Line #35 Main/PowersuitMonkey


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/monkeyonphone.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:[[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Oh, I see! Trying to figure out a way to deduct bananas?]]]]
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4	The tendency for animals to outperform their human coworkers in comedies. Most often takes the form of a gorilla or chimpanzee in a business suit who quickly climbs the corporate ladder after being hired. This trope can come in a few flavors:
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6	'''Type One:''' Said monkey actually is competent, at least according to the other character's {{lampshad\|eHanging}}ing. Type one's competence is normally contrasted to another human character's incompetence for laughs. Type one never speaks, and other than being a part of the scenery, typically doesn't interact with the human characters physically unless their job requires it.
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8	'''Type Two:''' This is when the monkey acts just like a typical monkey would, but the work environment is so atrocious to begin with this behavior actually lands the monkey promotions and praise from his coworkers. Unlike Type one monkeys, Type twos are free to interact with their coworkers, usually in the form of random tantrums, face-scratching, and the classic poo throwing.
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10	'''Type Three:''' Type three monkeys are practically human in all but species. Type threes typically form rivalries with the Protagonist, but are otherwise portrayed as popular with the rest of the characters. While you are more likely to see a Type three courting the office hotty or chatting it up with the fellas at the water cooler, they do sometimes slip back into Type two territory, usually when tempted by a banana.
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12	[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Has nothing to do with monkeys in]] PoweredArmor. Compare AnimalOccupationStereotypes for animals, whether anthropomorphic or not, being associated with certain professions.
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14	-----
15	!!Examples:
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17	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
18	* In ''Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt'', a Type 2 is featured in "1 angry ghost". [[spoiler: It becomes a Type 3 after being electrified.]] What's worse is he's Panty and Stocking's ''lawyer'' in a game-show/legal court and he [[RunningGag keeps mistaking]] Panty's hair as a bunch of bananas [[spoiler:even when he's smart]].
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20	[[folder:Comic Books]]
21	* ComicBook/RexTheWonderDog got a job as a photojournalist before he ever came across the fountain of youth and attained a magically enhanced intellect.
22	[[/folder]]
23	[[folder:Film]]
24	* In ''Film/TheFlintstones'' movie, there is a monkey in Fred and Barney's work, and he is, after Barney, the smartest of the employees!
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26	[[folder:Literature]]
27	* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' books, there is an orangutan librarian. [[BerserkButton He is not a monkey]]. As a matter of fact, the Librarian used to be a human wizard, working in Unseen University's library until a magical accident in ''Literature/TheLightFantastic'' turned him into an ape. He's been transformed for so long that most people new to the series ''assume'' he's this trope, and even his fellow wizards have trouble remembering that he used to be human (although depending on the RuleOfFunny it can be the other way around; it's mentioned that if you told the other Wizards there was an ape in the library, they'd [[ComicallyMissingThePoint go and ask the Librarian if he'd seen it]].)
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29	[[folder:Live Action TV]]
30	* ''Series/NotTheNineOClockNews'', where Gerald the Gorilla upstages the academic naturalist who "captured" him in the Congo.
31	* Creator/{{Syfy}} has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DH-v2G-aZg this commercial]].
32	* ''Series/TheMightyBoosh'' has Bollo, a type three.
33	* The BritCom ''Series/{{Nightingales}}'' (three nightwatchmen in an office building wiling the time away) had Terrence Oblong, a gorilla who joined the team for an episode. Type 1 or 2.
34	* Played with in in a ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' sketch; for [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext the usual reasons,]] the library staffing committee ''wants'' to hire one of these (a Type Two, to be specific), and are disappointed to find out that [[http://youtu.be/ukJmF6f0JdQ the applicant is merely a human librarian in a gorilla costume.]]
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36	[[folder:Music]]
37	* Music/JonathanCoulton's "Code Monkey" describes a literal Type Three monkey who sings in HulkSpeak.
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39	[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
40	* ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'': [[http://dilbert.com/fast/1993-08-09/ Zimbu]] competes for Dilbert's job. Being able to type with both hands and use the mouse with his tail is a natural advantage.
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42	[[folder:Theatre]]
43	* The "Chekhov and the Gorilla" sketch from ''A Poke in the Eye With a Sharp Stick'' has Creator/AntonChekhov discussing the final dress rehearsal of ''Theatre/TheCherryOrchard'' with Sergei Nemirovich, the financial director of the the theatre. Nemirovich is a gorilla and keeps suggesting that Chekhov find some way to work a gorilla into the plot. A Type 3.
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45	[[folder:Webcomics]]
46	* Judy from ''[[WebComic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja Doctor McNinja]]'' counts as a type one.
47	* In ''VideoGame/ChampionsOnline'', we have Dr Silverback, [[OmnidisciplinaryScientist genius scientist]], celebrity, superhero contact... and Gorilla.
48	* ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'': {{Exaggerated\|Trope}} in the oneshot strip "[[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2023/05/08/president-gorilla President Gorilla]]", which is about a [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin gorilla who is]] [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent the president]].
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50	[[folder:Western Animation]]
51	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': Farnsworth comes up with a hat that makes a monkey intelligent. This results in a Type 3 rival for Fry. Then the monkey loses the hat and becomes a Type 2 equal for [[TheDitz Fry]].
52	* ''WesternAnimation/TheAwesomes'' has, in its second season, a gorilla in a suit. Actually, rather a lot of them; one of them is marrying Muscleman's sister, and the "groom's side" is full of gorillas in suits and dresses. At least one of these (the groom's uncle) is firmly convinced that humans are the inferior species, and he's not shy about telling everyone his opinion either.
53	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
54	** The director of NASA is a chimp who was [[ApesInSpace sent to space]] and came back super-intelligent.
55	** There's a duck named Stuart who works at the power plant. And outranks Homer.
56	** In "Homer's Enemy", Mr. Burns hires a dog to fill the job he originally planned to give Frank Grimes.
57	** In "Deep Space Homer", Homer is passed over for Employee of the Month in favor of an inanimate carbon rod.
58	* In the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein" Lois tells her mother that she doesn't think she would be better off married to the chimp across the street no matter how well he's doing. At the end of the episode she tells Peter that just because the chimp makes more money that doesn't make him any smarter.
59	[[/folder]]

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