Synopsis: Former nurse-turned-exotic animal broker Tonia Haddix, who refers to herself as the “Dolly Parton of chimps,” spends her days caring for animals in captivity. However, her limitless love for one chimpanzee in particular spins into a wild cat-and-mouse game with authorities and an animal rights group. Through Tonia’s and other “chimp mom” experiences, Chimp Crazy reveals the singular bonds that form between owners and their highly intelligent great ape pets. The series exposes the risks humans take when they try to raise these animals as members of their family, as well as the risks to the welfare of the animals themselves.
At turns hilarious and tragic, while unfolding with the pace and suspense of a thriller, Chimp Crazy explores the captivating, often unfathomable, and secretive world of raising chimpanzees and also examines the colorful and complicated cast of characters that inhabit it. Tonia cares for seven captive chimps bred as talent for commercials, photo shoots, and movies. She has a special affection for Tonka, a 32-year-old retired Hollywood chimp – who she claims to love more than her own children. Events take an unexpected turn when Tonka goes missing and Tonia is faced with a lawsuit brought by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She responds by placing Tonka and herself at the epicenter of a years-long saga involving her family, authorities, an undercover clown, and actor Alan Cumming, who starred alongside Tonka in the 1997 film “Buddy.”
Flashing back to other dramatic stories of chimps living in captivity, Chimp Crazy broaches thorny issues around private primate ownership and the folly of imposing human traits onto captive apes who have no agency over where or how they live. (Courtesy Max, 2024)
The Cast:
Production Credits:
HBO Documentary Films presents Chimp Crazy, a Goode Films Production; directed by Eric Goode; produced by Lissa Rivera, Evan Wise, Tim Moran, Adrienne Gits, Charles Divak, Doug Abel, James Liu, Carissa Ridgeway, and Dwayne Cunningham; executive produced by Jeremy McBride and Eric Goode. For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Tina Nguyen.
The Episodes:
1-01 Monkey Love--08/18/2024
Former nurse-turned-exotic animal broker Tonia Haddix fights to retain custody of her “kids” — seven chimpanzees at the Missouri Primate Foundation (MPF). Other chimp moms are introduced, including one who raised a baby chimpanzee alongside her own infant daughter.
1-02 Gone Ape--08/25/2024
PETA launches an investigation after a former Hollywood chimp named Tonka goes missing. It’s a high-stakes legal battle, particularly in light of a brutal attack that happened years earlier when another chimp nearly killed a Connecticut woman.
1-03 Head Shot--09/01/2024
Actor Alan Cumming, who also has a special relationship with Tonka, adds $10,000 to a reward for Tonka’s whereabouts, and the film crew faces an ethical dilemma as parallels are drawn to a previous PETA case that took a dangerous turn in Oregon.
1-04 Fantasy Island--09/08/2024
Tonka’s fate becomes clearer while Tonia struggles to let go and dreams of one day opening her own island sanctuary where she can live among chimpanzees.
