Monkeying Around

In my last film "Silly Faces," (still available on Netflix) I tried to show the dichotomy of war and silliness; perhaps no one did this better then the late Soupy Sales who had a pie thrown in his face for each fallen Vietnam vet. Rest in peace Soupy, you were one of this nation's greatest auteurs.

In my new film "Balcony" I try to explore the very delicate balance of being 20 stories in the air while dressed as a monkey - the symbol of the banana and its relevance to our escalation in Afghanistan cannot be overlooked. While I rarely talk about the deeper meanings behind my films I think you will all find it quite moving to see the dog (i.e. Afghanistan) reject the monkey.  It's as though the dog is saying, "Go away, monkey!  You can do no good here."  I am saddened.  I turn and walk the length of the balcony once more.  I urge all of you to vote for "Balcony" as best picture of the year as it transcends the label of documentary. I cannot be categorized!

Cora Elizabeth Pape

Nov. 1, 2009 

                     

                                                      

Elvis Has Left the Building and Entered the Bathroom

Well my feud with Elvis has ended and I have to say he's much rounder than I thought.  When he sits around the tub, he REALLY sits around the tub.  But seriously folks, it's nice to have mommy back.  Now please avert your eyes as I step out of the bath.  

Cora Elizabeth Pape

(From the bathtub)

October 25, 2009

Why I Need A Mommy

It's this simple: babies need boundaries. Just because mommy is away doesn't mean that I should be able to do whatever I like. When I say "daddy, I'd like to read a book," a commonsense answer might begin with "where?" Mommy thinks that way, daddy doesn't. I will continue my boycott of Elvis music until my mommy is returned from Memphis unharmed.

Cora Elizabeth Pape

(Still sad in Brooklyn)

Oct. 20, 2009

What Tha'?

You know how every day since I was born mommy would come home from work and feed me milk?  Apparently that's all changed under the socialist Obama regime.  Now she just flies off to Memphis whenever she wants to have her picture taken at Graceland. Who knows when she's coming back.  And what if she comes back an Elvis fan of the Vegas years instead of the earlier Sun Records career when Elvis was truly relevant?  OMG!!  What if the milk is gone?  See this face?  I can keep it going for at least a year!  Bring milk or don't bother coming back.

Cora Elizabeth Pape

(The saddest baby ever)

Oct. 16, 2009

Run Boodles Run!

As most of you know, daddy's birthday was on September 25th; I'm okay with that in that it doesn't interfere with my schedule, when it does he'll have to change it. Mommy got daddy a mop and hid it in the closet last week. I knew the mop gift wasn't going to go over very well so I worked on something to distract him. As readers of my blog know I began walking on Fathers Day, admittedly it doesn't get the attention it used to but it gets me where I'm going. Now running, well, that would be the next logical step - I just looked it up,that was a pun. So I got to thinking, maybe if I learned to run daddy wouldn't beat mommy over the head with the broom in a dramatic fit of rage ( see blog 17 titled "Dustbuster This!!") When daddy's birthday came around I was ready.

Mommy gave daddy the present at dinner, which is never really a good idea around here (see blog 26 "Tofu This!!") Daddy didn't get angry, in fact he said it was a lovely mop and he was proud that his wife felt that he was man enough to handle a tool like that, and then he stared silently out the window wondering where the last 49 years had gone. I quickly scrambled down from my chair and grabbed his leg, he turned slightly so he could see me, and then I ran!! I ran into the kitchen and bedroom and hallway and  bathroom until daddy grabbed me and pulled me up into the air; he shouted "Boodles can run, Boodles can run!!" Then I kissed him on the cheek and he kissed mommy and we all snuggled up and watched "Cops" on TV.

Cora Elizabeth Pape

Sept. 28, 2009

The Boodles Tunnel

I just had the greatest idea!! I think I'm going to allow all of the neat things that I saw down in the grating float around my brain for another nineteen years, then I'm going to buy a lot of spraypaint and paint the images in a tunnel really large. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... I wonder where I can find a tunnel.

Cora Elizabeth Pape

August 15, 2009

Recap

In summing up, here are a few things I've learned during my first year.

