A Search for the Chimera? on UK TV

[sadluxation]

I've heard the reviews of this programme have been interesting.
Anyone have any other information about the case?

The Human Chimp (Documentary)
Time - 21:00 - 22:00 (1 hour long)
When - Friday 7th March on Five (http://www.five.tv) .
Documentary following the progress of Oliver, a human-like chimp who was found in the Congo in 1976, and whose owner withdrew him from the spotlight following a media frenzy. The programme looks at the testing of his genetic make-up to discover definitely whether Oliver is a human, a chimp or a strange hybrid of the two.
(Subtitles, Stereo)

[CelandineWood]

It was discovered years ago that Oliver is a chimp and has no human chromosomes, and is probably a result of a chimp breeding with another species of chimp or a gorilla.

There's tons of stuff on the net about it but this link is quite good:

http://www.n2.net/prey/bigfoot/articles/oliver.htm

[sadluxation]

It should be an interesting documentary to watch, nevertheless.
The reviews in most of the papers were very tongue-in-cheek.

I think they wanted the presenter of Pop Idol, to mate with Oliver and breed a new super-intelligent-hybrid of television presenter!

No joy there.....

[Jon_in_london]

Haha, In one northern English town in the 1800s they hanged a monkey thinking it was a french spy.

No really!

[Soapy Sam]

He WAS a French spy, my leetle English Kniggit! And he got his report off in peanut code under the verray knoses of your despicapled Hartebeestlypuddlians . Zis is ow we obtain ze secret plans of your disgustaing Cheddar Cheese!

[Shane Costello]

The town was Hartlepool. The monkey came ashore from the wreck of a French ship, and not knowing what a Frenchman actually looked like, the burghers of Hartlepool erred on the side of caution and hanged the simian as a French spy.

www.thisishartlepool.co.uk/monkey.shtml

Two centuries later the townsfolk atoned for the sins of their forefathers and elected a monkey as mayor.

www.thisishartlepool.co.uk/mayor.shtml

[edthedoc]

Yup it's true. Hartlepool does have a monkey as a mayor, but doesn't it also have an ass as Member of Parliament :)

[Shane Costello]

Doesn't everywhere?

[espritch]

There was a US politician (I forget what office) recently who beat his opponent despite the fact that he died a couple of weeks before the election. I wonder which is worse, to be beaten by a deadman or a monkey?

Still, you gotta admit, "Free bananas for school kids" is a dang seductive platform. :)