Once the globe-trotting companion of pop icon Michael Jackson, Bubbles the chimpanzee now enjoys a tranquil retirement in the sunny state of Florida. Known for his extravagant lifestyle alongside music legends like Bon Jovi, Bubbles has transitioned from the limelight to a serene existence at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida.
As he nears his 43rd birthday this April, Bubbles has embraced a much quieter life. His days of late-night revelries have been replaced with early evenings and the simple joys of retirement. Patti Ragan, the founder of the sanctuary, recently shared insights and photos of Bubbles, revealing a content and relaxed chimpanzee.
“Bubbles is aging gracefully,” Ragan remarked, highlighting his fondness for afternoon naps and a bedtime that starts as early as 6 p.m., lasting until the early hours of the morning. This laid-back routine marks a significant shift from his once hectic, party-filled schedule.
In addition to resting, Bubbles spends his time engaging in activities that bring him joy. He particularly enjoys watching Disney’s “Chimpanzee” movie and expressing his creativity through painting. Yet, what he treasures most is the company of his fellow chimpanzees, with whom he shares meals and companionship.
With a lifestyle that now favors peace and camaraderie, Bubbles has found happiness in the simpler pleasures of life, surrounded by friends and the care of a dedicated sanctuary. His story is a testament to the tranquility that can follow a life once lived in the fast lane.
‘But his favorite activity is hanging out with his chimp friends as they enjoy meals together,’ Ragan said.
‘His days are spent with his long-time chimpanzee family (Oopsie, Boma, Kodua, & Stryker).’
The chimp, who is around 50 in human years, spends his days getting groomed by Oopsie and Kodua in the mornings and strolling around the sanctuary’s aerial trailways to see other chimps and caretakers throughout the day, she said.
Michael Jackson got Bubbles in the 1980s and featured him in music videos
Bubbles was often seen wearing human clothes. The chimp now lives at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida, and will be turning 43 this year
‘Bubbles is aging gracefully,’ Patti Ragan, the center’s founder, told Daily Mail. He is pictured at the center in a recent photo shared by the center with Daily Mail this week
Bubbles has been at the sanctuary since 2005, after he was deemed ‘no longer suitable for life around people,’ the center said.
The 185lb chimp is the leader of the pack at the attraction, which is not open to the public, and has a ‘calm and artistic presence.’
He has been described as ‘shy and private’ despite his once very public life and spends a lot of his time creating ‘colorful works of art.’
‘He only hands over the canvas when he’s truly finished, and his expressive style sometimes goes beyond the borders!’ the center said on its website.
Jackson got Bubbles in 1983 when the chimp was just eight months old. Bubbles slept in a crib inside the singer’s room and was often seen wearing human clothes.
At age four, Bubbles traveled to Japan with the King of Pop, and even appeared in some of Jackson’s music videos.
Jon Bon Jovi recalled partying with the chimp at a hotel in Tokyo in the 1980s to Jimmy Kimmel in a 2024 interview.
‘Bubbles comes down and wreaks havoc. Bubbles parties like a rock star,’ Jon Bon Jovi told Kimmel.
The chimp, who is around 50 in human years, is pictured in this recent photo shared by the center with Daily Mail this week
Bubbles has been living at the center since 2005 and the Michael Jackson Estate pays for his care
Michael Jackson took Bubbles on tour with him. Jon Bon Jovi recalled partying with the chimp in a 2024 interview
Somewhat baffled, Kimmel asked, ‘Wait, how did Bubbles arrive? So Bubbles was in your room loose?’ for which Jon Bon Jovi confirmed, ‘Oh yea.’
He explained how Bubbles was ‘jumping on the bed’ and ‘putting on a show.’
The Bad Medicine singer-songwriter went on to share about how Bubbles ‘hung hard.’
According to Jon Bon Jovi, Bubbles was in the room partying for quite a while. In fact, it got to the point where hotel management threatened to throw the band out of the hotel.
And it was not the first time he sparked chaos. Actress Rashida Jones, whose father Quincy produced some of Jackson’s songs, was bitten by Bubbles when she was just nine years old.
During an interview with The New Yorker in 2024 she said: ‘Sorry, I was just sighing, because I was just thinking about how I was bit by his monkey.
‘It was my fault. Well, no, it’s not my fault. I am not the one who put a chimpanzee in overalls and a diaper.’
Bubbles is housed at the same center as other famous chimps, such as Ripley, who appeared in the movies Ace Ventura and Junior.
Bubbles spends his time at the sanctuary painting. Some of his artwork has been sold
Bubbles (pictured in 2022) is also housed with other famous chimps including Ripley, who appeared in Ace Ventura and Junior
Jeff Koons’ sculpture titled ‘Michael Jackson and Bubbles’ is pictured at the Whitney Museum of American Art in NYC in 2014
BamBam is also there and he starred in the soap opera Nurse Precious for three seasons. He arrived to the center the same year Bubbles did.
Jackson had to let Bubbles go after he began acting aggressively, but not before he sought help from famous primatologist Jane Goodall, who died in October at the age of 91.
Goodall had visited him and she later made an accusation that Bubbles was being beaten while under the Hollywood star’s care.
Bubbles’ care at the center is funded by the Michael Jackson Estate.
It is unclear how much the estate contributes each year, but the center’s website estimated it cost $30,000 annually to care for each chimp. Daily Mail has contacted the Michael Jackson Estate for comment.
It was rumored after Jackson’s death in 2009 that Bubbles was given $2 million from the King of Pop’s will, but Ragan shut that down in 2019.
‘The truth is that Bubbles was not named in Jackson’s will,’ she wrote at the time.
Although Bubbles does not appear to be coming out of retirement for the upcoming biopic, titled Michael, it does appear the animal will make an appearance.
Actress Lilly Colucci is currently listed as playing the chimp on IMDB. The film is slated to be released in April.
