Latest news with #ChimpCrazy
New York Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Chimp Crazy' star arrested in ongoing saga over treatment of movie-star chimp Tonka
The star of HBO's 'Chimp Crazy' was arrested for allegedly ignoring court orders in an ongoing saga over lying to hide how she'd locked up one of her movie-star chimps in her basement, according to authorities. Tonia Haddix, 55, looked puffy-eyed and had disheveled hair and makeup in a mug shot after she was arrested by US Marshals in Missouri on Saturday. Haddix and her husband, Jerry Aswegan, are accused of failing to show at court — and also ducking more than $220,000 in legal fees accrued to dismiss a federal lawsuit filed by the animal rights group PETA, Fox2Now reported. 3 Tonia Haddix was arrested by US Marshals on Saturday afternoon after a Missouri judge accused her and her husband, Jerry Aswegan, of not paying over $220,000 in attorneys' fees and costs to PETA. The lawsuit, originally filed in 2016, accused Haddix of mistreating primates in her care, including Tonka, a chimpanzee who appeared in movies, including the 1997 comedy 'Buddy.' Haddix testified that Tonka had died and been cremated — later admitting that she lied, with the chimp among many found locked up in her basement in Lake of the Ozarks in June 2022, the feds previously said. Haddix, 55, pleaded guilty in March to two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice for lying to a federal judge about Tonka's death. 3 The payout was to end a lawsuit over the discovery of Tonka, a chimpanzee who Haddix claimed had died but was actually locked up in her basement. Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. PETA claims the pair has not participated in the agreed-upon six-figure payout, and court records filed by the St. Louis County Circuit Judge Brian May indicate the pair has failed to appear at multiple court hearings, the outlet reported. 'PETA spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to find Tonka, get him out of the cage in Tonia Haddix's basement, and move him to the spacious sanctuary where he's now thriving, and Haddix can't keep dodging the court's orders to pay back the money she owes,' PETA Foundation General Counsel for Captive Animal Law Enforcement Brittany Peet wrote in a statement. 'PETA trusts this jail time will be just a taste of the longer sentence she'll face next month,' the group said. Haddix — the subject of 'Chimp Crazy,' the HBO docuseries about her ownership of Tonka and other chimps used in films and photoshoots — was released after posting $2,500 bail, records show. She is due back in court Aug. 5. 3 Haddix, 55, pleaded guilty in March to two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice for lying to a federal judge about Tonka's death. Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Her husband, Aswegan, was not initially arrested but 'is expected to be taken into custody at any time,' PETA said.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Mortician' Becomes HBO's Most-Watched Documentary Series In Over 5 Years
EXCLUSIVE: The Mortician is piquing audience interest for HBO. The three-part documentary series, which chronicles the inhumane practices at a funeral home in Southern California, debuted on June 1. Since then, the show has tallied more than 2.6M cross-platform viewers in the U.S., per the network. More from Deadline 'Love Island USA' Season 7 Sets New Bar For Series, Soaring Past 1B Minutes Viewed In Week After Debut, Per Luminate HBO's Steve Carell Comedy Series Adds Annie Mumolo 'Somebody Somewhere's Tim Bagley On Finding The Humor In The "Depth And Darkness" Of Life & Showing The "Openness Of Your Heart" In Song It's now the most-watched HBO documentary series in over five years. That means it's beat out some high profile documentaries like Pee-wee as Himself, Chimp Crazy, Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God and more. This is certainly a strong performance for the series, likely aided by the vote of confidence from HBO to place it in the network's marquee 9 p.m. Sunday night slot, following on the heels of The Last of Us, The White Lotus and The Gilded Age. That generally has signaled to viewers that a series should be on their radar and thus can be a force for driving engagement. The Mortician follows a trusted family-owned funeral home that hid behind a façade of decency and propriety to take advantage of loved ones at their most vulnerable moments. In the early 1980s, David Sconce, scion of the Lamb family, took over the family business and sought to exploit the deceased in numerous ways to expand their earnings. Driven by profit, the Lamb Funeral Home in Pasadena, California engaged in years of morally questionable and inhumane practices. Featuring an exclusive interview with Sconce, newly released from prison, the series examines the lucrative and ubiquitous multibillion-dollar mortuary industry and illuminates what can happen behind closed