Koko, The “Talking” Gorilla

Feb. 24, 2011

By Tao Lin info

Tao Lin (b. 1983) is the author of 7 books of fiction/poetry including Richard Yates (2010) and Bed (2007). Vintage ...

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KOKOPIX

KokoPix is a “photo blog” created 01 JAN 2000. As of 24 FEB 2011 there are 1363 photos—each with a title, a date, a photographer credit, a caption (click photos for their captions).

Some photos are of other animals that live on the indoor/outdoor compound:

Some photos seem direct yet vague:

Some photos are of inanimate objects or nature:

Some captions seem strongly sarcastic (if read without knowledge of Koko’s brand):

Koko is credited as photographer in some photos:

Many photos are creatively playful:

Dr. Penny Patterson (b. 1947) and Koko (b. 1971):

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  • http://twitter.com/rislynsey christopher lynsey

    Entranced while reading this.

    • http://heheheheheheheeheheheehehe.com/ tao

      nice new pic

  • http://kumquatparadise.tumblr.com aaron nicholas

    following koko on twitter now

  • http://newhandsweepstakes.com/writings/this-is-your-cat-on-drugs/ Brian McElmurry

    Damn, this was so fascinating. I liked the existentialist parts, like the end of pg 4, which kind of seemed like a possible reflection of yourself. The photos at the end made me tear up a little bit. And made me think back to his 'neutral facial expression', you wrote about. I'm happy now. So Cute!

    • http://heheheheheheheeheheheehehe.com/ tao

      sweet

      i'm glad you felt it was fascinating

      i like the photo of koko going into the car

  • http://tomhankssuperfan.blogspot.com megan boyle

    nice, good job

    “…Maui occurred in 1993 …simulating 'the tropical rain forests of Africa' … 'vital step' toward saving gorillas from extinction … The first concrete action occurred in 2000 … In 2007 the project was described as 'going through a redesign phase to take advantage of advances,' which most people would probably interpret as meaning 'it will never be finished, it seems,' as there will likely not ever be a time when advances are not available to 'take advantage' of in another 'redesign phase.' No concrete progress has been made since the 2007 announcement…”

    seems kafka-esque

    hehe

    • http://heheheheheheheeheheheehehe.com/ tao

      sweet

      edited out of the article was the term 'post-kafkaesque'

  • http://richard-yates.tumblr.com mario

    seems really emotional. used to have the book “koko's kitten,” might still have it.

  • Aaron

    This is an amazing piece of work. Reminds me of David Foster Wallace's essays. Not in terms of style, but in terms of the close examination of seemingly mundane subjects, which are usually taken for granted, that reveals startling insights. Also exhibits the offhand, almost sub rosa wit that DFW so often employed. See, e.g. “Consider the Lobster.”

    I think it is of that caliber, or close to it.

    • http://heheheheheheheeheheheehehe.com/ tao

      sweet

      thank you for the comment aaron

  • http://popserial.tumblr.com stephen

    I liked this, Tao. I like how you use Koko as means for discussing philosophical concepts. I think this essay–like your Murakami essay and others of your works–demonstrates your very impressive capacity for thoroughly precise usage of language, notably to describe complicatedly abstract, individual thoughts. The drift or ken of these thoughts sometimes feels, oddly, both familiar and unfamiliar to me, simultaneously, as if something essentially “planted” in me by another feels instead “plucked.”

    • http://heheheheheheheeheheheehehe.com/ tao

      sweet

      i'm glad you liked it

      ken…interesting

      planted vs. plucked…damn

  • http://twitter.com/mungofrench kdub

    i liked this very much. used to have a “life-sized” stuffed koko.

    (she'll ruin her “brand” if she tears off someone's face, but maybe that's something only male chimps do)

  • Puzzled

    WTF is this about??? Sounds like a lot of clap trap.

    • Aaron

      It's weird that there is a comment like this on just about every internet article… oh forget it.

