Bubbles (born 1983) is a chimpanzee once kept as a pet by the American singer Michael Jackson, who bought him from a Texas research facility in the 1980s.

In 1987, during the Bad world tour, Bubbles and Jackson drank tea with the mayor of Osaka, Japan.

When the trainer closed his operation in 2004, Bubbles was moved to the Center for Great Apes, a sanctuary in Wauchula, Florida, where he has lived since 2005.

The acquisition was said to have been supervised by Bob Dunn, then one of Hollywood's most famous suppliers and trainers of animals for films, photoshoots and advertisements.

One said she had to clean feces hurled at the bedroom wall, and another described a chimpanzee tearing off his diaper before crawling into Jackson's bed.

[13] When the Bad world tour began in September 1987, Bubbles and Jackson shared a two-bedroom hotel suite in Tokyo.

"[14][15] Though allowed to travel to Japan, Bubbles was unable to enter Britain and Sweden due to strict quarantine laws.

[21] He was moved to an animal sanctuary over fears he might attack Jackson's newborn son, Prince Michael II.

During the interview, Bashir was also told of how Jackson had planned to hold a "celebrity animal party" for Bubbles; Cheeta, the chimpanzee from Tarzan, Benji and Lassie were to be invited.

[31][better source needed] Since the closure of Dunn's facility in 2004, Bubbles has been kept at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida, where he is said to enjoy painting and listening to flute music.

Patti Ragan, director for the Center for Great Apes, commented on the animals' daily routine at the sanctuary: "They relax.

"[3] According to animal keepers at the center, Bubbles—whose facial features have changed since his time with Jackson—is now "huge and ugly", weighing 185 pounds (84 kg), but has a "sweet character".

[36] According to the Center for Great Apes website, Jackson's estate has continued to support the costs of Bubbles' care.

According to the journalist Steve Huey, Bubbles formed a public perception of Jackson as a "bizarre eccentric, obsessed with recapturing his childhood".

[38][39][40] According to Robert Thompson, professor of popular culture at Syracuse University, Jackson's acquisition of Bubbles was "when the weirdness began to reach mythic proportions".

[41] Chris Heath of Smash Hits magazine called Bubbles "the most famous chimpanzee ever in pop music.

[48] Jackson launched Michael's Pets, a range of soft toys based on the animals he owned, in November 1986.

[50] In 1988, the artist Jeff Koons made three identical porcelain sculptures, Michael Jackson and Bubbles, as part of his Banality exhibit.

[56] The Daily Telegraph reported in August 2009 that Bubbles was to publish a "tell-all memoir" about his time with Jackson.

The book, Bubbles: My Secret Diary, From Swaziland to Neverland, is a spoof diary by journalist John Blake,[57] and the book fictionally documents the "darker aspects" of Bubbles' life, including a "$2,000-a-day banana addiction, depression, romantic conquests, and [his] 'vicious rivalry' with Tarzan star Cheeta".

[57] Blake said: Behind his seemingly-perfect life of glamorous friends, gold-plated tyre swings, and personal chefs, there is a dark history of medical experiments, addiction and loss.

But Bubbles has fought against his personal and professional problems and, with his help of man-pet Michael Jackson, he has grown to become bigger than King Kong—figuratively speaking.