Born in a small town in Texas in 1983, Bubbles the chimp rose from
obscurity to become a part of Michael Jackson's entourage at the young
age of eight months.
As the news media scratches their collective heads looking for more
information to report, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper got the inside scoop
on Bubbles, tracking him down at the Center for Great Apes, a
nonprofit sanctuary in Florida. Bubbles is now 26 years old and
retired. He hangs out with 41 other chimpanzees and orangutans, many
former circus performers or show business veterans.
In an exclusive television report, CNN's Cooper said that Bubbles and
the King of Pop "lived together, dressed alike, and went on tour
together." He then cut to a YouTube clip from 1987 showing the two
drinking "tea" together. Anonymous reports that they were actually
drinking wine have not been substantiated, although most of Jackson's
former entourage are unable to talk to the media because of "non-
disclosure" agreements. As to the reports that the two went to parties
together, Cooper said: "This is the 1980's, so hey, different rules
apply."
Bubbles became an instant celebrity when he was introduced to Jackson
by animal trainer Bob Dunn, and the chimp lived with Jackson until the
late 1980's. At five years old, according to CNN, Bubbles and Jackson
toured Japan, where the chimp moonwalked to the delight of the media
and his adoring fans. The image of the moonwalking chimp never
completely left the public consciousness, but Bubbles faded from the
limelight after he was given back to Dunn's training facility because
he got too big and aggressive. When Dunn closed down his training
facility, Bubbles ended up at the Center for Great Apes in 2004.
CNN reporter John Zarella was live on the scene at Bubble's retirement
home. Up until now, Bubbles has enjoyed his relative obscurity,
although Jackson has never visited him since the two parted ways,
according to Zarella. He eats lunches of bananas and cucumbers, and
relaxes with the other chimps and orangutans. Patti Ragan, director
for the Center for Great Apes, told Zarella "they groom each other and
they fight and they have arguments too".
Although Jackson never visited Bubbles, Ragan said in the CNN
interview that "most of our chimps recognize their former owners. They
get very excited to see them, and I am sure he would have recognized
him." She went on to say: "Probably the best tribute that we could pay
to Michael Jackson here is to just take excellent care of Bubbles,
because I know he loved Bubbles." If that's the case, why didn't
Jackson visit his beloved chimp?
According to People.com's Johnny Dodd, a representative for Jackson
contacted the sanctuary not long after Bubbles arrived there in 2005,
saying that Jackson wanted to come and visit his former BFF and party
buddy. But Jackson never made the trip. Ragan told Dodd that Bubbles
hasn't been told of his childhood friend's recent death. "We haven't
said anything to him yet," she says, adding that Bubbles is well-
adjusted and behaving like a typical chimp: "He's been his usual self,
interacting with friends, eating well, taking cover when it rains."
CNN's Zarella said that after Tarzan's cheetah, Bubbles may be the
most famous chimpanzee in the world. Now that the media circus has
come to Bubbles retirement home in Florida, he is no longer second to
Tarzan's pet. Everything related to the pop star is taking on larger-
than-life proportions, and Bubbles is arguably bigger than anyone else
from Jackson's former entourage, and that includes former child star
Corey Feldman, who came out of the woodwork saying how sad he was to
have not made up with Jackson after a well-known feud. Feldman is just
one of many people from the pop star's past trying to get some of the
media spotlight to shine on them.
CNN's Cooper, known for his distinguished news show, has been
criticized for making a big deal over a chimp. But Bubbles is just as
much a part of the Michael Jackson story as his other hangers-on and
"enablers," as family attorney Brian Oxman famously calls the people
in Jackson's life who watched him become addicted to drugs, and did
nothing to stop it. This includes doctors, close friends and family.
But Bubbles didn't have an agenda. He never got caught up with the
lavish lifestyle of superstardom.
Bubbles may have been the only true friend Jackson had, precisely
because he couldn't care less about the extravagant lifestyle and the
adoring fans. But Bubbles had his fans, and Anderson Cooper has given
them a glimpse of his simple yet relaxing life. Because of Cooper's
groundbreaking reporting, we now know that Bubbles enjoys making faces
and taking naps.
The details of Jackson's funeral have not been announced, but Bubbles
will be noticeably absent. According to England's newspaper The Sun,
"Bubbles will spend the day listening to calming flute music". The Sun
reports that Bubbles is much healthier than when he was hanging out
with Jackson, and that he has reportedly been signed to a movie and
book deal.
Ragan, the sanctuary director, told People.com that Bubbles could
easily live to the age of 60. Jackson's will was released yesterday,
and there was no mention of Bubbles, so apparently he won't be raking
in any profits from Jackson's death. It seems that Bubbles was
snubbed, as was the surrogate mother of his two older kids, Debbie
Rowe, and Joe Jackson, his father. While Joe Jackson is trying to
profit from his son's death - he famously plugged his new record label
earlier this week on CNN - Bubbles will no doubt try to stay out of
the limelight. Until the movie comes out.
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