doors, away from public scrutiny. With emotional interviews with families of the victims of the Lamb Funeral Home and revelations from former employees, The Mortician unravels a dark, troubling story that involved mass cremations and stealing from the dead in a multitude of macabre ways. The scandal shook Southern California and as members of the family stood trial, the funeral industry took heed, bringing about tighter regulations and allowing for greater transparency into the business of death. A testimony from Sconce, who tells his side of the story with animated energy and candor, anchors the series. The HBO unscripted series is directed and executive produced by Joshua Rofé and executive produced by Steven J. Berger for Number 19 and Strong Baby's Jonah Hill and Matt Dines. Best of Deadline 'The Buccaneers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out? 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
From ‘Tiger King' to ‘Chimp Crazy,' Eric Goode aims to highlight animal welfare issues while preaching to the ‘unconverted'
Documentary filmmaker Eric Goode knows how to captivate an audience. From the breakout success of Tiger King to his latest HBO docuseries, Chimp Crazy, his work combines fascinating characters with a focus on wildlife and animal welfare issues. Chimp Crazy, Goode's four-part docuseries centering on "monkey mom" Tonia Haddix, originally set out to advocate against the ownership of primates but took an unexpected turn. "I never knew this woman would kidnap a chimpanzee," he tells Gold Derby. More from GoldDerby Jonathan Pryce on the 'great responsibility' of playing a character with dementia in 'Slow Horses' 'The Diplomat' Season 3 teaser: Here's your first look at Bradley Whitford's first gentleman Grammys unveil 2026 ceremony date, new categories Goode wants his work to transcend entertainment and spark conversations about wildlife conservation and ethical treatment of animals. "Many documentaries that are very clearly advocacy documentaries, like The Cove or Blackfish, oftentimes they're great, but oftentimes they preach to the converted and have a very narrow, small audience," he says. "We want to preach to the unconverted as well. And so the only way to do that is to really make these documentaries entertaining, but always knowing that at the end, hopefully people scratch their heads and recognize that there's a more important story in here." Photo courtesy of HBO Goode acknowledges that while both Tiger King and Chimp Crazy follow a similar formula, that wasn't necessarily what he was aiming for. "This one happens to be the most similar to Tiger King. Not everything that I do has that same formula," Goode says. He describes casting a wide net, initially exploring multiple subcultures, including a taxidermist and a shark enthusiast. Eventually, the intriguing world of "monkey moms," and their controversial practices, unfolded naturally into the central focus of Chimp Crazy. In the case of Tiger King, advocacy efforts resulted in the passage of the Big Cat Public Safety Act. Goode hopes for similar results with Chimp Crazy via passing of pending legislation like "The Primate Public Safety Act," which he believes would prevent people from recklessly purchasing chimpanzees or other primates that inevitably suffer as domestic pets. "All of these primates make for terrible pets," says Goode, explaining that their lives typically end in misery, with their owners facing regret — a truth that Chimp Crazy highlights with startling clarity. One of the central figures in Chimp Crazy is Haddix, whose relationship with Goode presents an intriguing dichotomy. On the one hand, her willingness to let Goode and his team into her deeply personal life allowed the story to take shape. On the other, her ethical treatment of animals, particularly Tonka the chimpanzee, has been widely criticized. 'Well, I think if anyone's tracked her since Chimp Crazy came out… she'll talk to anyone, and she has no filter, and that's sort of her Achilles' heel," Goode says. For many months, Haddix was at the center of Goode's work and even welcomed his crew into unusual facets of her life, whether they followed her to tanning booths or eyelash appointments. "I am very grateful that she allowed us into her more intimate parts of her life," Goode reflects, acknowledging her openness despite ongoing conflicts. Photo courtesy of HBO At the heart of the story is Tonka, a chimpanzee Haddix kept in captivity under conditions many experts described as isolated and far from ideal. Goode consulted with renowned primatologists like Craig Stanford and Russell Mittermeier, who affirmed that while Haddix provided Tonka with certain comforts — a television, air conditioning, and junk food — the lack of socialization with other chimps was profoundly damaging. "It's like us… if you don't have the ability to hang out with other people, you're going to be very lonely and isolated," Goode explains. After Haddix tells the film crew Tonka has died (and even shared some of his fake ashes), audiences witness the dramatic revelation of Tonka's existence, followed by his transfer to Save the Chimps sanctuary, where he now thrives on a three-acre island among 17 other chimpanzees. Photo courtesy of HBO While Goode continues to communicate with Haddix, their relationship remains fraught. 