Much of the advance publicity for “Chimp Crazy,” a new four-part HBO documentary series, has been playing up its connection to “Tiger King,” the Netflix docuseries that introduced viewers to the bizarre world of Joe Exotic, the big cat zookeeper who went to prison for trying to have his nemesis, conservationist Carole Baskin, killed, and who was convicted of other crimes related to his treatment of wildlife. The “Tiger King” comparisons aren’t surprising, considering “Chimp Crazy” is directed by Eric Goode, who co-directed “Tiger King.” Like that 2020 sensation, “Chimp Crazy” deals with humans who are obsessed with exotic animals, in this case, chimpanzees.
The central character in “Chimp Crazy” is Tonia Haddix, who makes a living as an exotic animal broker and talks at exhausting length about her devotion to chimpanzees. Haddix calls herself “the Dolly Parton” of the chimpanzee world. Haddix recalls how she came to start what turned out to be a tumultuous journey by volunteering at something called the Missouri Primate Foundation, a fancy name for a facility run by a woman who was breeding and selling chimps, and also keeping some animals, which she made available for commercial work.
For example, one of the chimps, named Tonka, appeared in movies such as “George of the Jungle” (1997), “Buddy” (1997), and “Babe: Pig in the City” (1998). Tonka winds up at the center of what came to be an extended legal battle between Haddix, who keeps repeating how much she loves Tonka (who she seems to care more than she does about her own children), and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which alleges Haddix’s chimps are suffering from inadequate care, and need to be relocated to an accredited sanctuary. The conflict escalates as Tonka disappears just when PETA is about to take possession of him.
Haddix claims Tonka has died, PETA’s lawyers think she’s lying, and the whole thing even ends up involving actor Alan Cumming ( “The Traitors” ), who worked with Tonka in “Buddy,” and becomes active in trying to find out what happened to Tonka. Woven into all this is Goode’s ethically dubious decision to hire a “proxy” director to interview Haddix and make the documentary, since Goode became persona non grata to exotic animal owners after “Tiger King” generated so much publicity about the exploitation of wild animals. As part of the docuseries’ examples of how chimpanzees aren’t some kind of pet or child substitute, “Chimp Crazy” also includes two long segments about how things can go terribly wrong when the chimpanzees get older, stronger, and may act as the wild animals they are.
For example, the third episode, titled “Head Shot,” goes to Pendleton, where locals are interviewed about Buck, a chimpanzee owned by a woman in the community who took him all over town, to local establishments. “He was kind of our local little rock star,” a Pendleton woman recalls. “Buck was the most extraordinary thing that this town has ever had to offer.
He was amazing, and he was beautiful.” Eventually, PETA got involved in the Pendleton case, as well, and submitted a complaint to Oregon wildlife authorities regarding Buck’s care. The situation turned tragic in 2021, when Buck attacked the daughter of his owner, and the owner called 911.
In a virtual press conference Friday, director Goode and executive producer Jeremy McBride said they missed an opportunity to help Buck, and didn’t want that to happen again. “Chimp Crazy” raises questions about the morality of humans owning wild animals, and also about what responsibility documentary filmmakers have to intervene if they have legitimate concerns about what they’re witnessing. In the press conference, Goode said he and McBride had “lots of empathy” for Haddix, and added that his approach in making the film was to create something entertaining enough to reach a diverse audience.
“So many films preach to people who already know the issues,” Goode said. “So, they don’t make change.” “Chimp Crazy” premieres at 10 p.
m. Sunday, Aug. 18, on HBO, and streams on Max.
— Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, [email protected] or @Kristiturnquist Our journalism needs your support.
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