Chimp Crazy is possibly more bizarre than Tiger King
They say lightning never strikes twice, but Chimpanzee crazy could be proof that it can be done, with greater precision, more ferocity, and more confusion than the first time.
In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Netflix subscribers like me found an unexpected source of entertainment in the infamous Tiger King Docuseries (one of the best documentaries on the streamer). I remember watching the first season with my jaw dropping at every shocking twist. From Joe Exotic’s interesting love affairs to the disappearance of Carole Baskin’s ex-husband Don Lewis to the murder-for-hire plot, there were so many moments that kept me hooked.
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Of course, improving my Tiger King The most important viewing experience was social media. With the whole world under quarantine, millions were watching the show at roughly the same time, leaving a ton of comments on various platforms and writing several opinion pieces. It was one of those experiences where you felt left out if you didn’t tune in.
Well, maybe I’m trying to fulfill my duties as a global citizen and make sure people don’t miss the next big thing. This is my call to action to tune in to Chimpanzee crazy on HBO and Max. It comes from the same director/executive producer as Tiger KingEric Goode, and it is chock full of animalistic chaos and eccentric human behavior. So much so that after just one episode I am ready to say Chimpanzee crazy can dethrone Tiger King as the most bizarre documentary I have ever seen.
First of all Chimpanzee crazy The people who fall in love with the chimps have a much deeper connection with the animals (which may have something to do with the primates being less lethal than tigers when approached physically). Over the course of Episode 1, you see or hear about a variety of interactions that you don’t experience every day. There’s a story about a woman who breastfeeds a prematurely born chimpanzee in order to nurse the animal back to health. This story still leaves me speechless.
In addition, many of the chimpanzee owners in the documentary consider the primates to be their own children, since unlike their real children, chimpanzees do not tend to grow up and live their own adult lives. They cannot leave the nest. However, as mentioned earlier, chimpanzees can become more and more unruly as they get older.
Another fascinating aspect of Chimpanzee crazy is Tonia Haddix, who is more or less the center of the show, like Joe Exoctic in Tiger King. Her love of chimpanzees led her to spend hundreds of thousands on another woman’s primate foundation/sanctuary, volunteer her time in a lawsuit against PETA, and I’ll spare you the spoiler on what Tonia does when she suffers a loss at the hands of the animal rights group.
And as if that wasn’t enough, Haddix agreed to be filmed for the documentary, even though she and the chimpanzee’s mother, Connie Casey, were already wary of cameras after the premiere of “The 40th Anniversary.” Tiger King. That is why an assistant director was brought on board to interact with Haddix so that Goode would not be recognized. But given the risk of filming and the attention it would bring to Joe Exotic and other Tiger KingHaddix went with Chimpanzee crazy Still, selfishly, I’m glad she agreed to film because her personality certainly contributes to making the documentary series worth watching.
In addition to the unwavering commitment to chimpanzees and Haddix’s unique personality, the documentary series also features unexpected stars. For example, I did not expect The Traitors USA Presenter Alan Cumming. The presenter/actor actually gives interviews about the incredible story at the centre of Chimpanzee crazy. I had no idea he was a PETA activist, nor did I know he had a personal connection to chimpanzees. Also Chimpanzee crazy reminded me that he was in a movie I hadn’t seen in years — Buddy.
The other unexpected stars in the documentary series are, in my opinion, the chimpanzees. Tonka was also in Buddy and in George of the Jungle (1997). He is also believed to be Haddix’s “missing” co-star in the series.
Having said all that, make sure you start watching Chimpanzee crazy. I could go on and on about how puzzling and fascinating it is to follow this true story, but this is one of those situations where you have to believe it until you see it.
New episodes of Chimpanzee crazy Premieres Sundays at 10 p.m. on HBO and on Max at the same time.
