“Chimp Crazy,” the newest docuseries from Eric Goode, co-director of “Tiger King,” is shaping up to be one of HBO’s most popular, albeit controversial, docuseries. Following the story of Tonia Haddix and her run-ins with PETA, the equally controversial animal rights organization, the docuseries covers everything from missing chimpanzees to harrowing attacks.
The first episode introduces us to Tonia Haddix, an exotic animal broker and chimp enthusiast. Haddix explains that she had grown a special bond with a chimp named Tonka. Tonka lived a colorful life in Hollywood before meeting Haddix, including roles in movies such as “Buddy” and “George of the Jungle.” They were first introduced when Haddix came to volunteer at the Missouri Primate Foundation. Eventually, she became a permanent fixture at the foundation.
After multiple lawsuits brought on by PETA, Connie Casey, the foundation’s owner, entrusted Haddix with the chimpanzees and signed over her rights. Throughout the following episodes, we see Haddix battle it out with PETA over the safety of the chimps in her care. Haddix loses many of these battles and is forced to hand over the chimpanzees to PETA, who would relocate them accordingly. The initial retrieval of the primates came and went, but one chimp was still missing. Tonka.
Haddix claimed that Tonka died due to congestive heart failure mere days before PETA came to take the chimps and thus had gone ahead with cremation. Even still, the animal rights organization was skeptical. This meant that the hunt was on to find Tonka. At the end of the second episode, Haddix revealed a secret she was keeping that had pulled the wool over the world’s eyes. Tonka was alive!
By the time PETA discovered Tonka missing, Haddix was already on the move. She feared that Tonka was too sick to make the journey PETA was planning for the chimp, so she hid him. Understanding that it was unsafe to keep Tonka with her, Haddix left Tonka with a friend of hers. Eventually, Haddix was able to move him into her basement. He remained there until PETA, tipped off by the filmmakers, moved in and were able to secure Tonka.
Sprinkled throughout the docuseries are candid interviews of those involved in some of the most infamous primate attacks in United States history. The most prominent, yet saddening, is the story of Travis the chimpanzee, who attacked and disfigured one of his owner’s friends.
Many viewers were shocked when it was revealed that Tonka was never in congestive heart failure as Haddix had claimed. He was just morbidly obese. Currently, Tonka is living out the rest of his days at the “Save The Chimps” sanctuary.
This docuseries is not just about the dangers of the exotic animal community. It tells the story of life, loss, and how far we are willing to go to keep those we care about close, even if what is best for us is not what is best for them.
