Chimp Crazy

"Chimp Crazy" made me feel all the emotions - happiness, sadness, anger. I have a lot of mixed feelings about how this docuseries was presented to the viewers. I don't know who their target audience was and who you were supposed to be rooting for during the short span of 4 episodes. There were valid arguments from both PETA and Tonia Haddix, addressing their concerns to of why Tonka should be placed in a sanctuary vs being kept confided in a small room.

Aside from the protagonist (Tonia or PETA?) there is a bigger picture to be seen here - people should NOT own exotic pets. HOWEVER, this is a two sided coin I think. On one side you have obvious exotic animals who just cannot be domesticated and will forever have animalistic instincts/behaviors, and in the other side you have humans who have had said exotic animals since they were babies. So I think there is a valid argument for both sides - one being: everyone and their mother owns a dog. Dogs can rip your face off, just like a chimp can. But dogs have become domesticated and not everyone owns a chimp. If you have a 200 pound dog there comes a point where that dog cannot be controlled. If it wants to one day kill your baby sitting in its stroller, it'll do it. But it's LESS likely than a chimp.

This show is an eye opener for the exotic pet world and at times was honestly hard to watch. I think both sides were pretty narcissistic. I couldn't stand the attorney for PETA (Goodman) you can tell that dude is a prick. I agree with Tonia that PETA is not for the animals well being always. The way they manipulate the situation to make her out to be some evil pos monster was absolutely disgusting. Tonia I think has some mental health issues but she loved that damn Chimp. So I'm a bit torn on all of it. She clearly didn't learn her lesson once you find out what happens in the last 5-10 minutes of episode 4.

Hard to watch but it's a good watch. Pretty educational as well.

... and I am so every time, it is, and should be, the default. You can see even my signin on is the genus for the whale known as orca - I AM an animal person, a 'non-human' person - so it's difficult for me to review a documentary on the treatment of animals and do so unbiased or merely to look solely at the technical merits of the docuseries and not the subject of the docuseries - which is the treatment of these chimpanzees.... or is the subject, the humans that captivate, care and grow to love them? Emphasis on the 'captivate' - but granted they DO love, I mean LOVE them and I get it, I do - I really do

I want to say that I truly believe that there are situations, where on occasion the welfare of the animal and the desires of a humans like Tonia, correspond, and I'm all but certain that she means all the best and wants all the best for her primate cousins - however.... ya However, ULTIMATELY it's definitely in the best interests of the animals (and ultimately the humans as well as CERTAINLY the environment and ecosystems of the planet) that PETA's ideology and tactics win the day - I understand that's harsh to suggest, to say that Tonia, who has ostensibly given her time torwards the betterment of these primates, as it relates to thier (and hers) immediate 'wants' and shortsighted needs but sheesh... We have to, now (more than ever and forever more) no longer function 'shortsightedly' - and yes I do realize that when an organism is born within and to captivativity - new fascists are created as to what's 'best' or even 'possible' for the individual and it's a very difficult catch-22, however and again we as the captors and the SELF PROCLAIMED "dominant" species of earth, SELF PROCLAIMED 'superior' species of earth - must not continue to behave shortsighted - we know better let's BEHAVE better, let's behave SELFLESSLY

Please, I IMPLORE YOU - and to Tonia and others , I say 'I'm so very sorry for your loss, your losses and your grief - ironically I'm filled with the same empathy torwards you as am I to the chimps - I don't want you to hurt either - I hope that you can come to peace with this and that you can find a suitable compromise where you can still visit with your loved ones (and I know they are 'loved ones') but try and do so as inhumanely (and i know that sounds like I should mean 'humane' but the definition of 'humane' is to 'act or behave like a human' and to me, that has always meant 'selfishly' as to what's best for the individual) and to do so with the most farsight as you can muster - and thank you for all of your efforts - I KNOW you mean well :)

These chimp mommies and PETA fanatics are all psychotic, but are on the extreme opposite of the spectrum. This documentary is very revealing about the mindset of both groups and their obsession and compulsion is a very sad and disturbing commentary on the ability of human emotion to defy logic and reason. Naturally, It would be best if Federal law would prohibit the private ownership of exotic animals. This documentary is a testament to the absolute fact that these exotic animals cannot be fully domesticated, and that is especially true for chimpanzees. These chimp mommies depicted in this film love their chimp babies so much and are so emotionally attached to them that they are willing to keep them incarcerated when they grow beyond the cute and cuddly stage. The film makers probably had no idea that they would be uncovering and depicting a serious mental illness associated with these chimp mommies. This film also reveals how members of PETA on the other hand are also compulsive and ultimately militant in their obsession to control and prohibit the private ownership of animals. Their emotions are also so out of control that they come off in the film, as they do in public spectacles, as frenzied fanatics seeking to prove their virtue to the world. This documentary is difficult to watch at times, but is informative and casts a light on a serious situation that needs to be remedied by Congress.

This documentary was gripping, horrific, wild, hilarious and just mind blowing! It's hard to believe that there are people out there living their lives this way.

I've seen people criticise Eric and the crew for their decisions throughout this documentary. Without giving too much away, I personally think they made the right decisions. Tonka or any chimp, primate, wild animal etc should not have to live in those conditions, but Eric and the crew are not PETA nor are they law enforcement. They are there to create a documentary and spread awareness about this wild way of living, they are there to observe and to tell the story of all sides. Personally I think they made the right decision at the right time.

Certain parts of the doc were incredibly difficult to watch/listen to. I must have asked myself "what is wrong with these people?" multiple times through each episode. The love they have for these chimps is very strange, but fascinating.

An excellent documentary! Well done to everyone who was involved in creating it.

I recently watched Chimp Crazy (2024) on MAX, a highly recommended docuseries that explores the life of a woman who raises chimpanzees from infancy to adulthood. The series delves into her legal battles with PETA, as well as the challenges she faces with her loved ones and the chimps as they mature. Additionally, she's involved in the exotic animal trade, and the docuseries shares tragic side stories from others who have raised animals purchased from her.

Created by Eric Goode (Tiger King), this series is a fascinating character study of someone whose obsession with animals and it becomes their identity. There are also some unsettling undertones regarding the relationships formed with these animals. As expected, much of the story is sad from the animals' perspective, but it's equally wild when viewed through the lens of human behavior. The things people do with these animals are unbelievable, and when the chimps attack-if and when it happens-you almost feel it's justified, given their nature and the unnatural situations they're placed in. The series serves as a stark reminder that, no matter how much we try to train them, animals are still animals at heart.

In conclusion, Chimp Crazy is a gripping exploration of the complex relationship between humans and wild animals, making it a must-watch for fans of Tiger King or Grizzly Man. I would rate it 8-8.5/10 and strongly recommend it.