‘Tiger King’ Director Unveils New ‘Chimp Crazy’ Docuseries, Truly Bananas

A co-director of “Tiger King” is ready to unveil another captivating story about exotic animals. This time, Eric Goode plunges into the world of “monkey moms” in “Chimp Crazy.”

“Not everything I do will always revolve around exotic animal owners,” says Goode. However, when he discovered people keeping monkeys and chimpanzees as pets, it piqued his interest immensely.

“I was intrigued by the idea of women treating monkeys and chimpanzees as their children, dressing them up and living with them as if they were their own kids,” Goode explains. This curiosity led him to delve deeper, eventually transforming into “Chimp Crazy.”

HBO’s four-part docuseries, premiering Sunday and streaming weekly on Max, introduces trainer Pam Rosaire, who once breastfed a premature chimp back to health. However, the true focal point is Tonia Haddix, a former nurse who fell in love with a movie star chimp named Tonka.

After starring in films like “George of the Jungle,” “Babe: Pig in the City,” and “Buddy,” Tonka found himself at the Missouri Primate Foundation, where he met Haddix, a volunteer. Beneath her extravagant appearance beats a heart deeply attached to chimps.

“I love these chimps more than anything in the world, more than anything,” Haddix confesses in the series. She adds, “Human children are meant to grow up and form bonds with society, but not chimpanzees. Their mother is their whole life, and that primate feels that way about you because you become their mother.”

Goode’s notoriety from “Tiger King” made some subjects hesitant to open up to him. To counter this, he hired Dwayne Cunningham as a “proxy director.” Initially, Cunningham’s role was intended to be minor, to gain access to Connie Casey, owner of the Missouri Primate Foundation. But then they met Tonia Haddix, and Cunningham’s involvement expanded unexpectedly.

Haddix trusted Cunningham deeply. “She let us into her life in such an intimate way,” Goode says, noting that she revealed a shocking secret to be disclosed in a later episode. They followed her closely, capturing her daily activities, even as mundane as visiting the tanning bed or getting her lips done.

However, attempting to domesticate a wild animal comes with inherent challenges and risks, even for someone dubbed the “Dolly Parton of the chimps.” The docuseries revisits a harrowing 2009 incident in which a chimpanzee from Casey mauled Charla Nash, resulting in Nash undergoing a face transplant.

In Haddix’s situation, the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) filed a lawsuit against Casey, demanding better conditions for the housed animals. Actor Alan Cumming, who fell in love with Tonka on the set of “Buddy,” supported PETA’s cause.

Haddix suggested Casey transfer ownership of the seven chimps to her. After introducing the characters and primates, the docuseries follows as PETA files a motion to move them to a sanctuary. However, Tonka goes missing as the others are relocated.

Eric Goode notes the similarities between his latest work and “Tiger King.” Nevertheless, he emphasizes that it’s a different story. While “Tiger King” offered meme-able moments and chronicled a heated rivalry between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, “Chimp Crazy” feels decidedly more melancholic.

“Maybe it’s because the relationship with a chimpanzee is closer,” Goode suggests. In “Tiger King,” there wasn’t the same level of affection for a single tiger. The intimacy in “Chimp Crazy” makes it more emotional, although with plenty of surprises.

Goode hopes viewers come away with a deeper understanding of chimpanzees as beings with complex social structures and emotions akin to humans. “They really are complex social creatures, just like us,” he concludes.

Source: USA TODAY