  • http://www.smokingonanemptystomach.blogspot.com Jordan

    sweet

    i enjoyed reading this 'tao tao'

    thought 'god damn you,' re myself, re 'always seeming to want to “make up” “weird,” “cutesie” nicknames for people'…

    honestly don't know… idk….

    good job writing this

    • http://heheheheheheheeheheheehehe.com/ tao

      sweet

      tao tao

      seems like 'tao tao lin lin' would be, like, [end thought]

  • Chris

    Did you happen to notice that there is no proof anywhere of Patterson's claims, swallowed whole by the general public and institutions as respectable as National Geographic Magazine? Have you seen what her collegues have said about the claims? What about serious linguists? If Koko could carry on a conversation or even put together a coherent sentence that didn't in context just look like something a random word generator would eventually produce, don't you think she'd be on all the chat shows by now? Or at least have a coherent thought you could find anywhere on the Internet? Have you read the AOL “live chat” transcript? How about a little healthy skepticism, please? What would be wrong with a little healthy skeptism? If Koko could use language, where is the proof: a video on You Tube that would satisfy even a sympathetic skeptic who knows ASL, a transcript of her doing anything that couldn't just be simply explained as her making gestures to get Penny to give her a treat? Did you notice that she isn't interested in “talking”, she just wants food? African Gray Parrots, Prarie Dogs, even Honeybees have indisputable “language” if you have a low but still reasonable threshold for the gray area between true language and any form of communication, but with Koko all your research will find is more and sillier claims and repetition of claims originating with Patterson. And Patterson feels no need to answer her peers but prefers to talk to wide-eyed true belivers. This is science? Koko (or rather, Penny and the Foundation) would be raking in the bucks hand over fist if Koko could communicate using language. Her failure to do so is not due to some strange phenomenon of brand placement but rather consistant with her not understanding language at all.

    • http://heheheheheheheeheheheehehe.com/ tao

      i think it fits her brand 'even more' if she can't 'really' talk, seems even funnier and more 'cute'

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=523334666 ALisa Odincova

      how about singer works about animals and speciesisme. just because we dont understand the way other animals communicate, does not mean they cant feel or learn to feel  the way we do. why don’t u turn ur skepticism on the way u think. i say every animal can feel emotions and pain some guy spend 25 years proving plants can feel. language and writing is something we made up, if we could send signals like dolphins our communication would be totally different, not a fact you would understand the human if he tryed to communicate with u same way as dolphins do, and yet it wouldn’t prove that him not having  not having normal language makes him less human that you r. i seen the videos with koko, she does communicate and feel. most humans r rascist when it comes to animals, would u type everywhere that ur food can feel and love? it would then stop lots of animal based businesses humanity do. heres ur main reason why its so hush hush. Patterson is not the only one voicing and studying those who should be equal with us in rights

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=523334666 ALisa Odincova

      did u knew that cats known to mimic human speech,  and can communicate via 200 different sounds ? did u ever notice that? regarding koko there was several documentaries, including bbc. what humans do with gorilaes, kill em for paws to make souvenirs. what humans do with dolphins? fish em for food and kill for fun on some island in danemark. what humans do with cats and other pets? i think i just fcking hate humans

  • Mallory Whitten

    MOUNTAINOUS HEAD
    thinking of rap songs
    ape shit

  • tommmmm

    i remember i really wanted to be a primatologist growing up. thanks for this.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1363230138 Michael Koh

    this is great

  • Danny

    Agree with Aaronwb, reminds me of Wallace. But still “you”. Nice.

  • Mr Tumpkins

    Oh please, Koko is SO fake.

  • http://thediscoveryofinterestingthings.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/koko-says-me-fine-animal-gorilla-you-penny-teaching-primates-to-speak/ Koko says, “[Me] Fine Animal Gorilla”… You Penny: Teaching primates to ‘speak’ « The Discovery of Interesting Things
  • http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/you-cant-talk-to-god-idiot/ You Can’t Talk To God, Idiot | Thought Catalog

    [...] about Koko. Think about your dog. Think about their language: inflections, body movements, barks. Try to [...]

  • http://www.itmakesmestronger.com/2012/10/you-can%e2%80%99t-talk-to-god-idiot-2/ Only L<3Ve @ ItMakesMeStronger.com

    [...] about Koko. Think about your dog. Think about their language: inflections, body movements, barks. Try to [...]

  • http://thoughtcatalog.com/2013/today-on-thought-catalog-its-tao-lin-day/ Today On Thought Catalog: It’s Tao Lin Day | Thought Catalog

    […] selected by long-time friend and contributor Tao Lin. (We recommend his definitive essays on Koko, The “Talking” Gorilla and Almost Transparent Blue. You can read our exclusive excerpt of Taipei […]

  • http://www.itmakesmestronger.com/2013/06/today-on-thought-catalog-it%e2%80%99s-tao-lin-day/ Only L<3Ve @ ItMakesMeStronger.com

    […] selected by long-time friend and contributor Tao Lin. (We recommend his definitive essays on Koko, The “Talking” Gorilla and Almost Transparent Blue. You can read our exclusive excerpt of Taipei […]

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