Monkeys and Fezzes

What is the origin of monkeys wearing fezzes? I have just written some scripts for some TV ads that feature monkeys in fezzes (I'll be presenting them this morning, wish me luck) but when my friend asked me where that simian fashion trend started, I couldn't really give an answer.

Why do monkeys wear fezzes?

[ Edited by: DaneTiki 2009-08-30 19:36 ]

I tend to think of it also in terms of the red fez of some of the esoteric organizations and some sort of ultimate mystery that is mocked by the monkey wearing the sage's fez...

Was a time when we were sold into slavery to be the handmaidens of talentless organ-grinders. Have you ever seen a gypsy organ grider? Uglier than a monkey's uncle (in this case, that uncle being an Orangutan, one ugly uncle, indeed). With no talent and no natural attractiveness, how's a pathetic grinder to make money? With an adorable primate at his side, of course. Hence, the exploitative use of my brethren (and sistren).

And the fez? To collect the moolah, of course. So many coins thrown at one's adorable graspable feet, how is one to collect it all, even with four opposable halloxes? Enter the fez.

These days, of course, no self-respecting great ape would don this demenaing crimson topper. Personally, I prefer a lampshade. Skoll!

• Monkey God (Teddy T.)

[ Edited by: MonkeyGod on 2002-06-04 18:39 ]

But why a fez and not a bowler hat, or swashbuckling pirate hat? Or even a coconut? WHY THE FEZ???

Guess we'll have to get Mr. Peabody to Fire Up the Way-Back Machine, to get to the bottom of this one.

I'm going to have to take a stab in dark here (or at least in pretty low light). The natural habitats of monkeys don't extend into Europe, except for the far south (Gilbralter, for instance). Most monkeys reside in Africa and South America, with some species also having their habitats in Asia. But Europe is pretty low on monkeys.

The organ grinder, however, is originally a European phenomenon from what I've read. Italy, France, Britain, Spain, etc. So I would assume it's likely that the monkeys were imported from North Africa, a place where the fez is in great abundance. Maybe the organ frinders placed cute little fezzes (is that the plural of fez?) on the cute little monkeys because it added to the North African mystique.

Here's one more possibility. Children wear fezzes. Children do not, however, wear bowlers, pirate hats, or coconuts for that matter. So a fez in a monkey's size was easy to find.

I suppose the monkey could have worn a yarmulke instead of a fez, but that would just be silly, wouldn't it?

If I may, I believe the Fez/Monkey connection has it's origin in the areas of Egypt and Morocco, where both are plentiful. In many of these areas, small monkeys were (and are) kept as pets, and the Fez is nothing more than a hat. The Fez only seems odd and mysterious to many us because of the Shriner/secret society connection. when you see someone in a bowler, you might think "nice hat", but when you see someone in a Fez, your mind is filled with images of secret handshakes, and strange rituals. if you saw a monkey in a cowboy hat, you would probably hardly notice, but if he was wearing the Fez, there must be something more to it.....
Cheers!
Tiki King. Wearing the Fez since 1994

Is this Tiki King as in TikiKing.com? Groovy.

Crazy Al' just flowed me a key chain, fez wearing, monkey head. It's cool and slightly evil @ the same time.

You know, you're absoltely right! Just this morning I saw a monkey in a cowboy hat and didn't think a thing of it - until I noticed he was WEARING MY UNDERPANTS! Now THAT got my attention...

MONKEY UPDATE:

Well, the client didn't go for the monkeys wearing fezzes, but they DID go for the monkeys. I just got back from taking some photos of our star monkey, Lily, who made me the luckiest gal in town by peeing in my eye.

Yes, you heard me right.

A monkey peed in my eye.

Surely this means good luck for the next 30 years?

if the monkey peed in your right eye, it is good luck, in the left eye means company is coming. Now had the monkey been wearing a fez....

I think they wear red fezes and red vest primarily because it is very easy to make fezes and vests for a monkey, and gives them a vaguely Oriental look (most organ grinders were Italians, by the way). A red fez is just a scrap of felt. A bowler, on the other hand, requires some work.