'I always told her... try to make a compromise [with PETA]," he says, referring to the organization's offer to waive $250,000 in fines if she stopped exploiting exotic animals. Despite Goode's advice, Haddix refused unless she could reclaim Tonka, a position that has left her in ongoing legal trouble. "She's kind of brought it on herself," Goode remarks. PETA plays a pivotal role in Chimp Crazy, often appearing as an antagonist but also as an instrumental voice for enforcing change. Goode is transparent about the fact that his dedication to animal welfare diverges in many ways from PETA's staunch animal rights philosophy. "I'm not vegan and I drink milk and eat eggs and wear leather," Goode says. "I would say I fall into the category of a conservation biologist who wants to see endangered species survive on this planet." Nonetheless, when it comes to chimpanzees in captivity, their objectives aligned. Goode worked closely with PETA but admitted that sensitive moments forced certain collaborative discussions off-camera, particularly to protect individuals like Dwayne Cunningham. Cunningham, while acting as a "proxy director" for the documentary, earned Haddix's trust and accessed crucial information about Tonka's location. Goode pushed PETA to remain discreet in order to protect Cunningham. "We were just trying to be sensitive to protect Dwayne from any retaliation because… they can be dangerous." The making of Chimp Crazy came with unique challenges, particularly in terms of the extensive and unpredictable filming schedule. "In this genre of documentary filmmaking… you have to be very fluid and mobile and spontaneous and be filming everything," Goode explains. His team filmed over 300 days, capturing countless moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. "Some of the least, what feel like they're going to be the least important moments, become the most important moments," he notes. However, not every story made it into the final cut — a reality Goode describes as "a learning lesson." For every story included, far more subjects fell to the cutting room floor, as was the case in Tiger King. "You'll get a great interview at a great moment, but you've got to make those decisions not to put those stories into the documentary." For Goode, his passion transcends Chimp Crazy. Known for his conservation efforts involving endangered turtles, Goode reveals that he's completed another project that took over 10 years to finalize. While he can't share many details yet, he admits it deals with wildlife trade issues and should be released sometime in the coming year. As for Chimp Crazy, Goode hopes its impact will lead to legislative and societal change, much like Tiger King eventually did. "Let's hope Chimp Crazy makes a difference," he says. "If we can change laws and make a difference on that level, it's a big deal." Best of GoldDerby 'Cross' star Aldis Hodge on building an aspirational hero — who's not a superhero Jonathan Pryce on the 'great responsibility' of playing a character with dementia in 'Slow Horses' 'Feel good about not conforming': Christina Ricci reflects on her iconic roles, from Wednesday Addams to Misty Quigley Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2025 Emmy nominations voting: Here's the number of slots in the major categories
Voting for the 2025 Emmy nominations kicked off Thursday and will run through June 23. While the 26,000-plus Television Academy members are logging in their votes, the rest of us have been counting. In 2020, the TV Academy introduced the proportional rule, a sliding scale of nomination slots based on each category's submission total. The only categories excluded from this are Best Comedy Series and Best Drama Series, which are always locked at eight slots. Every other category's number of slots could fluctuate year to year depending on the number of submissions. More from GoldDerby Get a taste of 'The Valley' (literally) with this food and beer FYC event From 'Tiger King' to 'Chimp Crazy,' Eric Goode aims to highlight animal welfare issues while preaching to the 'unconverted' Jonathan Pryce on the 'great responsibility' of playing a character with dementia in 'Slow Horses' Here's how it's calculated: 20 to 80 submissions: 5 nominees 81 to 160 submissions: 6 nominees 161 to 240 submissions: 7 nominees 241 or more submissions: 8 nominees Acting categories across the same genre and designation, such as Best Drama Actor and Best Drama Actress, will have the same number of slots (rounded to the higher number) to achieve parity. Categories with zero to seven submissions will be screened