First off - breathing. Breathing's very important. As most of you know daddy was born with Hyaline Membrane disease which is a non-elasticity of the lung tissue, he was placed in an iron lung backwards for a year with his tiny little baby feet sticking out; he's currently optioning the story to Lifetime.

Speaking of breathing, mommy and daddy have me taking swimming lessons. When is common sense going to make a comeback in this family? I'm a year old, just because the other little lemmings want to walk off the cliff to the sound of nursery rhymes doesn't mean I have to.

In baseball you should be able to run to first base while still carrying the bat, I just think it would liven things up.

Grandmas. Grandmas are great, they're like parents only they pick you up whenever you ask.

I just found out I have 27 cousins on mommy's side of the family. They were very nice to me on my recent trip to Denver. I have no idea what their names are so I've numbered them. Number 12 could've paid a little more attention to me but the rest were quite nice.

Walking is a hoot! Who knew?

Cora Elizabeth Pape

July 24, 2009

My New Pet!

I've been begging mommy and daddy for a pet since the day I  first drooled, but they said no. Luckily I have a wonderful grandmother who got me a frog. Not like the kind of frog you see begging in front of a french restaurant, little cup in their webbed hands, no legs. My frog is enormous and lets me sit in his mouth and play!

Happy summer everyone!

Cora Elizabeth

July 6, 09

Reporting from my balcony.

Father's Day 2009

I wanted to give daddy a big father's day present today, but mommy wouldn't let me go to the store to buy him his favorite Robitussin (daddy drinks all four flavors).  I was left without a present, which meant I had to think on my feet (pun definitely intended).  Just for the record, I'm a crawler.  I like the feel of the fine plush carpet beneath my knees and the firm wood floor under my fingers.  Walking makes me feel disconnected from the tangible realities of our world.  But that's just me.  Daddy needed a present, and as I mentioned before, mommy was not cooperating.  So I walked.  Not just once, or twice, or even three times, but whenever he called.  I'm exhausted.  I see this as a metaphor for the demonstrations in Iran.  If everybody just drank Robitussin, and walked for their daddies, it would be a wonderful world.  

Cora Elizabeth

Blogging from her crib

June 21, 2009

"Kukla, Fran and Allah"

After watching President Obama make his historic trip to Egypt I decided to become a Muslim. It gets a little tricky, five times a day I have to kneel and pray to Mecca (see above photo.) Daddy told me that last month was Ramadan - or as he says Ramadamadingdong, that meant I couldn't keep up my blog; not because of religious doctrine, I was just too tired from fasting. Turns out daddy was wrong about the date.

Praise Allah

Cora Elizabeth

June 5, 2009

"Penny For Your Thoughts"

Daddy thought it would be funny to post this photo and tell everybody that I was blind and begging for change but then mommy and I talked him out of it. So, to repeat, I am not blind and I am not begging for change. I mean, a little change wouldn't hurt - but no, I am absolutely not begging.

Cora Elizabeth

April 25, 2009

Pun Fun

Mommy has never made a pun before -- although she tries really hard, they just come out all wrong. For example, one time while watching golf, mommy said, "what a racquet!" and daddy said, "that's tennis, dear." On March 25, 2009, mommy not only made a pun, but it was captured on video! I have posted it here for everyone to witness it; who knows when we'll see another.

Cora Elizabeth (blushing)

March 25, 2009

Close Shave!

Okay, funny story. You know how babies (of which I am one) love to imitate their parents? Well, the other day I was inspecting the bathroom floor that mommy mopped while daddy slept - wouldn't you know it, she missed two spots; but I've digressed. As I'm eyeing the toilet paper - which will be all mine one day - daddy whispers "Psst..Hey kid, you ever try shaving?" Well of course I hadn't tried shaving, although I did experiment with a loofah once - but that was a long time ago and the documents are sealed in that case.

Daddy leaned over and said "Here you go kid, knock yourself out, and don't tell your mother!" And with that he handed me the shaving cream and off I went, rubbing the cream all over my face. Then daddy said you'll need something to take that off with and he handed me his Gillette Super Mach 27 razor. The 26 extra blades are in case you miss the hair with the first one. Well shaving sure is fun!! Downward on the cheeks and upward on the neck. Anyway, after we got back from the hospital mommy yelled at daddy, and daddy yelled back that there would be no permanent scar, and sure enough there isn't. But I don't think I'll shave again.

