Tanya Haddix says she never wanted to be the center of attention.
Little monkeys scream in the background as the exotic animal broker tells us. Rolling Stone She's frustrated by the media circus that's descended on her life after becoming the “unwitting” star of HBO's latest documentary series. Chimpanzee is crazy.
“I don’t want this shit, I just want to be normal,” Haddix says. When reminded that most people wouldn’t consider running a small zoo, bottle-feeding capuchin monkeys and housing baby wallabies and a host of other typical animals, Haddix laughs. “That’s my nature.”
As Haddix tells it, she thought she was participating in a small production that advocated for private ownership of exotic animals. Instead, the series ended up focusing on Haddix's strong bond with her pet chimpanzee, movie star Tonka, and her subsequent battle against PETA after she faked the ape's death.
The action begins when Haddix discovers that the documentary crew that has been following her for the past year – and knew that Tonka was alive and living in Haddix's basement – was not secretly being moved by Tiger King Director Eric Goode, but his team turned her over to PETA, leading to Tonka being taken in 2022.
The four-part series, which aired its finale Sunday night, is expected to become HBO’s most-watched documentary in years. PETA lawyers were also in attendance, filing a new motion for the judge to consider bringing perjury and obstruction of justice charges against Haddix, citing specific scenes in which Haddix openly lies in court about Tonka. (She faces up to five years in prison if charged and convicted.)
Haddix has watched the entire documentary and says she has stepped away from social media because people have been “brutal.” (She is quick to clarify that she has not returned to the lip filler technician who wore a backwards baseball cap to plump her lips.) The mother of two is not so happy with the way she has been portrayed, and is upset that the documentary aired in the first place. “If they think I love him, they are crazy,” she says. “I would like to see some new legislation happen so that Eric Goode can never ruin someone’s life without their knowledge.”
In her first interview since the finale — in which Haddix shockingly admitted that she was recently violently attacked by her chimpanzee friend — Haddix discusses what she wishes she had done differently, her regrets over crying hysterically in front of a judge over Tonka's death and presents a new challenge to PETA.
Chimpanzee is crazy It's set to become HBO's most-watched documentary in years. What has the attention and reaction been like for you?
It was very stressful, first of all. Second, [there’s] There are very brutal people. I don't use social media because I don't care to see things. [people are saying about me].
When we spoke in 2022, I was very upset and shocked that Dwayne [Cunningham] —whom you considered a friend—was actually acting director for Eric Goode, whom you swore you wanted nothing to do with. Why did you continue filming with Eric and Dwayne after you realized they had lied to you and reported you to an animal rights organization?
They promised me a lot, like I would be able to see my son, they promised me to visit him, they promised me to reimburse me for some of the legal fees I would have to pay because they caused this. [But] I didn't trust them. After talking to you that day when the U.S. Marshals attacked my house, I knew for sure that they were planning a huge explosive end so that this could be the second time I was attacked like this. Tiger King.
I decided I had two choices after they called me months later and I wasn’t that angry: I could beat them or I could join them. They promised they would make it a love story, or it could be a fluffy story, and I didn’t want it to be fluffy. I had no choice. I wanted the story to be about Tonka and how much I had given up trying to save him. That’s one reason. The other reason was that they threatened me with a bunch of islands that I needed most at that moment.
Did they deliver on those promises?
Well, you haven't seen me see Tonka.
Do you feel the documentary was a fair portrayal of you, your life and what you went through with Tonka and PETA??
No, not at all. I find that rude at best. They used footage to fit their narrative. They could have had me cleaning all day, feeding those monkeys fresh fruits and vegetables, instead of the happy meals they bought the day before the monkeys left. There would have been so much more to show the depth and true cost of it. I’m not talking about money. I’m talking about sacrificing myself for these kids, so people could see what it’s like to have these guys, instead of making it so crazy.
Looking back, do you regret filming with Doyen?
They lied to me 100 percent, they lied to me outright. I was standing in my hotel room when someone mentioned the name “Eric.” I said, “Wait, wait, wait, you’re not talking to Eric Goode, are you? We’ve discussed this and I don’t want to have anything to do with Eric Goode.” He said, “No, he’s not. He’s just one of our silent investors.” I was that naive and stupid. [If I had known]I 100% guarantee that the entire documentary would never have happened.
