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This is why you never work with children or animals.

Texas morning show host Deborah Duncan became a prime example of the famous W.C. Fields rule when she got punched in the face by the monkey from Dr. Doolittle this week.

Duncan was hosting a live animal segment about the Staples Safari Zoo on KHOU's "Great Day America" when a handler brought out Wilson, a capuchin monkey famous for appearing in the Dr. Doolittle films.

But when Duncan, joking around with the monkey, threatened to take his precious grape, he quickly grew agitated and punched her in the face. Duncan managed to laugh it off even as the handler, making no move to help, joked, "I think you just got told by a monkey."

[h/t UPI]