Cora Elizabeth

March 14, 2009

Happy Birthday Joe!

Daddy says it's Grandpa's 80th birthday and we should perform a

roast, I've written the following jokes for his amusement.

1. Grandpa's so old he's stopped teething!!!

2. Grandpa is so old that his crib mate was Methuselah!!

3. Grandpa is so old that he knows how to walk on two legs!!! 

    Oh, don't get me started !!

Drive safely everybody and thanks for coming.

Cora Shecky Pape

Mar. 11, 2009

Grandfava!

As most of you know, daddy made me a mobile for Christmas that featured many of my relatives. He has asked me to write abrief description of each person's life, starting with Grandfava.

Grandfava is mommy's daddy. He was born in the 1940s in a far away land called Iowa; that decade was a wash for him. In the 1950s he dreamed of being a professional baseball player, but while he missed out on that he turned out to be terrific at girls' dodgeball. Grandfava was so good that there are still many adult women in Iowa with funny noses that remember him. Sadly Grandfava injured his shoulder while reading "Seduction of the Innocent" to learn which comics to burn, and to this day he dreams of opening the first museum dedicated to girl's dodgeball.

In the 1960s Grandfava went to war. After winning a competition with members of his platoon by spelling "doppleganger," Grandfava became a spy. He still keeps some of the advanced spy tools from the cold war. He has a pen that squirts ink on your shirt only to have it disappear ten minutes later. He also kept his fake plastic puddle of vomit - very important for a spy. In 1967 he was awarded the medal of valor for cracking the code of Petula Clark's hit "Downtown." Many men died after hearing the song more then ten times; this was considered a turning point in the war!

Grandfava came home in the 70s and went to school on the GI Bill. He received his degree in teaching people how to drive and to this day offers advice to many young drivers on the road.

Cora Elizabeth Goodwin Pape

Feb. 7, 2009

MIRK the Great!

As you all know my daddy is a very famous graffiti artist, that's

right, his name is CRASH - no, I'm just kidding. Not a day goes

by when I don't say "Daddy, when will you paint my name on a

shirt?" He always says he'll do it but then he starts drinking the

Robitussin and the day slowly fades away. Then I put the blanket

over daddy and turn on the wii.

I never thought I'd get my own t-shirt until the other day when

the mailman bought us a package - daddy tipped him a quarter

and then opened it up. After letting me eat the wrapping paper 

he pulled out a beautiful shirt painted by a real graffiti writer from 

France named MIRK. Daddy said we should immediately put it on

ebay and sell it, that's when mommy came home. Mommy said I

could keep the shirt and wear it whenever I want.

Thank you MIRK, you're a better graffiti artist then daddy will ever be!

Cora Elizabeth

Feb. 5, 2009

First Sled Ride

So daddy turned to me and asked me if I wanted

a helmet, wrist guards, knee pads, mouth piece

and a stunt double. I said no way daddy!! We're kicking

it old school!! And then he dropped me.

Next time I get the stunt double.

Cora Elizabeth

Jan. 18, 09

From the slopes of Fort Greene Park.

Christmas Dinner

Christmas dinner in San Francisco, a blessed event with

cherubic kids singing carols at the door and the entire Ransom

family dressed to the nines - and then there's my dad.......

The in-laws must be so proud.

Cora Elizabeth

Dec. 25, 2008

On assignment in San Francisco.

Silly Faces

First of all I'd like to thank the academy, it's very rare when an

oscar is awarded to a five month old; in fact the last big baby to

win it was Oliver Stone. I'd like to thank my mom - Elsa Ransom

who really gives me a chance to chew up some scenery; that's 

pun number three for those of you keeping track. Of course my 

father Chris Pape, who took time off from his turkey wrangling job 

to film this anti-war epic. 

For those of you who supported "Silly Faces" in local art house 

theaters before the Weinstein brothers became involved; thank 

you. And most of all to our boys in Iraq - this film was for you; 

come home soon. Thank you everybody and have a great new year!

Cora Elizabeth

Dec. 21, 2008

From Hollywood