So what did you do to celebrate National Gorilla Suit Day? Here's what I did: I sent a man in a gorilla suit to serenade the editorial staff of Mad Magazine. A gent named Clint Allen runs a service called The Furrier Courier that delivers singing gorilla-grams in and around New York City. In fact, that may even be Clint in the pelt there, surrounded by the crew that brings us the magazine that helped introduce National Gorilla Suit Day (and other gloriously silly things) to the world.
I apologize that I can't identify everyone in the photo but the guy standing with a banana is John Ficarra, the editor of Mad. The gent kneeling with a banana is Dick DeBartolo, who's a creative consultant to the magazine and its most prolific writer, I believe. The fellow peeking out from behind Dick is Sam Viviano, the art director. Senior Editor Joe Raiola is the guy at the bottom who looks like he's yawning or maybe he's giving out with an ape call or something. And I'm not absolutely certain about the others and don't want to insult any of them by suggesting they look like each other so I'll stop there.
I haven't received Clint's report yet but I'm dying to hear how he got by security in that building. They don't even like to let me in when I'm not wearing a full-head mask.
By the way: The new issue of Mad, which has Britney Spears on the cover, is very funny. It's worth the no-longer-cheap price just for several pages of Mort Drucker caricatures and there are many other treats. If you don't like any of them, there's also a photo of Raiola in a wedding dress. As you might expect, he's wearing white.
Here are some other news flashes from the many trickling in to Gorilla Suit Central...
Bully over at Comics Oughta Be Fun! has a report on National Gorilla Suit Day activities.
Craig Yoe does N.G.S.D. right by posting photos of Bettie Page with a guy in a gorilla suit. Check it out here and check out Craig's blog often.
I can't read enough Spanish to know what they say but 43 Spanish bloggers wrote about our holiday and this site has links to them all.
Dave Lowe tells you how to make a professional, Hollywood-style gorilla suit.
The lovely burlesque performer Little Brooklyn writes that she chose National Gorilla Suit Day to debut her new "Fay Wray & King Kong" number. Photo here.
Mike Durett gave us a nice write-up here and another one here.
Phil Conley writes...
I live in Niagara Falls...the city, not the waterfall...and I had planned to be the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a gorilla suit. But it turns out Mrs. Evie Joyapples went over in a orangutan suit in nineteen aught seven...and, well...that just takes all the fun out of it. I would climb to the top of the tallest building here...but three flights of stairs...I dunno...
I guess I'll settle for walking my 14 yr old daughter to school, ensuited...that should make her the most popular girl in school!
Yeah, all the guys want to go out with a girl whose father walks her to school...especially in a gorilla suit. Anyway, we also had N.G.S.D. love from Michael R. Grabois, Constantine von Hoffman and Steve Schalchlin (hi, Steve!). Thanks to all of you who've made this the best National Gorilla Suit Day ever!
I'm going out to g-s around the neighborhood. So here's a wish for a happy National Gorilla Suit Day and my thanks to the hundreds of people who've defaced their websites with our silly banners. Later today, I hope to have a full report here on N.G.S.D. activities. Right now, we'll treat you to the traditional theme song of National Gorilla Suit Day...
February 1, 2007
