Chimp Crazy

When I seen Eric Goode had done another documentary, as much I "loved" tiger king. As much it was more for the human drama side. I enjoyed the animal side of it. And all I felt was pity for them.

I'm left feeling peoplecthat take part in those exotic animal ownership have deep routed issues beyond having something that relies on you. And it makes me sad these animals are pretty freely available for them to project this onto.

This doc in the first half made me think maybe she is doing right he won't survive in a new group but the more you watch you realise how inhumane she's actually being to poor Tonka. You see the sadness in his eyes, from his jail cell she calls his home.

I thought it done a good job on the undercover journalism side and the professionals side. It gave it from both points of view and allowed her story to be shared. But ultimately the correct thing was done.

Could have cried at Tonkas new lease of life.

The other featured controversial stories were eye opening.

So it wasn't biased it showed all angles....

I've came out with the view it is wrong. They are not "children" not for "entertainment".

Ignore the bad reviews. Probably an honest 7.5 rating, but, unfortunately, misguided "one" ratings need to be balanced in the equation.

This series does not glorify exotic animal ownership. Quite the opposite, in fact. The docu-series exposes what's wrong with owning primates, and sheds some needed light on some of the truly unhinged people that own (or want to own) them. In NO way does it advocate for owning chimps.

It's a natural follow-on to "The Tiger King", with a "colorful" main character, who thinks PETA is the problem. Exotic animals are beautiful, and compelling in many ways, but in no way should they be brought into people's homes and treated like pet or family members. If you are an animal lover, and enjoyed "The Tiger King", this series warrants a look.

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.

Right off the bat the most shocking thing about this documentary is the way these people feed their pet chimpanzees - McDonald's Happy Meals, ice cream, donuts, Gatorade - wow. I get wanting to give your pet a treat but no wonder Tonka was overweight when he was rescued. It can't be healthy for a wild animal to eat things like sugar and processed fast food.

But it just serves as an example to show you how ignorant these people are, they're not trained animal handlers or vets or wildlife specialists. It's honestly a little creepy how much these women love primates, to the point of obsession. I've always thought chimps were ugly so I don't get the appeal at all, especially knowing they can rip your face off on a whim once they get past the age of five.

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.