Hey, speaking of fez' (what's the plural of fez?)....
I just got several cool Shriner's swizzle sticks with a large fez on top. If anybody wants to trade one for a tiki swizzle stick, let me know and I'll post a scan.
Maybe we could copy the design for Tiki Central's swizzle stick.

Mark Cotton

I buy old poker chips from casinos and private gambling clubs anywhere.  

:drink:
Thank God the Tiki Bar is Open!

[ Edited by: jukeboy56 on 2002-06-27 08:13 ]

Just had to ressurect this post for all of the fez lovers on TC.

Thanks for this post. You just can't top a monkey in a fez.

On 2004-06-21 12:37, Kon-Hemsby wrote:
Thanks for this post. You just can't top a monkey in a fez.

Apart from monkeys peeing in Tikifish's eye.

Trader Woody

Thanks guys! When I get old, I want to be one of those crochety old guys in a wooden wheelchair, wearing a fez and a plush smoking jacket with a plaid blanket on my lap and a sexy nurse to push me around. This reminded me to add a fez-wearing monkey into the mix.

Cory

On 2004-06-21 17:45, EnchantedTikiGoth wrote:
Thanks guys! When I get old, I want to be one of those crochety old guys in a wooden wheelchair, wearing a fez and a plush smoking jacket with a plaid blanket on my lap and a sexy nurse to push me around. This reminded me to add a fez-wearing monkey into the mix.

Cory

Exactly what Heff needs!

i've been looking for a photo of that damn nazi monkey with fez from raiders of the lost ark, but to no avail. sigh. that was even in egypt...

Fez teapot!

[ Edited by: Tikiwahine on 2004-11-18 16:55 ]

[ Edited by: Tikiwahine on 2004-11-18 16:57 ]

I have a light set with a monkey sporting a Fez (red, of course) and I absolutely love it.

Shag also seems to enjoy using the character (charicature?).

On 2004-06-22 10:40, Johnny Dollar wrote:
i've been looking for a photo of that damn nazi monkey with fez from raiders of the lost ark, but to no avail. sigh. that was even in egypt...

http://www.theraider.net/films/raiders/gallery/makingof/mo_50_tn.jpg

J$ is this the mokey I know the pic is small but best I could do.

On 2004-06-22 19:32, Tiki-Toa wrote:

On 2004-06-22 10:40, Johnny Dollar wrote:
i've been looking for a photo of that damn nazi monkey with fez from raiders of the lost ark, but to no avail. sigh. that was even in egypt...

http://www.theraider.net/films/raiders/gallery/makingof/mo_50_tn.jpg

J$ is this the mokey I know the pic is small but best I could do.

thx t-t, i guess the best would be to do a capture from the dvd. but i'm fairly sure the monkey was waering a fez ~ i have to verify...

On 2002-06-04 06:56, tikifish wrote:
What is the origin of monkeys wearing fezzes? I have just written some scripts for some TV ads that feature monkeys in fezzes (I'll be presenting them this morning, wish me luck) but when my friend asked me where that simian fashion trend started, I couldn't really give an answer.

Why do monkeys wear fezzes?

Personally I think the monkey in a Fez & vest was a characature of a Turk. The Turks invaded, threatened & generally showed up Western Europe for hundreds of years, & when you're afraid of something it often makes you feel better to make fun of it.

http://www.foxfilm.de/filmarchiv/monkeybone/1280_1.html (sans tassel)

http://www.thegate.ca/dvd/images/monkeybone2.jpg (with tassel)

The images of organ grinder's monkeys I've seen generally show them in a pill box hat as opposed to a fez.

If your interested in training your monkey for such work here a manual from 1889

The monkey -- and esp. the gorilla -- has long been a symbol of evil and mystery to Europeans. Much like the cat, at least up until the 19th century. The aura of mystery and demonic familiarity re: mr. monkey has persisted until the early part of the 20th.

Wasn't the killer in "Murders at the Rue Morgue" a monkey? (wasn't Rue the first "real" dettective story?) Doesn't anyone remember old B&W movies where one's hideous fate was tto be tossed to a gorilla? And come to think of it, wasn't the whole world scared &^%$less of someone called King Kong?

Anyhoo --- the purport of the fez is obvious to everyone in this forum. It bespeaks secret handshakes, mysterious oaths, potent drinks.

