Cory Stillman
Chimp Crazy became HBO’s most watched documentary series since 2020 this year, and it is easy to see why. From the same creative team behind Netflix’s smash hit Tiger King, the docuseries features the very same blend of zany humor and high-stakes drama. The talented editing team behind the project perfected that careful combination of comedy and suspense, serving as producers and writers on the project as well. Evan Wise was the supervising editor on Chimp Crazy, working alongside Doug Abel, Charles Divak, and Adrienne Gits.
“After cutting together a few scenes that would end up scattered across the series, I wrote the first version of the series outline, along with fellow writer/producer Tim Moran,” says Wise. “That always changes organically as you get other talented people to join along the way, but someone’s gotta be the first to throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks.”
That so much of Wise’s initial contributions ended up sticking is a testament to his editing chops. Wise previously received a Primetime Emmy nomination for his work as lead editor on Cullen Hoback’s Q: Into The Storm, as well as three News & Doc Emmy nominations and an ACE Eddie Award nomination for his work as supervising editor on Showtime’s The Circus.
The entire Chimp Crazy editing team boasts impressive credits, and Doug Abel even worked on the show’s iconic predecessor. As the proud co-founder of an animal sanctuary in Woodstock, NY, Abel has always been drawn to projects dealing with animal rights.
“It’s because of the animal angle that I was initially approached by fellow Woodstock resident Rebecca Chaiklin of Tiger King back in 2016,” Abel explains. “When you see rescue operations in Tiger King and Chimp Crazy, I fully understand what it’s like to be on the receiving end of a truckload of animals who haven’t been given half the chance they deserve. Documentaries often tell the story of victims, and when they’re animals they can’t speak, so there is a greater responsibility to advocate for them.”
Of course, Chimp Crazy features an undeniably intriguing human protagonist in Tonia Haddix. She is complexly rendered as both a villain and a sympathetic figure throughout the series, with several cliffhangers — the ending of episode two “Gone Ape” stands out in particular — subverting audience’s expectations for Tonia and the pressures surrounding her.
“I really liked Tonia and although her actions were at times indefensible, I’ve never felt like she is a bad person. And I hope that also came across in the series,” says Gits.
Check out our full conversation with Wise, Abel, Gits, and Divak below. We discuss what has made the series such a cultural phenomenon and what kind of impact they hope the show has moving forward.
Hey everyone! Chimp Crazy quickly became HBO’s most watched documentary series in over four years. What do you think drew audiences to the show, and what was it like to see it become a cultural phenomenon?
Evan Wise, ACE: Even before we started making the show, just on its own, the story was so unbelievable and the characters so interesting. If you are simply talking to someone about what happened, and they can’t wait to hear more, that’s a huge indicator of success, and it felt like that every time I told someone about the series. The story really leant itself to being told episodically and we were able to build out a compelling arc, with what I think are the best episode cliffhangers I’ve ever had in my career. I also think we managed to hit every emotion during the course of the show. When you have complex characters that aren’t one-dimensional, who are in unique situations, calling on emotions that are familiar to everyone, an audience will be drawn to that. It’s also a fun show! We tried really hard to have fun and bring out humor where we could.
Doug Abel, ACE: It probably didn’t hurt that the marketing included references to the Tiger King team. That show was such a cultural phenomenon, and people still remember its insane, can’t-stop-watching vibe.
Charles Divak, ACE: I think the sheer craziness of the story and the characters helped a lot. But I think once you dig deeper there are some questions about how we treat animals and pets and what role they have in our lives.
Adrienne Gits, ACE: I think people were drawn to the series because it was really incredible access to this world that people know little about. Then once in that world, to get to follow a character like Tonia is just fascinating. She provided so much good material and was so unpredictable. It was as fun to edit as it was to watch.
We all felt the show was really good while we were working on it, but you never know how things are going to be received, so it was a relief to see people respond to it the way they did.
Doug – you previously collaborated with director Eric Goode on Tiger King. As an editor, what kinds of unique considerations go into your work on these animal-focused documentaries?
DA: I think it’s safe to say I’m the only editor ever who, on the side, co-founded a sanctuary for rescued farm animals in Woodstock, NY. One time I showed up with a black eye to an interview with director Leon Gast, who made the Academy Award-winning boxing doc When We Were Kings. I had to explain that I was holding a 3-legged goat while he was fitted for a prosthesis, and the swinging horn definitely “stung like a bee.” It’s because of the animal angle that I was initially approached by fellow Woodstock resident Rebecca Chaiklin of Tiger King back in 2016. When you see rescue operations in Tiger King and Chimp Crazy, I fully understand what it’s like to be on the receiving end of a truckload of animals who haven’t been given half the chance they deserve. Documentaries often tell the story of victims, and when they’re animals they can’t speak, so there is a greater responsibility to advocate for them. But a balance needs to be struck, so I’ve always sought out ways to understand the point of view of those I personally would consider “bad guys,” and make them relatable or at least very interesting to watch.
