Comments on: Monkeys are always funny

By: Rich Scales

Rich Scales — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 18:00:55 +0000

I completey agree with the comments.
I am sick to death of TV shows called apes “monkeys”
even hollywood does it. The film “planet of the apes” (newer version). The actors are supposed to be scientists in space, refer to their chimps as monkeys

it gets me so freaking riled!

By: Bob Sherman

Bob Sherman — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:46:08 +0000

I agree that this video is creepy, but also funny in a “Tales From the Crypt” kind of way. I think that we have an innate attraction/repulsion reaction to disembodies heads, especially when they closely resemble humans. Marrying an electronic chimp head to a Roomba is a stroke of genius . . . or the sign of a very disturbed mind. Anyway, I liked it!

By: blizno

blizno — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:18:15 +0000

“And I use the term â€œmonkeyâ€ here really generically.”

Why? Do you use “moon” to refer to Jupiter?

If you want to refer to chimpanzees generically, you’ll have to say “pan”, their genus.

Chimpanzees are not monkeys. They’re not even close to being monkeys. They are apes. Apes are not monkeys. Apes are very, very different than monkeys. Why is this so hard to understand?

I also hate seeing apes in movies and TV when they’re trained to act like something they’re not. In the past, zoo chimpanzees were trained by savage beatings. Often handlers would strap them down and hammer their teeth out, no anasthetic of course, so they couldn’t bite anyone. The worst is when chimps pull back their lips and “smile”. Among humans, showing the teeth indicates pleasure. Among apes, showing the teeth is a threat.
Chimps in the wild are fascinating. Trained to be clowns, they’re tragic.

By: James McEnanly

James McEnanly — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 20:30:07 +0000

Perhaps it because they look like human caricatures. For the same reason, despite their bleak environment, penguins are also humorous

By: Quiet_Desperation

Quiet_Desperation — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 18:59:37 +0000

Agree with Karnalis. Each to his own, I suppose. I hate monkeys when they show up in movies or TV shows (with the exception of a documentary *about* monkeys). And I use the term “monkey” here really generically.

By: blizno

blizno — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 18:13:35 +0000

Yes, very creepy. The sounds are great too. However, it’s the head of a chimpanzee, NOT a monkey. Chimpanzees are apes and are much more closely related to you and me than they are to any monkey. Apes are not monkeys. Rabbits are not squirrels.
Using the word monkey to refer to an ape is just as bad as using “light-year” to refer to time.

By: Gary Ansorge

Gary Ansorge — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 16:56:42 +0000

Now, isn’t it just like a bunch of naked apes to find monkeys funny?

GAry 7