So, monkey + fez. A mystery plus an enigma? A mystery wrapped in an enigma?

My question is: WHEN did these fez-monkeys first appear? Anyone? If they didn't start appearing until after 1950, I say the fez-monkey is purely a symbol of mystery and fun. If someone has a picture or artifact that hails from the 19th century, then I shudder to think what it might truly represent.

SS

Why do monkeys wear fezzes?

Hmmm...

To cover the bald spots?
Because a Stetson would be too big?

A monkey really pissed in your eye?!? Damn! I thought getting puked on by the dog was bad.

Cheers!

I think the plural of fez is fezi

[ Edited by: TNTiki on 2004-11-06 18:30 ]

WHAT do you mean by placing this beautiful thing on a plain table? WHY isn't it at the highest position of honor on your bartop?

Humph!

[ Edited by: TNTiki on 2004-11-06 18:30 ]

I'm fairly new to Tiki Central, but this is my favorite clause I've run across so far:

"if you saw a monkey in a cowboy hat,
you would probably hardly notice,..."

I always assumed the Shriners had something to do with it.. maybe the monkeys snatched the Shriner's hats so the Shriners robbed the monkeys of their tiny cars.. Over the years perhaps they learned to live symbiotically...Shriners keep the hats in good repair in exchange for lube and oil changes on the tiny cars that only mechanics without opposable thumbs can fix.

I think you it's one of the secrets they let you in on after the initiation..

Just back from the Amazon Jungle in Peru. Monkeys are cheap and plentiful in the local markets and will run you about nine dollars American. Unfortunately - you can't bring them home. The $25,000 fine is prohibitive.

Here's Tikibelle's pet Capuchin Monkey, named Stitch. He was just a baby but super fun and very expressive. She carried him on her shoulder everywhere. Both cried when we had to leave him behind with friends in Peru.

Sabu

Dang Sabu, he looks so cute, might have been worthe the fine to bring him back.

If a 500 pound gorilla can choose to sit wherever he damn pleases, surely a much tinier monkey can choose to wear whatever he wants on top of his head.

Some say that monkeys have a much better taste in headwear than most humans do, and us humans admire them for that trait.

Vern

Vintage Fez-Monkey fabric for sale on E-bay. Not my auction, but I thought someone with a child and sewing skills might be interested:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=942&item=6131607419&rd=1

Sabu

In Paraguay, there is some festival where monkeys are caught, and dresses up like people...then released around the time the fruit is harvested.

The object is to frighten the other monkeys. I'm not sure of the soundness of logic, but I love the idea of turning the little fecal hurlers loose dressed up...maybe in some kinda Desi Arnez 1940s suit with a fedora.

Not far from here is a Neiman Marcus that would be the perfect host for such hijinx. (Hijinx...three dotted letters in a row, hmmm)

Try this! :)

Dress a marmoset up like a Leprecahn. Plan a huge cocktail party where all but a minority of the guests know about the "Leprecahn". Instruct the informed guests to ignore the marmoset. Your simian friend makes his entrance late in the evening (when the alcohol kicks in). Guests that are in on the prank will laugh with glee as the other guests shriek in panic at the sight of the "imaginary" wee one!

-FB

he wears a fez AND he smokes!

http://www.incrediblegifts.com/cesmmoplre.html

ooh only 4.95 at archie mc phee! ~ one of my favorite stores!

Hey! I got one of those for Christmas! Anybody know where I gotta go to get a carton of tiny little fez wearin' ceramic monkey cigarettes?

heres my monkey sportin a fez

The monkey of choise for an organ grinder was a South American Capuchin (named for the black markings on the head that reminded the Spanish of a Capuchin monks tonsure)just as it is today for those training monkeys to help the handicapped, because they are extremely smart and trainable and do not become super aggressive as most other monkey's do.(no coin for the organ grinder who's monkey bites you; or pees in you eye)
The Murders in Rue Morgue were commited by a trained orangutan not a monkey.
But all of the old movies I ever saw the monkey was wearing a bellboy's hat, not Fez. (Fez is a character on That Seventies Show)
Now what is the origin of the bell boy's hat and what secret society do they belong to?

Perhaps we should ask the fez monkey for the answer.

http://www.fezbrothersink.com/ask.htm