# Why does Mojo = Monkey / Ape?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mojo-monkey-ape/224364>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 14, 2004, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mojo-monkey-ape/224364 "2004-01-14T06:09:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mojo-monkey-ape/224364/1 "2004-01-14T06:09:58Z")

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Mojo Jojo, Mojo the Helper Monkey, and the Flash just called a gorilla Mojo on The Justice League. I’ve seen and heard other examples but these are all I can think of right now. What gives?

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**Author:** ![SimonMoon5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@SimonMoon5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SimonMoon5)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mojo-monkey-ape/224364/2 "2004-01-14T15:41:12Z")

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> [@Cisco](#):
>
> Mojo Jojo, Mojo the Helper Monkey, and the Flash just called a gorilla Mojo on The Justice League. I’ve seen and heard other examples but these are all I can think of right now. What gives?

I don’t know who Mojo the Helper Monkey is. However, I assume that Flash called Gorilla Grodd “Mojo” as a reference to Mojo Jojo, since Flash presumably doesn’t know any other mildly insulting names to call a gorilla.

Mojo for Mojo Jojo is undoubtedly used because it rhymes with Jojo, a common enough name to give to animals. Mojo of course has something to do with magic (as an article by Cecil mentions) or power, so he’s given the name Mojo Jojo to suggest he’s a powerful guy with an animal’s name… plus it rhymes.

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**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mojo-monkey-ape/224364/3 "2004-01-17T00:41:09Z")

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And, most likely, _mojo_ and _monkeys_ are linked due to alliteration, common African origin, and the aforementioned rhyme with Jojo.

Peace.

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**Author:** ![Starbury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Starbury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starbury)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mojo-monkey-ape/224364/4 "2004-01-17T01:09:44Z")

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I believe Mojo the Helper Monkey was Homer Simpson’s assistant during his muumuu phase.

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**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mojo-monkey-ape/224364/5 "2004-01-17T02:08:04Z")

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> [@Starbury](#):
>
> I believe Mojo the Helper Monkey was Homer Simpson’s assistant during his muumuu phase.

Actually, Homer wore the muumu when he deliberately made himself grossly overweight in order to go on disability.

Mojo the helper monkey stemmed from a purely different approach to creative laziness.

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**Author:** ![Starbury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Starbury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starbury)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mojo-monkey-ape/224364/6 "2004-01-17T14:23:55Z")

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You are right, **Bryan**. I need to start watching the reruns again…

Anyway, here’s a link with a picture of Mojo the Helper monkey: [http://www.pray4mojo.net/mojo\_movie/mojomeetshomer.html](http://www.pray4mojo.net/mojo_movie/mojomeetshomer.html)