Chimp Crazy is also a unique series in that it has elicited strong reactions amongst politicians and animal rights activists. How do you approach the editing of a series that can affect real-world change?
EW: I was just focused on telling the best, most interesting version of this story. I’m not surprised that the show is grabbing the attention of lawmakers and activists who are now on the verge of passing legislation to ban primate ownership in the US, but I just wanted to make something that people liked and then the rest is up to the universe.
CD: We tried to make something entertaining. Our director, Eric Goode, repeatedly said that it won’t have any effect unless you get people to watch it. And so I had that as a north star. It needed to be gripping, funny, and poignant. Then you can layer in some pieces to get a greater understanding of how chimpanzees like Tonka, Travis, and Buck came to be in the situation they were in. We crafted a whole section in 102 to try and clarify the history that led to all of this. And we tried to do that in the most concise and story-serving way we could.
AG: I think the most important thing is to make sure you are getting the facts straight. Then making it entertaining so that people actually watch. You don’t have to torture your audience to get a message across.
Evan – could you describe your responsibilities as supervising editor on Chimp Crazy? What kind of collaboration went into your work on the show?
EW: I was the first person on in post, so it was my job to get the ball rolling and start to develop a language and feel for the series. After cutting together a few scenes that would end up scattered across the series, I wrote the first version of the series outline, along with fellow writer/producer Tim Moran. That always changes organically as you get other talented people to join along the way, but someone’s gotta be the first to throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks. Once we were all underway, everyone eventually focused on an individual episode – I was episode 1 – and then as episodes got close to locking, they came back to me to do a final pass on. I also worked closely with our composer, Jonathan Sadoff, to fine tune the score and then I oversaw color, mix, and delivery.
As the show goes on, the audience’s attachment to Tonka grows stronger and stronger. Did you all similarly grow fond of Tonka, and did your personal feelings towards the material ever complicate your creative approach?
EW: When I first saw Tonka in the basement, cleaning the glass at Tonia’s request, I had a really powerful moment where it struck me just how smart chimps are. Before that, I had felt like they were kind of dogs with opposable thumbs, but after seeing that footage and how Tonka can understand and interact with humans, I really wanted to show as much of that as possible. Those feelings were my main emotional inspiration while cutting the Instagram scene in the basement for episode 3.
AG: Actually, I felt a stronger attachment to Tonia then I did to Tonka. I really liked Tonia and although her actions were at times indefensible, I’ve never felt like she is a bad person. And I hope that also came across in the series.
Chuck – despite its occasionally heavy subject matter, Chimp Crazy is also quite funny. Considering your previous collaborations with comedians such as Desi Lydic and Samantha Bee, do you have any moments in Chimp Crazy that stand out to you as particularly effective from a comedic standpoint?
CD: Within a few weeks of when I started we didn’t really have a plan for the cold open of episode 2. And I remember seeing this footage of Tonia at a strip mall getting lip injections. It was so bizarre. I watched all the footage down and left markers across the whole day. She was in a massage chair with a giant oversized phone that was ringing every five minutes. And this guy in a backwards baseball cap was giving her lip injections while asking her about “that crazy monkey story.” And the whole time she’s talking about how stupid PETA is for even suggesting that she could have Tonka. It felt like the perfect way to set up the arc of the episode: where is Tonka? And at the same time live inside this surreal world that Tonia had created for herself.
DA: I joined later in the project, but the vibe was clear when I saw many of the rough scenes. This is a woman you get to know quite well, and the situations she gets herself into are inherently funny.
Adrienne – can you describe the process of identifying and incorporating archival footage into the series?
AG: We had an amazing archival team that was constantly searching for us. They often watched cuts in progress and made suggestions. They also pursued personal archival from a lot of our interview subjects. At one point Jaime, from episode 3, sent us her old phone and we were able to pull off some great videos of Buck. It really helped bring him alive in a way that the stills couldn’t.
Then of course when they “uncovered” the storage unit full of Sandy Herold’s personal archives, that was pretty cool. There were hours of never seen videotapes and photos. And for me one of the most exciting items they found was a cassette recording of Sandy visiting a psychic. This little cassette tape at the bottom of a box told the story of Sandy adopting another chimp, Chance, after Travis was shot. That chimp was now in the care of one of our other characters, Pam Rosaire. So for the first time we were able to connect those story lines and we could do it with Sandy’s own words. It was really exciting.
What are you all most proud of as it relates to Chimp Crazy, and what do you hope the show’s lasting legacy will be?
EW: I’m really proud that so many people watched and liked the show! I take the audience’s attention and time very seriously, so when there are a seemingly infinite number of shows to watch and millions of people make time to watch yours, it’s a real honor. I hope people will look back at Chimp Crazy and think that we took a uniquely ridiculous story and presented it seriously, with humor, gravity and compassion.
DA: I think we successfully exposed a world that had been flying under the radar for the better part of a century, and I do think laws will change. But the types of personalities who keep chimps and monkeys will move on to the next animal they can get away with – so the lessons of Chimp Crazy will be relevant for decades to come.
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