Monday, April 27, 2009

PROUDLY PRESENTING PRIMATE OF THE MONTH FOR APRIL: J. FRED MUGGS!!



Long before the bloated "infotainment" masquerading as serious journalism, or the snake-oil slickness of Matt Lauer, there existed a Today Show of a somewhat less self-important stripe. More of a soothing wake-up call than a glossy spew of news and celebrity horseshit for the masses that it is now, the Today Show of the Fifties was a languid affair hosted by amiable ubermensch Dave Garroway. Folksy and inviting he assured Mr. and Mrs. America that there were no ills or sagging ratings that a chimpanzee in a funny outfit couldn't cure, and thus in 1953 the simian soothsayer known as J. Fred Muggs was unleashed as co-host. Muggs would sometimes appear with his live-in girlfriend Phoebe B Beebe. Muggs was the first celebrity featured on the cover of MAD magazine,represented by an original oil painting he did with his own grubby fingers, but he was not invited back after biting comedienne and future Polident spokesperson, Martha Raye. Legend has it that Today Host Garroway, jealous of the attention being heaped upon his simian co-host, would spike his OJ with drugs! Freddy was replaced with the younger brainwashed cutie- Koko, Jr.
A historical Florida website sums up Monsieur Muggs career quite nicely....

The world's most famous chimpanzee (even more famous than Tarzan's sidekick "Cheetah"), a long time resident of the Citrus Park area in northwest Hillsborough County, was featured on the NBC network morning program, The Today Show, from1953-57.

J. Fred Muggs was the first animal star (as a feature spot) on "live" television. Beginning February 2, 1953, this chimpanzee in diapers shared the morning news spotlight with reporter/commentator Dave Garroway. The simian was socko for the ratings, attracting the much needed advertisers to make the morning program a success. His talents included doing a mean Popeye impression and playing piano with Steve Allen.

J. Fred Muggs was originally discovered by a staff member of THE TODAY SHOW while his owners, Buddy Mennella & Roy Waldron (former NBC Pages) were visiting a friend at NBC Studios in New York City. They had procured Mr. Muggs from the Henry Trefflich's Chimp Room in New York City for the cost of $600. At the time the chimp was 13 weeks old and weighed 3 and 1/2 pounds but eventually over the years weighed out at 175 pounds.

The strategy behind using the chimp was to attract younger viewers who in turn would alert their parents (the real target of the advertisers) to the new celebrity. Also seen on the program was Phoebe B. Beebee, J. Fred Mugg's female chimpanzee companion. After biting comedian/actress Martha Raye on the elbow during an April 1954 program, Mr. Muggs was sent on a worldwide promotional tour.

During his travels he attracted the attention of the Russian newspaper Izvestia which described J. Fred Muggs as "A symbol of the American way of life...Muggs is necessary in order that the average American should not look into reports on rising taxes, and decreasing pay, but rather laugh at the funny mug of a chimpanzee."

His tour had bypassed England because the British government didn't want America's most likable chimp in their empire. Their sensibilities had been hurt when live shots of Fred's antics were seen during Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953.
J. Fred Muggs returned to America and eventually was removed from The Today Show and replaced by a more docile, Kokomo, Jr. J. Fred Muggs later starred in his own short-lived show called The J. Fred Muggs Show, which aired out of New Jersey. In 1975 Mr. Muggs appeared on ABC's Good Morning America program for a 23rd birthday celebration.

The chimp worked a show for five years at Busch Gardens in the late sixties and early seventies and settled in Tampa for retirement when the gig was over. Mennella and J. Fred Muggs were about as close as a man and an animal could get. Mugg's trainer died in Tampa in 2002 but J. Fred still lives comfortably with guardians in his Citrus Park home of more than 30 years and often sees famous friends such as Liza Minelli and Today Show personalities.


AND NOW...J. FRED MUGGS: PORTRAIT OF A MADMAN....ER...MADMONKEY!

I recently had the good fortune of meeting a fine gentleman who was an editor for the Today Show for 38 years and vividly remembers Muggs. He offered me these valuable tidbits. Not the lovable cohort history would lead you to believe, Freddy was all ape! Given to temper tantrums and violent outbursts, Muggs destroyed the sets at every oppurtunity and made Garroway's life a living hell, ripping up papers and tossing microphones with glee. He hated the cutesy outfits and would rip them off at the drop of a hat and then piss on them much to the horror of his costumers. He was a bitey little angel and much of the crew sported scars from his abuse. A young Barbara Walters despised him, and refered to him as "that little motherfucker"!!!! The feeling was mutual apparently as JFM flung poo at her on more than one occassion!!! America's favorite cheeky chimp was in reality the Mickey Rourke of monkeys!! So raise a banana to J. Fred Muggs, an apeshit anarchist lashing out at Fifties complacency and bad fashion! A hirsute hedonist that pleasured himself at will!
A role model for us all in these troubled times! Here's to you Muggsy...you put the "ape" back in homosapien!!! Fuck 'em all, Freddy! You'll dance on their graves!

3 comments:

  1. Very interesting place you have here 48. I'll drop by again.

    Trustar

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  2. Psssst, yet ANOTHER "secret" identity.... Joanna Satana/ Chimp of God, here! Readin' ya loud and clear. J. Fred Muggs is a hero if for no other reason than for HIM BITING MARTHA RAE!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHA! AND? He threw poop on Barbara Walters! AWESOME!

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  3. please upload a movie ,,Hard knuckle'' , i am looking that movie for years...

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