One of the most amazing scenes in the series is when she cries in front of the judge about how Tonka died, and then minutes later leads the crew to her basement to celebrate winning the hearing with Tonka. Why all the acting? Why did she lie like that?
It wasn't a drama. They put all these things together. Nobody knows what really happened. What really happened is that [former PETA attorney] Jared Goodman verbally attacked me in that session. They didn't show you that. They just put together what they wanted to make it look like. But I can tell you now that it didn't happen the way they portrayed it.
But you were crying in front of the judge, talking about how Tonka died, and Tonka was sitting below you.
I had already cried. Even though I knew Tonka wasn't dead, I knew I might lose Tonka and this whole thing [hearing] Relying on that was my motivation to get upset.
You lied to a judge and could face perjury charges. Do you regret this incident?
This is certainly not a proud moment. It was about my feelings for the chimpanzee. It's not like I'm a con man dreaming up scam plans. I loved him very much; I was just doing it on my own. I had no game plan, and I just got sucked into it. I've said a hundred times that I wish I could tell Judge Perry how sorry he was that I felt bad.
Another moment that sparked discussion on social media is when you said that Tonka is everything to you, that he is more important than your marriage, and that you care more about Tonka than your children. Your son also agrees with this thought. How does it feel to see and hear that?
Well, it's true. My kids know that even though Tonka and those other chimps have become very important to me, there's nothing I wouldn't do for my kids. There's nothing I wouldn't do for them. [my husband] Jerry. There's nothing I can't do for almost anyone. If God put me in a situation: You can get Tonka back, but you have to give up one of your children. Can I do that? I don't think so. I hope I never have to put myself in that situation.
The basic premise of the documentary is that private ownership of chimpanzees is unethical. Once chimpanzees reach adolescence, it is no longer safe for them to be owned—both for the safety of the owner and for the well-being of the chimpanzees. Do you think this is true?
No, I don't think so. I think there are only a select few who are capable of raising chimpanzees and doing it well and for the good of chimpanzees and humans.
Finally, you suddenly admit that you were recently attacked by your friend’s chimpanzee. There were bite marks on your legs, your arm was pulled out of its socket, your hand was cut, and your ear was missing. You were having nightmares about it. There are many stories of chimpanzees hurting their owners or their owners’ friends. Now that this has happened to you, why do you think people should be allowed to keep chimpanzees as pets? Why are you or Tonka an exception?
It wasn’t as bad as they made it out to be. It could have been a lot worse. I made the wrong decision. It wasn’t the chimps’ problem; it was my problem. Would I go back in that cage? Yes, I would. Do I feel like Tonka would do that? No, I don’t. It’s like pit bulls. Children are attacked every day by pit bulls and end up seriously injured and sometimes killed. Are we to assume that pit bulls are the same?
How does that feel? [Tonka’s co-star in the movie Buddy] Alan Cumming and the documentary crew went to see Tonka in Save the Chimps and you didn't?
Well, that pissed me off. They told me I would be able to see it. I was never going to continue filming with them. I had no reason to, except to save this documentary from becoming a slapdash show like Tiger King And so they don't make me sound crazier than I am. [Although]I'm not saying I'm not weird and I don't have a mouth on myself because I believe what I believe.
Are you actually banned from Save the Chimps headquarters?
To be honest with you, I don't know. I've tried calling them, but no one answers the phone or returns phone calls. I've asked [former PETA attorney] Jared Goodman on four different occasions so I could see him. In short, nobody cares.
If you knew you could face criminal charges, that you owed PETA $240,000, and that Tonka was living in a shelter in Florida, would you take this route again?
Yes, but I would have done it very differently. I wouldn't have involved a camera crew. They're three-quarters of my problem. Second, I wouldn't have lied to a federal judge. I would have handled the whole thing better.
Do you think you will see Tonka again?
I hope so, but as time goes on, I don't think so. I challenge you. [PETA and Save the Chimps] If they let me go see Tonka, I’ll ask him if he wants to go home. They can bring all the media they want; I’m sure he’ll jump into that cage. It took Tonka 45 minutes of screaming to get him out of my house. But I guarantee it would take him five minutes to get him back into my house. I pray every night that God sees fit to take my challenge across the country and let them eat the crow.
