‘Chimp Crazy’ dives into the eccentric world of ‘monkey moms’

Published: Aug 13, 2024 Duration: 00:06:01 Category: Entertainment

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Intro ♪ >>> WE ARE BACK NOW WITH A FIRST LOOK AT A NEW DOCUMENTARY THAT IS GETTING QUITE A BIT OF BUSINESS. REMEMBER "TIGER KING"? THAT DIRECTOR IS BACK WITH A NEW PROJECT CALLED "CHIMP CRAZY" Chimp Crazy WHICH PREMIERS SUNDAY ON HBO AND MAX. JOE FRYER HAS A PREVIEW. >> YES. AS YOU MIGHT HAVE GUESSED BY THE NAME, IT FOCUSES ON THE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE ALL-CONSUMED WITH RAISING CHIMPS AND MONKEYS AND THE DANGERS IT CAN POSE. THIS DOCS ZOOMS IN ON ONE SPECIFIC WOMAN, AN EXOTIC ANIMAL BROKER WHO LEADS FILM MEMBERS ON AN ADVENTURE THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE WILDER THAN "TIGER KING". >> THEY'RE KNOWN AS MONKEY MOMS. >> THIS IS THE MONKEY'S CLOSET. >> THE MONKEYS HAVE MORE CLOTHING THAN I HAVE. >> PEOPLE WHO ARE OBSESSED WITH CHIMPANZEES AND MONKEYS. PEOPLE LIKE TANIA. >> MONKEY LOVE IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE LOVE FOR YOUR CHILD. IF IT'S YOUR NATURAL-BORN CHILD, IT'S JUST NATURAL BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, GAVE BIRTH TO THAT KID. BUT WHEN YOU ADOPT A MONKEY, THE BOND IS MUCH, MUCH DEEPER. >> SHE IS FEATURED IN THE NEW HBO DOCUMENT "CHIMP CRAZY" DIRECTED BY ERIC GOODE. >> IT IS A LOVE STORY GONE WRONG. >> HE IS A CONSERVATIONIST THAT PROTECTS WILD LANDS WHERE TOR TOISS AND TURTLES LIVE. HE ALSO CO-DIRECTED SOMETHING YOU LIKELY WATCHED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE COVID LOCKDOWN, "TIGER KING," THE STORY OF JOE EXOTIC. NOW COMES ANOTHER ECCENTRIC SUBJECT. HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE TANIA? >> I WOULD SAY A MIX BETWEEN DOLLY PARTON AND TAMMY FAYE BAKER. SHE WILL DO ANYTHING, ANYTHING TO HAVE A CHIMPANZEE. >> SHE WEDNESDAY UP IN A FIGHT WITH PETA WHICH WANTS THE CHIMPS MOVED TO AN ACCREDITED SANCTUARY. >> PETA PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS DOCUMENTARY. WHY WAS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BE A PART OF IT? >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT EXOTIC ANIMAL OWNERS HAVE IN COMMON IS THEY SEEM TO THINK THEY'RE ABOVE THE LAW. PETA IS RELENTLESS IN ITS WORK ON BEHALF OF ANIMALS. WE STICK AROUND UNTIL THE WORK IS DONE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID IN THIS CASE. >> IN 2021, A JUDGE SIDED WITH PETA, ORDERING HER TO TURN OVER SEVERAL CHIMPS, INCLUDING ONE NAMED TONKA. >> THEY SUCK YOU IN SO QUICK. >> WITHOUT GIVING TOO MUCH AWAY, WE WILL TELL YOU THAT AMID THE BATTLE, TONKA GOES MISSING. >> WHAT'S AMAZING FOR PEOPLE WATCHING "CHIMP CRAZY" IS THEY ARE GOING TO COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE AND SEE THINGS HAPPEN IN REALTIME AS WE WERE FILMING IT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE STORY WAS WHEN WE STARTED IT. AND IT EVOLVED, JUST LIKE "TIGER KING" DID. WE DIDN'T KNOW JOE WANTED TO KILL CAROL BASKIN. >> TONKA WAS ONCE A HOLLYWOOD CHUMP STARRING IN SEVERAL MOVIES INCLUDING THE 1997 FILM "BUDDY," SHARING THE SCREEN WITH ALLEN CUMMUNG. >> PEOPLE FALL IN LOVE WITH THESE CHIMPS AND YOU CAN'T TAME WILD THINGS. >> THE SERIES FOCUSES ON THE FISK HUMANS TAKE CARING FOR CHIMPS WHICH ARE SMART, POWERFUL AND SOMETIMES UNPREDICTABLE. AN INPREDICTABLE. HE SAYS HIS CREW FELT SAFER AROUND THE TIGERS. >> WHEN I WAS SHOOTING TIGER KING, I WILL NEVER FORGET PEOPLE TELLING ME THEY WOULD RATHER HAVE 100 TIGERS THAN ONE CHAMP. >> IN 2009 IN CONNECTICUT, A CHIMP ATTACKS HER FRIEND. >> IT WAS JUST TOO STRONG. I WENT AND GOT THE PHONE AND CALLED 911. >> WITH "CHIMP CRAZY," GOODE WANTS TO SHINE A LIGHT ON WHAT'S HAPPENING TO CHIMPS, WHICH ARE AN ENDANGERED SPECIES AND TREAT THEM WITH DIGNITY. >> I HOPE THERE IS A SILVER LINING. >> WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT IS? >> I HOPE THAT TANIA MIGHT UNDERSTAND EVENTUALLY THAT THESE CHIMPANZEES CAN'T TALK. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT ANIMAL IS THINKING. I HOPE SHE REALIZES THAT CHIMPANZEES ARE HIGHLY COMPLEX Tanya Hadex ANIMALS LIKE HUMAN BEINGS AND PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE KEPT ALONE IN A CAGE. >> GOODE SAYS HE STILL COMMUNICATES WITH TANIA REGULARLY. SHE HAS SEEN THE DOCUMENTARY, AND ALL SHE CAN SAY IS, WOW. ADDING SHE DOESN'T HAVE ANY COMMENT BEYOND THAT. PETA HOPES THE DOCUMENTARY WILL BAN CHIMPS AND OTHER PRIMATES. THE SERIES DEBUTS AUGUST 18th ON HBO AND ON MAX. >> IT IS GOING TO BE A TALKER. >> IT IS. >> I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. >> WHEN HE SAYS IT'S WILDER THAN "TIGER KING", I WILL AT LEAST SAY IT IS ON PAR WITH "TIGER KING". >> IS IT SAD? >> YES. >> BECAUSE SHE'S LONELY? >> NO, BECAUSE OF THE CHIMPS. >> BUT NOW SHE GETS TO SEE THE CHIMPS. >> YOU WILL SEE WHAT

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