Midweek Mention... Project Nim

You can now text us anonymously to leave feedback, suggest future content or simply hurl abuse at us. We'll read out any texts we receive on the show. Click here to try it out!

Chimp genius or 70s hubris in a suede jacket? We dive into James Marsh’s Project Nim—the wild “let’s raise a chimp as a human” saga aimed at dunking on Noam/“Nim” Chomsky and proving apes can master language. What we actually get: sex-commune vibes, bad science, worse ethics, and one heartbreakingly charismatic chimp shunted between indulgent “parents,” media circuses, and grim laboratories.

We talk:

• Language vs mimicry: 120+ signs learned…or just expert begging?
• The ‘parents’: breast-feeding (!) and a roll-call of under-qualified carers.
• The professor: comb-over, cameras, and conclusions that nuke the funding.
• LEMSIP hell: cages, needles, PR panic—and the stoner saint Bob who actually cares.
• Violence & inevitability: cute baby ➝ teen primate with seven-men strength.
• Ethics, then and now: where the line is (and how far they trampled past it).

Bits that floored us

• The throwaway “I breastfed him.”
• Documenting Nim’s Oedipal…metrics.
• A “sanctuary” with horses and one lonely chimp.
• A finale that’s “interesting,” not “enjoyable.”

Verdict (Bad Dads split decision)

Fascinating, infuriating, essential—a five-alarm case study in how not to do science. Watch it, rage at it, then argue about animal testing like we did.

We love to hear from our listeners! By which I mean we tolerate it. If it hasn't been completely destroyed yet you can usually find us on twitter @dads_film, on Facebook Bad Dads Film Review, on email at baddadsjsy@gmail.com or on our website baddadsfilm.com.

Until next time, we remain...

Bad Dads