The Mother Load

Jacko's been all over the news this week, what with the anniversary of his death sneaking up on us like it did.  Today, however, it's his former pet chimp, Bubbles, who's making headlines.  Do you remember Bubbles?  I didn't. I'm just the right age, but I seem to have blocked the existence of this primate from my mind.  Maybe it's because he was subjected to performances like this:



Whatever the reason for my Bubbles related amnesia, there is, in fact, a chimpanzee who used to belong to Michael Jackson who is in need of funds to cover the $15,000 per year cost of his care at The Center for Great Apes in Florida.  According to news reports about Jackson's will, his estate is being split between his children and his mother, with the remainder going to charity. One can only assume the Center for Great Apes was somehow left out of the charity list.  Poor, forgotten Bubbles.  Poor, forgotten Center For Great Apes.  (Gosh, I hope the charity money didn't go to the Center for Average Apes.  That would be cold.)

But wait! You can help the penniless chimp by "adopting" him for $150 a year!  I know what you're thinking.  $150...$15,000...those numbers are tad far away from each other.  The Center is likely banking on the fact that very few Michael Jackson fans have the means to adopt a whole chimpanzee for $15,000 a year, and that far more would be willing to adopt a portion of a chimpanzee for $150 a year, so $150 a year it is.  It's kind of a chimp timeshare...a chimpshare!

Patrons who cough up the money for room and board for Bubbles will have a chance to interact with Bubbles at special open houses at the Center, which is not a public preserve or zoo. 

What do you say? Isn't $150 a small price to pay to shake the hand that once held the hand of the King of Pop?  If you think about it, it's kind of a bargain.  Of course, I'd make sure my $150 is adopting the hand before I made the commitment, but that's just me.