Actors - Bubbles the chimpanzee

Home > Listing Index > Actors > Bubbles the chimpanzee

	Actors - Bubbles the chimpanzee

Bubbles is a chimpanzee rescued by pop star Michael Jackson from a cancer research clinic in Texas in 1985. For the following decade he often accompanied Jackson to award ceremonies (wearing matching outfits) and was seen widely by the public. Rumoured to have his own bodyguard, Bubbles sat in several recordings for Jackson's world famous album Bad.

Over the years Bubbles moved out of the limelight but was still rumoured to be living at Neverland Ranch where Jackson had a zoo. However, in 2003 after Martin Bashir made the infamous Living with Michael Jackson documentary several outtakes discussed and filmed Bubbles at the ranch, but living at the residence rather than the zoo. Bubbles wore a nappy and even used Jackson's private toilet. The jury in Jackson's 2005 child molestation case were shown excerpts of the documentary in which Bashir interviews Jackson about the chimpanzee's being 'employed' around the ranch and doing work such as dusting and cleaning of windows and toilets. Jackson explained: "They (chimpanzees) are very smart. Their DNA is identical to humans when you look under a microscope." Actor Corey Feldman, a friend of Jackson's, said "I met Bubbles and all kinds of chimps." Also at the trial former maids and the ex-keeper confirmed Bubbles was eventually sent away from the ranch after he became violent with increasing age and even bit several people. He was replaced with a chimp named "Max".

In 1988 Jeff Koons made Michael Jackson and Bubbles, the world's largest ceramic, a life-size gold-leaf plated statue of the sitting singer cuddling Bubbles. The piece measures 106.7 x 179.1 x 82.6 cm (42 x 70.5 x 32.5 in) and is described as a mix of pop culture and high art. The sculpture shows Michael Jackson reclining with his arm around his pet monkey. It is the most valuable sculpture by a living artist. In 1991 it was sold to an anonymous buyer at Sotheby's in New York City as Lot 7655 for $5,600,000, trebling Koons' previous sale record.

The New York Daily News recently reported that Bubbles is alive and well and living on an animal ranch in Sylmar, California. His keeper, Bob Dunn, said "He's in his 20's, he's doing fine".

It is rumoured that Michael Jackson has had many chimps named "Bubbles."

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Bubbles the chimpanzee ]

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Bubbles the chimpanzee; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.

Searches on eBay