Orangs, tigers...and Craig

Left Anaheim this morning, but not before getting a much needed wash for my Blazer.  It picked up some road grime and a little mud in northern California.  It looks MUCH better now!  It wasn't quite as hot today, but it was very muggy.  Thankfully, there was a heavy layer of clouds, which blocked out the sun and made my day bearable.  I spent it at the Los Angeles Zoo...I love looking at animals.  I also got a lot of awesome photos.  Here are a few of them...meerkats, chimpanzees and tigers.

The most amazing thing I saw at the zoo was a female orangutan using a tool to get a treat.  Along with other zoo visitors, we watched as she ripped a suitable branch from a shrub adjacent to the orangutan enclosure.  Stripping the branch of its leaves, the female ape proceeded to use it to pull a couple of pieces of banana on the ground outside the enclosure.  I managed to catch the meticulous action on video...check it out at this here!

It was interesting to watch how patient the orangutan was as she worked on pulling the pieces of banana toward her.  Just another wonderful example of how apes use intellect and tools to get the job done.

Later in the afternoon, I drove to CBS Television City in Los Angeles to attend a live taping of The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson.  The guests for the show were actors Kelsey Grammer and Casey Wilson, and comedian Ben Hague.  This was not the first time seeing Craig Ferguson, as I had gone to a couple of other tapings in the past.  One interesting moment was the revelation that a female audience member was not only nine months pregnant, but she was also two days overdue!  When Craig was told this, he asked the woman to join him on stage and he interviewed her.  I was only expecting to see one live show, and was surprised when they announced tomorrow's show would be taped, too.  The guests for that show are talk show host Chelsea Handler, comedian-ventriloquest Nina Conti, and singer-songwriter Allen Stone.  Craig decided to run with it, and invited the pregnant woman on stage again.  To make her look a little different, they outfitted her with a borrowed jacket.  It was another funny impromptu moment, and a fine example of what makes Craig Ferguson such a joy to watch.

I have a full agenda tomorrow.  During the day, I'll be doing a 4 1/2 hour Paramount Studios VIP Tour.  Then, in the evening, it will be Warner Brothers Studios for a live taping of the popular sitcom Two And A Half Men.  Hooray for Hollywood!