by the peer group. Any entry, up to two, that receives 70 percent approval will get a nomination. For categories with eight to 19 submissions, the number of submissions will be divided by four and rounded to the nearest whole number to determine the number of slots. SEE What to know about Emmy voting rules Don't worry, we've counted so you don't have to. Below, we've broken down the number of slots in the major categories this year. The number of slots in 2024 is in parentheses. The biggest thing of note is that the lead categories will all have five slots for the first time since this system has been in place. Emmy nominations will be announced July 15. COMEDY Actor: five slots from 51 submissions (six — the submission total equated to five slots, but a tie in one of the comedy lead categories led to six slots) Actress: five slots from 47 submissions (six — the submission total equated to five slots, but a tie in one of the comedy lead categories led to six slots) Supporting Actor: seven slots from 163 submissions (six) Supporting Actress: seven slots to achieve parity from 141 submissions (six) Directing: six slots from 99 submissions (six) Writing: six slots from 94 submissions (six) Guest Actor: six slots from 97 submissions (six) Guest Actress: six slots to achieve parity from 74 submissions (six) DRAMA Actor: five slots from 77 submissions (six) Actress: five slots from 75 submissions (six) Supporting Actor: seven slots from 233 submissions (seven) Supporting Actress: seven slots from 225 submissions (seven) Directing: seven slots from 177 submissions (six) Writing: six slots from 132 submissions (six) Guest Actor: six slots from 87 submissions (five) Guest Actress: six slots to achieve parity from 67 submissions (five) LIMITED/TV MOVIE Limited Series: five slots from 33 submissions (five) TV Movie: five slots from 39 submissions (five) Actor: five slots from 49 submissions (five) Actress: five slots from 53 submissions (five) Supporting Actor: six slots from 125 submissions (seven) Supporting Actress: six slots from 105 submissions (seven) Directing: six slots from 91 submissions (six) Writing: five slots from 71 submissions (six) VARIETY Talk Series: three slots from 13 submissions (four) Scripted Variety Series: TBD by peer group from six submissions (two) Variety Special (Live): five slots from 26 submissions (five) Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): six slots from 89 submissions (five) REALITY Reality Competition Program: five slots from 50 submissions (five) Reality Host: five slots from 51 submissions (five) Best of GoldDerby Tina Fey on 'The Four Seasons': 'It was a challenge to be restrained about where we put jokes' 'The best job I ever had': 'From 'Supernatural' to 'The Boys,' Eric Kripke talks his biggest hits — and miss (ahem, 'Tarzan') 'Cross' star Aldis Hodge on building an aspirational hero — who's not a superhero Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Weapon debate adds new twist in ‘Chimp Crazy' saga
Note: This video is from March 31, 2025. ST. LOUIS – Tonia Haddix, the Missouri woman at the center of the HBO series 'Chimp Crazy,' was back in federal court Friday morning after concerns were raised regarding her bond conditions. 55-year-old Haddix pled guilty on March 31 to three felony charges, which include two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. These charges stemmed from Haddix lying under oath about one of her chimpanzees, Tonka, dying so she could keep him. She was released on her own recognizance with a list of conditions she had to follow, and both the judge and prosecuting attorney Hal Goldsmith emphasized a particular one that stated she could not possess any firearm or weapon in her house. In court Friday, Judge Stephen Welby said he had been notified of a CO2 rifle used for tranquilizing located in her home during a pre-trial visit. The debate went back and forth between Welby, Goldsmith and defense attorney Justin Gelfand over whether the described rifle goes against the bond conditions. Haddix also joined in, noting to the judge that it was not a rifle but rather a 'pump gun.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Goldsmith argued that during the last hearing, the orders were reiterated, and Tonia said she had nothing in her home, to which Gelfand stated that the tranquilizer had the sole use of shooting darts. Welby ultimately sided with the defense, adding that as Haddix runs Sunrise Safari, the tranquilizer may be needed if there is concern with the animals being around little kids. The bond condition was updated to keep the tranquilizer in a barn away from the house and safari, and that only Tonia's husband as well as safari staff members have access to it. It's unclear what will happen to the safari, as Haddix is set to lose her animal welfare license on April 22. It was said during the last hearing that an appeal is in the works. Haddix is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
