1,000 signs based on American Sign Language and 2,000 words of spoken English, has met some celebrities over the years. In 1988, William Shatner had a memorable visit with Koko, as seen in part in this edited clip, and re-told on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in 2009. Mister Rogers visited in 1998 (YouTube clip), as part of series of shows addressing children's fears of meeting someone new or unusual. In 2004, Koko met Betty White and Robin Williams. (Koko and other non-human primates using and learning sign language previously)
The sexual harassment suit revolving around Koko was one of the last things I expected to happen.
posted by Renoroc at 2:25 PM on November 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Renoroc at 2:25 PM on November 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
Koko met Betty White
The video and slideshow of the two of them together actually brought tears (of joy/delight) to my eyes.
posted by ericb at 2:26 PM on November 11, 2011
The video and slideshow of the two of them together actually brought tears (of joy/delight) to my eyes.
posted by ericb at 2:26 PM on November 11, 2011
Three former female employees have claimed that they were pressured into showing their breasts to Koko. They alleged that Patterson encouraged the behavior, often interpreted Koko's signs as requests for nipple display, and let them know that their job would be in danger if they "did not indulge Koko's nipple fetish
posted by KokuRyu at 2:27 PM on November 11, 2011
posted by KokuRyu at 2:27 PM on November 11, 2011
no mention of the threebrain song/cartoon "koko the talking monkey"? pshaw.
apple nipple hungry!
posted by elizardbits at 2:27 PM on November 11, 2011
apple nipple hungry!
posted by elizardbits at 2:27 PM on November 11, 2011
"Mister Rogers: How do you say love for sign language?
Producer: Can you show him how to say love? How do you say love?
Koko is busy exploring Mister Rogers' fingers with her lips.
Koko: What that, flower? (Touching Mister Rogers' cufflink.)
P: She's asking you about your cufflink, is that a flower.
MR: That's a sun. And my grandfather gave me these.
P: It's a sun. It looks like a flower though....
K: Hurry...
P: Can we talk a little bit about love?
K: Frown.
P: Frown? Oh, honey! What? Love?
K: Love you visit... (To Mister Rogers.)
MR: Love. (Trying the sign.)
K: ...Koko-love.
MR: Oh, thank you, Koko.
P: That's very nice, she loves her visitor.
MR: Well, I love visiting with you."
I half-expected Koko to attempt Mr Rogers' arms off.
For real. Say Koko had a massive intellect, but he had problems with words. How long would he put up with that ridiculous banter before just pulling the arms off Mr. Rogers.
posted by three blind mice at 2:47 PM on November 11, 2011
Producer: Can you show him how to say love? How do you say love?
Koko is busy exploring Mister Rogers' fingers with her lips.
Koko: What that, flower? (Touching Mister Rogers' cufflink.)
P: She's asking you about your cufflink, is that a flower.
MR: That's a sun. And my grandfather gave me these.
P: It's a sun. It looks like a flower though....
K: Hurry...
P: Can we talk a little bit about love?
K: Frown.
P: Frown? Oh, honey! What? Love?
K: Love you visit... (To Mister Rogers.)
MR: Love. (Trying the sign.)
K: ...Koko-love.
MR: Oh, thank you, Koko.
P: That's very nice, she loves her visitor.
MR: Well, I love visiting with you."
I half-expected Koko to attempt Mr Rogers' arms off.
For real. Say Koko had a massive intellect, but he had problems with words. How long would he put up with that ridiculous banter before just pulling the arms off Mr. Rogers.
posted by three blind mice at 2:47 PM on November 11, 2011
Three former female employees have claimed that they were pressured into showing their breasts to Koko.
Oh please, two of those women have filed for bankruptcy, and the third lives in the same apartment building as one of Dumbo's assistants. And Koko would never had anything to do with out-of-court settlements, anyway.
posted by PlusDistance at 2:55 PM on November 11, 2011
Oh please, two of those women have filed for bankruptcy, and the third lives in the same apartment building as one of Dumbo's assistants. And Koko would never had anything to do with out-of-court settlements, anyway.
posted by PlusDistance at 2:55 PM on November 11, 2011
Three former female employees have claimed that they were pressured into showing their breasts to Koko. They alleged that Patterson encouraged the behavior, often interpreted Koko's signs as requests for nipple display, and let them know that their job would be in danger if they "did not indulge Koko's nipple fetish."
Wait, we've learnt how to talk with animals only to discover they're sexual deviants?
posted by Jehan at 4:04 PM on November 11, 2011
Wait, we've learnt how to talk with animals only to discover they're sexual deviants?
posted by Jehan at 4:04 PM on November 11, 2011
Koko is female.
Also, Koko & All Ball, Koko's kitten.
posted by jabberjaw at 4:56 PM on November 11, 2011
Also, Koko & All Ball, Koko's kitten.
posted by jabberjaw at 4:56 PM on November 11, 2011
Michael the gorilla remembers his mother's death.
posted by ChuraChura at 6:16 PM on November 11, 2011
posted by ChuraChura at 6:16 PM on November 11, 2011
If Koko wants topless, I strongly advise topless.
All kidding aside, seems like Koko is nude, and interested in people, and wanting to see their breasts isn't really so strange... The lucky so-and-sos get to work with Koko, couldn't they get past their human-centrism just a bit for that privilege?
posted by Meatbomb at 12:46 AM on November 12, 2011
All kidding aside, seems like Koko is nude, and interested in people, and wanting to see their breasts isn't really so strange... The lucky so-and-sos get to work with Koko, couldn't they get past their human-centrism just a bit for that privilege?
posted by Meatbomb at 12:46 AM on November 12, 2011
Maybe it's just too early in the morning, but I can't even joke about Koko, nipples notwithstanding. Koko is amazing, and makes me think about all the gorillas we've killed or consigned to cages.
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 6:05 AM on November 12, 2011
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 6:05 AM on November 12, 2011
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posted by KokuRyu at 2:23 PM on November 11, 2011