Chimp Crazy
American documentary series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chimp Crazy is an American documentary series directed and produced by Eric Goode, known for his series Tiger King. It follows Tonia Haddix, whose love for a chimpanzee spins into a wild game with authorities and an animal rights group.
| Chimp Crazy | |
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| Genre | Documentary |
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| Directed by | Eric Goode |
| Music by | Jonathan Sadoff |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 2 |
| Production | |
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| Running time | 54-57 minutes |
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| Original release | |
| Network | HBO |
| Release | August 18, 2024 – present |
It premiered on August 18, 2024, on HBO.
Tonia Haddix, an animal broker, spends her days taking care of a chimpanzee, Tonka. Her love for Tonka spins into a game with authorities and an animal rights group, PETA.[1] The series additionally explores other owners of nonhuman primates and their experiences.[2][3]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Monkey Love" | Eric Goode | August 18, 2024 |
| 2 | "Gone Ape" | Eric Goode | August 25, 2024 |
| 3 | "Head Shot" | Eric Goode | September 1, 2024 |
| 4 | "Fantasy Island" | Eric Goode | September 8, 2024 |
Eric Goode was intrigued by those who had pet monkeys and chimpanzees and raised them as their own children.[4] Initially, Goode wanted to focus on Connie Casey of the Missouri Primate Foundation, however, Casey declined an interview.[5] Following the success of Tiger King, dealers in exotic animals became hesitant to speak with Goode. For this production, he hired Dwayne Cunningham, a former circus clown and animal trainer, to pose as a "pro-ownership" filmmaker to approach Haddix.[4] Haddix later told Rolling Stone that she would have never participated in the documentary if she knew Eric Goode was involved.[6][7] Yet even after finding out Goode's role, Haddix continued to participate in the film and let Goode interview her for over a year and a half.[8]
The Missouri Primate Foundation featured in Chimp Crazy has roots in a 1960s pet shop owned by Connie Braun Casey, Braun’s Barn, in Festus, Missouri. Though Casey had been collecting exotic animals for years, she bought her first chimp in 1972.[9] In a 2018 interview, Casey talked about her decision to find a dealer to buy "wild caught" chimps before the law (Endangered Species Act) made it too difficult.[9] Casey bought two chimps and bred them, selling babies for $40,000 up to $65,000.[10][11] She started a business, Chimparty, renting out baby chimps for children’s birthday parties, nursing homes, and TV and film productions.[12]
In 1992, one of the chimps owned by Casey bit off her husband’s nose. Concerned about negative press coverage, Connie Casey started a nonprofit, Missouri Primate Foundation, while continuing to run Chimparty and selling primate pets.[10] The Missouri Primate Foundation took in adult chimps previously sold as pets or retired from show business. In 2001, a 28-year-old chimp named Suzy escaped and was shot and killed by a 17-year-old who lived next door.[11][13] Suzy had given birth to a total of six chimps, including Travis, who made national headlines in 2009 when he mauled a woman in Connecticut and was shot by police.[11]
In 2016, an employee at the primate facility, Angela Scott, contacted PETA to express concerns about abuse she had witnessed at work. Scott secretly shot video and sent it to the animal rights group before quitting her job there.[10][14] PETA had already been investigating the facility, following a string of USDA violations.[15] PETA filed a lawsuit in December 2016, citing violations of the Endangered Species Act.[16] This lawsuit becomes the centerpiece of events covered in Chimp Crazy.
While Casey was embroiled in the battle with PETA, Tonia Haddix came to visit her seeking to buy a baby chimp. When she heard about Casey’s legal problems, she offered to take over the facility in an effort to disrupt the lawsuit. So, in 2018, instead of adopting a baby chimp, Haddix adopted the Missouri Primate Foundation, including an adult chimp that Haddix had taken a liking to, Tonka.[6][10]
Connie Casey was the Chimp Crazy team’s initial choice as the subject for the film, but she declined to appear on camera, so they focused on Tonia Haddix.[17]
Critical reception
Chimp Crazy has a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 15 reviews, with an average rating of 8.80/10.[18] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100 based on 11 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[19]
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