Pappy the Monkey

So here's how important my role at the show really is. Yesterday, a vast majority of my downtime was consumed with brainstorming potential names for the office monkey. Let me explain.

I wasn't actually aware of this, but apparently Dave likes to use the expression, "Monkey on a rock." I'm not sure in what context he usually says it, but I guess, he says it. Anyways, last week, a company that makes fake rocks sent us a fake rock and an electronic monkey to set atop it. I guess they were hoping that the prop would eventually make it on the show.

I was given the responsibility of unpacking the monkey and rock which have now found a home on the filing cabinet next to my desk. Which is especially "fun" since he also makes noises and once you activate him he doesn't stop whooping and screeching for some time. It's actually kind of creepy....kind of reminds me of a Furby. Remember those things? You know, those things toy companies tried to pass off as cute, but really scared the bejesus out of you?! Anyways, the first day I spent about an hour trying to figure out how to turn the chimp off. I considered just slamming the poor thing against a wall, but didn't want to create a scene. I eventually came to the conclusion that isolation was the best method to get it to tone down. So, I'd simply put it in a chair around the corner where nobody would accidently activate him.

Needless to say, the little guy has become a topic of conversation around my "desk area." Yesterday, the head writers gave me the task of coming up with potential names for the monkey. I was actually really excited....my first writing assignment! They told me that by the end of the day I needed to have a full list of monkey names. So, I spent most of my downtime trying to think of funny/cute/ridiculous monkey names. I ended up compiling a list of 42 potential names. I then turned the list over to the head writers and they narrowed it down to their ten favorites. This morning, they had me come into their office and recite the ten names just so they could hear how the names actually sounded to the ear.

The ten finalists were: Scooter, Chumly, Cha Cha Hernandez, Hijinx, Frank, Lil' Stinker, Mango Fandango, Fanny, Pappy, and Sheldon.

After much deliberation....they chose...."Pappy!"

So, there you have it: my first "writing" assignment. I know what you're thinking, "He went all the way to New York to brainstorm monkey names?" And I apologize for this being a ridiculously long post about an electric monkey, but I actually really enjoyed this little project. So, what do you think...do you like the name Pappy? Do you have other suggestions? Let me know.