Few sitcom moments are as unforgettable, or unexpectedly nerve-racking, as the time Full House’s John Stamos shared the screen with a real chimpanzee. Though the beloved family comedy is known for its warmth and humor, co-stars Andrea Barber and Jodie Sweetin recently revealed that one particular episode turned into a genuinely tense experience for everyone on set.
As part of their Full House Rewind podcast, the duo looked back on Season 5’s “Too Much Monkey Business.” They recalled the day Stamos’ Uncle Jesse acted opposite a chimp named Ginger.
Andrea Barber and Jodie Sweetin recall John Stamos’ chimpanzee scene in Full House
Barber and Sweetin made some interesting revelations on their recent How Rude, Tanneritos podcast. They shared that Stamos was actually “terrified” before filming his scene with Ginger the chimp. The handlers kept warning him not to look the animal in the eye.
As Barber put it, “Chimps are dangerous!” Sweetin backed that up, saying the trainers told them to let the chimp get comfortable but never to smile or make eye contact. “If you have to interact with it, it has to get to know you a little bit. But don’t look it in the eye, don’t smile at it, “Sweetin said. (via EW)
Barber described the whole experience as “wild,” recalling that the chimp “was smacking Jesse at one point.” In the scene, the chimps start to give him a few smacks, leaving Stamos completely thrown off.
Sweetin laughed, recalling it: “John is laughing so hard, too. It’s like he’s trying to keep it together, and he cannot. Like, if there were a monkey spanking me, excuse me, a chimp spanking me, I also would not be able to keep a straight face.”
Back in 2017, Stamos also told People that he actually ended up with “welts on my butt” from Ginger’s smacks and joked that whenever the writers ran out of ideas, they’d just put him with a monkey or a ferret.
Ginger wasn’t the only animal to steal the spotlight on the ABC hit. Throughout its eight-season run, Full House featured quite the lineup of furry (and not-so-furry) guest stars. This included a ferret hiding in the attic, the beloved family dog, Comet, and even a real elephant for Michelle Tanner’s third birthday episode. However, the chimp scene still takes the cake as one of the most unforgettable behind-the-scenes moments.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on ComingSoon.
