NEWSJoe Simpson Angers Mama Gorilla in Ugandan Jungle
Dec. 2 2009, Published 6:45 a.m. ET
Joe Simpson is a loyal dad-ager. The proud papa recently accompanied eldest daughter Jessica Simpson while she was filming her new VH1 show The Price of Beauty in Africa. However, the cameras didn't follow Joe when he flew into the heart of the Ugandan jungle to hang out in the company of gorillas, angering one mama gorilla who was protecting her baby, PopEater reports.
"We had a great time. There's nothing better than traveling the world. It was the most wonderful experience with Jessica in Morocco," Joe tells PopEater at the after-party at NYC's Inc. lounge for his other daughter Ashlee Simpson-Wentz's Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago.
While papa loved spending time with Jess, his favorite part of the trip was channeling his inner Jane Goodall with the apes, a venture no one else in the family wanted to join in on.
"Uganda was my favorite. After our trip was over I spent some time with the gorillas," Joe says. "I flew into Uganda, drove for two and a half hours, hiked for seven hours and traversed down 3,000 feet to sit with the mountain gorillas for about an hour."
For the majority of his trip, Joe says the apes were pretty calm and bored by him. The tranquil situation quickly shifted, however, when he tried to snap a picture of a baby gorilla.
"There was a mother gorilla and I tried to pull a branch down so I could take a picture and she was like 'Gahhhhh.' And you can't run because they'll attack you," Joe explains.
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The whole Simpson fam —Joe, Tina, Jessica, baby Bronx and in-law Pete Wentz — will not be traveling anymore in 2009. The tight-knit brood plans to spend the holidays in NYC since Ashlee is performing 8 shows a week through February.
"We're all going to be here for the holiday to be with Ashlee," Joe says. "We love New York during the holidays." Ashlee added, "It is Bronx's first real Christmas so we are just excited to spend it with him."
