"Amazing Apes"

by Steve Axtell

Our company makes the realistic Ape puppets called "Amazing Apes".  One day we had plans of shooting a TV commercial with a famous TV chimpanzee named "Angel".   She hadn't seen the puppets yet.   We talked with Angle a bit and got "familiar" and then I reached in the box and pulled out our Chimpanzee puppet!    She first jumped back, the trainer said she thinks it's real.  Then she kissed it about 4 times and pulled it into her lap like it was a baby!   This was getting really cute and so I had the puppet get a little more frisky with her.  I had the puppet chimp jump up and down a bit - and Angel reacted with amazement.  Seeing my arm in it's back she turned the chimp puppet around to the back, the front and the back again.....about 20 times.   This was really cute and the producers were really having fun getting this on video tape.  Then it happened....Angel turned into a DEVIL!  She must have perceived some kind of threat from what my puppet did because she came close and bit the chimp puppet on the face!!!!  OUCH!!!!   My fingers were inside the mouth of the puppet!      It all turned out okay.  Angel fell in love with the puppet and had to take one home with her.   Her trainer Sid Yost has done a great job with her.  They travel around making appearances and if you get a chance to see her, she'll probably have our chimp puppet with her.  Maybe she'll be the first ever primate ventriloquist Charlie McMonkey!