There have recently been images of Jaafar Jackson circulating on social media platforms. In them, the “Michael” star seems to visit his uncle’s famous chimpanzee, Bubbles. However, the Center for Great Apes, which has been Bubbles’s residence since 2005, has confirmed that the pictures going online are AI-generated and that Jaafar has never visited the sanctuary in person.
Jaafar Jackson’s photo with Bubbles reportedly fake
Jaafar Jackson’s photo with Michael Jackson’s beloved pet Chimpanzee Bubbles went viral on social media platforms recently. However, the Center for Great Apes confirmed in a statement that the image was AI-generated. They also added that the “Michael” star had never visited the sanctuary.
In a Facebook post, the sanctuary debunked claims that Jaafar had visited his uncle’s beloved pet. “We want to address some misinformation that has been circulating online regarding Bubbles and the Center for Great Apes,” the post began, “While we appreciate the recent interest in Bubbles following the release of the Michael film, we want to clarify that Jaafar Jackson has not visited the Center for Great Apes or Bubbles. We would certainly welcome the opportunity to host him for a visit in the future.”
The post added, “We also want to note that photos currently circulating online that appear to show visits or interactions with Bubbles are AI-generated and are not authentic.”
They also asserted that they “do not allow physical contact or direct interactions between people and the apes.” The post concluded, “We are grateful for the public’s interest in Bubbles and for the continued support of our mission to provide sanctuary for chimpanzees and orangutans who deserve peace, dignity, and the companionship of their own kind.”
Bubbles was born at a biomedical research facility in Austin, Texas. He was still an infant when Dunn acquired him for Jackson. Bubbles spent his early years with Jackson. But when he grew in size, it became more impractical to keep him. Bubbles eventually moved out of Jackson’s care and was placed with Dunn. He remained with Dunn until Dunn retired, after which he moved to the Center for Great Apes.
Originally reported by Sourav Chakraborty on Mandatory.
