It took an ex-Marine sergeant to make a chimpanzee say "Mama."
When Nick Corrado [sic] took Kokomo Jr. to psychologists and speech therapists a year ago, they told him "chimps just don't talk." But Corrado refused to accept that as final.
"It took four months to get him to make a sound with his vocal cords. That was the hardest," says Corrado. "Then another three months to make him shape his lips, mouth and jaws. I found he couldn't make the 'm' sound without overlapping his upper lip with his lower lip by about half an inch."
Saying "Mama" is Kokomo's crowning achievement after mastering such refinements as kissing a lady's hand without nibbling it, sleeping on a bed under a blue coverlet instead of in a cage, eating daintily with a fork instead of his fingers.
Meanwhile he acquired a taste for daily baths, his weekly shaves and haircuts and shaving lotion.
By learning to "talk," Kokomo Jr. has outstripped his dapper predecessor on Garroway's "Today" show, J. Fred Muggs.
Kokomo Jr. left the show three months ago because the early hours were ruining his night life. He's training now to star in commercials.
Like every TV star, he has a huge wardrobe of 48 custom-made suits, including a tux from Brooks Brothers, a cowboy outfit, Marine uniform, academic robes and simulated leopard skin lounging robe.
"The pants have to be cut shorter and the sleeves cut longer, otherwise he's about the size of a five-year-old child," Corrado explains.
Ex-sergeant Corrado's feat of making a little gentleman out of a chimp can best be appreciated when you hear that it took four men and a trainer to drag Kokomo Jr. out of his cage when he arrived, nine months old, from the wilds of the Belgian Congo. (His value: $1,800).
"Now he's like a little son," beams Corrado. "Come on, ya bum, and eat your lunch." Kokomo ambles obediently into the kitchen, where his place is set with a yellow place mat, napkin, fork, spoon and bowl.
After eating impeccably, he swung over to the kitchen sink, turned on the tap, washed his hairy hands and tore off a paper towel to dry them. He ambled back into the living room.
"He has a hula hoop, but he spins around with it and gets dizzy," says Corrado, "so I give him child guidance toys to play with."