People still talk about the red sweater. You know the one—the little knit outfit Bubbles wore while sitting on Michael Jackson’s lap during a press tour in Japan. It’s an image burned into the collective memory of the eighties. It was peak "Wacko Jacko" era, a time when the media couldn't decide if Michael was a whimsical Peter Pan or just deeply eccentric. But looking back at Michael Jackson and Bubbles now, the story feels less like a circus act and more like a complicated, slightly sad study on what happens when human fame collides with wild animal nature.
Honestly, it started out almost sweet.
Michael reportedly bought Bubbles from a research clinic in Texas in the early 1980s. Some sources, like those cited in the documentary Michael Jackson's Private Home Movies, suggest the chimp was born in 1983. For a few years, they were inseparable. Bubbles wasn't just a pet; he was a constant companion who slept in a crib in Michael’s bedroom, used the same toilet, and supposedly even ate at the dinner table. It sounds like a movie. But chimpanzees aren't humans, and they definitely aren't toys.
The Neverland Reality vs. The Media Circus
The public saw a chimp moonwalking. They saw a primate drinking tea with the Mayor of Osaka. What they didn’t see was the logistics of keeping a maturing ape in a multi-million dollar mansion. At Neverland Ranch, Bubbles was the king of the castle for a while. He had his own wardrobe. He had a nanny.
But biology is a stubborn thing.
As chimpanzees age, they get incredibly strong. A full-grown male chimp is several times stronger than a human man. They become territorial. They can become aggressive. By the time the early nineties rolled around, the "cute" phase was ending. You can't really have a 160-pound animal with massive canines wandering around a house with guests and children. It’s dangerous.
Why the partnership had to end
By 1988, Michael Jackson was already moving Bubbles out of the main spotlight. The chimp was replaced in the public eye by other animals—snakes, giraffes, even other primates—but Bubbles remained the "favorite." However, the birth of Michael’s first child, Prince, in 1997, changed the math entirely. You can’t risk a powerful primate around an infant. It’s a recipe for disaster.
La Toya Jackson once claimed in her memoirs that Michael viewed Bubbles as a son. That’s a heavy emotional weight for an animal. When Bubbles was eventually moved to a trainer’s ranch and later to a sanctuary, many fans felt Michael had "abandoned" him. The reality is more nuanced. Keeping him at Neverland would have been irresponsible.
Life After Neverland: The Center for Great Apes
In 2005, Bubbles arrived at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida. This isn't a zoo. It’s a sanctuary. If you look at the photos of him today, he’s unrecognizable from the tiny creature in the red sweater. He’s huge. He’s a "silverback" equivalent in the chimp world—a dominant, older male.
He’s actually lived a remarkably long time. Chimps in captivity can live into their 50s or 60s, and Bubbles is currently in his 40s. He spends his days painting—yes, he’s an artist now—and hanging out with his best friend, a fellow chimp named Ripley.
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- Diet: He eats mostly fruits and vegetables.
- Hobbies: He hates being photographed (he’ll throw water at you) and loves painting with vibrant colors.
- Social Life: He is a respected member of his troop, though he's known to be a bit of a "loner" compared to the more rambunctious younger chimps.
It’s a quiet life. Probably the life he should have had from the beginning.
Addressing the Controversies and Rumors
We have to talk about the darker side. Over the years, people have alleged that Bubbles was mistreated. Jane Goodall, the world’s most famous primatologist, once commented that she believed the chimp had been hit. Michael’s estate and his family have always vehemently denied this.
There’s also the "suicide attempt" rumor. Some tabloids claimed Bubbles tried to kill himself after Michael was first accused of child molestation in 1993. This is scientifically questionable. While primates can exhibit self-harming behaviors due to stress or isolation, the idea of a "suicide attempt" in the human sense is usually seen as sensationalist media filler.
The truth is likely somewhere in the middle. Michael clearly loved the animal, but he wasn't a primatologist. He treated an ape like a human child, which, while well-intentioned, is its own kind of biological disservice.
The Cost of Living
Here is a detail most people miss: Bubbles is expensive. It costs about $25,000 to $30,000 a year to care for a single chimp in a sanctuary. For years, there were questions about who was paying the bill. After Michael passed away in 2009, his estate stepped up. They continue to fund his care today.
What the Bubbles Story Teaches Us Today
Looking at Michael Jackson and Bubbles in 2026, we see a cautionary tale about exotic pet ownership. In the eighties, it was "cool" to have a monkey. Today, we realize that primates belong in the wild or, at the very least, in specialized sanctuaries with others of their kind.
The bond was real, though. Those who worked at Neverland say Michael would talk to Bubbles for hours. It was a lonely man finding comfort in an animal that didn't judge him, didn't want his money, and didn't care about the paparazzi.
If you're interested in the ethics of this, check out the work being done by the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance (NAPSA). They deal with the fallout of the exotic pet trade every day.
Practical Next Steps for Fans and Animal Lovers:
If you want to support Bubbles' retirement, you can actually donate directly to the Center for Great Apes. They offer "memberships" where you can "adopt" Bubbles, which helps cover his significant medical and food costs.
Avoid the urge to support "pet primate" content on social media. Every cute video of a baby chimp in clothes encourages a trade that eventually leads to these animals being abandoned or sent to sanctuaries when they become too strong to manage.
The most respectful way to remember Michael Jackson and Bubbles is to appreciate the footage of their time together while advocating for chimps to live the wild, natural lives they were meant for. Bubbles is finally living that life in Florida, far away from the stage lights and the moonwalks. He’s just a chimp now. And that’s exactly what he needs to be.