Try as the 2025 TV schedule might, there’s no guarantee that we’ll see something as meteoric as Netflix’s insane documentary Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. That’s not a knock on what’s coming down the pipe, but rather a comment on how you really can’t tell what’ll hit as hard as the true story of intrigue, potential murder, and big cats.

At the same time, if Joe Exotic’s wishes to have David Spade play him in one of the three movie deals he’s got floating in the open ever comes true, that could be the closest we get to rekindling that magic. And sure enough, the Joe Dirt legend shared some exciting feelings on whether or not he'd take the gig.

Joe Exotic Thinks David Spade’s Joe Dirt Is A Closer Representation Than Joe Vs. Carole’s

I have to admit, when I saw the title “TIGER KING calls From Prison” on the latest episode of Fly on the Wall’s “Superfly” sub-series, I thought it was a joke. But apparently it was not, as there’s clearly a YouTube video of Spade, along with co-host/fellow SNL vet Dana Carvey, talking with the man himself.

Calling out Joe vs. Carole’s version as “way over the top,” Exotic actually suggested that the Joe Dirt star would have been a much better option than series star John Cameron Mitchell. Though if you’re curious about how the man also known as Joseph Allen Maldonado felt about Nicholas Cage almost being cast in the role, you can learn more about that in his remarks below:

Coincidentally that Peacock subscription driver co-stars another Saturday Night Live alum, as Joe vs. Carole's trailer put Kate McKinnon front and center as holding up the other end of that series' dynamic. So maybe that’s another part of why Joe Exotic thinks David Spade would be such a good pick.

Placing David Spade in the middle of the Exotic spectrum is a rather interesting choice I’d have never thought of. That only compliments the fact that I also never thought I’d hear someone calling Mr. Cage “too dry” to play someone as wild as . Then again, after hearing Spade’s eager impression of Joe Exotic, I will admit that I’m totally on board.

David Spade Seems Super Up To The Task, And I Think This Should Happen

Later on in Joe Exotic’s interview with David Spade and Dana Carvey, our Joe Dirt icon provided a little bit of his take on how he’d play the man at the heart of the Tiger King mythos. As you’ll read in the further excerpt below, Spade is already taking notes and putting his metaphorical resume on the table:

With David Spade’s recent SNL cameo still fresh in everyone’s mind, we clearly know that the comedy pro still has his edge. So why not roll the dice and do a Joe Exotic film with him in the lead? Or, even better, how about a Joe Dirt three-quel that reveals Joe Exotic is his actual dad? Why not both?

There’s clearly no wrong answers here, and if Mr. Exotic’s claim that he’ll be out of jail soon is valid, this could be a more pressing concern than anyone could have ever imagined. Well, anyone who doesn't happen to be named Joe Exotic.

It's impossible to explain the grip Tiger King had on the world when it was released. In hindsight, we might've been desperate to unify as much of the world had gone into lockdown due to the pandemic, but there was something about that tiger-loving Joe Exotic that captivated America. The world moved on, but I haven't forgotten, and I legitimately think Chimp Crazy is much better than the Netflix docuseries ever was.

With so many shows on the 2024 TV schedule, I can understand if readers completely missed this HBO docuseries. That said, it's currently available to stream with a Max subscription, and there's ample reason to watch the latest series from the people responsible for Tiger King if you've been looking to fill that void in your life.

Tonia Haddix Is So Much More Intriguing Than Joe Exotic

As documentaries like these show, there are some colorful characters in the world of private ownership of exotic animals. Tonia Haddix is very much like Joe Exotic in that she's passionate about the right to own exotic pets and will go to war with anyone who tries to take that from her. The original Tiger King did a great job of showing the variety of villains in its situation, and Chimp Crazy does the same.

Tonia's story is unique. I think, unlike Joe Exotic, viewers will see someone who isn't in it for the money and is a bit obsessive in her dedication and love to raising chimpanzees and other primates at her facility. Her methods of care may not be that of a trained professional, but one thing that comes through is that she genuinely loves these animals.

Truthfully, Tonia Haddix gives off strong Carole Baskin vibes without the accusations that she murdered her husband or forged his signature to gain control of his money. It's fair to say, however, that she has her own skeletons in her closet. She also has a real beef with the people at PETA and actor Alan Cumming, who worked with her most prized chimp, Tonka. She loves Tonka more than her child, which her son confirms during Chimp Crazy.

You'll Learn A Lot Of Shocking Things About Chimp Ownership

I was pretty in the dark about people letting chimpanzees live in their homes as pets. The only thing I was aware of was that Hollywood has used trained apes for decades in movies, and after hearing about how easily it can all go wrong, I'm kind of shocked they ever did.

In Tiger King, the danger of wrestling with a 400-pound Tiger is pretty obvious to everyone except Mike Tyson, who actually slept with his pets. Chimpanzees are an entirely different beast (forgive the pun) because of how similar they can act to humans. As we hear in lots of cases, they can be cuddling on the couch one minute and tearing your face off the next.

Despite that, viewers will hear a number of chimp owners talk about the special and deep bond they share with these primates. Even some who were attacked will state they don't regret owning a chimp, nor would they have done anything different.

One takeaway I had about Chimp Crazy is that humans and chimps can form a deep bond. Even Alan Cumming, as fiercely supportive as he is to PETA's efforts, understands that Tania has a deep bond with Tonka, and feels that he had one as well when he was working with him in the movie Buddy. The relationships may not be safe, but there's something there everyone involved has trouble explaining.

The Story Takes So Many Drastic Turns During The Filming

Twists in a docuseries are nothing new to me. Many of the best documentaries start out being about one thing, and then take a sudden shift part of the way through. While I do like the regular documentary that tells the story it set out to at the beginning, there's always something to love about a docuseries that gets turned on its head.

Chimp Crazy has a wild twist that slaps its audience in the face, and it just keeps going right up until the final minutes of the mini series. I actually began watching the series ahead of the final episode, and it felt like the longest week of my life waiting for the final episode to finally hit Max. That's not to say the rest of the series isn't fantastic, because to that point I thought it couldn't get any better, but it shifted into another gear.

I was actually surprised to feel this way, because typically, I don't like when it feels the documentary crew is influencing the direction of the story too heavily. I won't get too deep into details on why the team gets involved, but at the end of it I can ultimately understand why they became involved and am grateful it paid off with such a deep look at the hidden world of exotic pet ownership. My favorite documentaries always pull back the curtain on a world I couldn't possibly imagine or know the first thing about, and Chimp Crazy does that in such a great way.

It's for this reason that I don't just say that Chimp Crazy is like Tiger King, it exceeds it in just about every way possible. It seems I'm not alone in this thought either, as the series has maintained a healthy position towards the top of Max's topped stream shows for a while now. So, if you're someone who thought Tiger King was fun and you haven't had a chance to check out this series yet, I can't recommend it enough. You'll feel many things throughout but I guarantee the one thing you won't feel is boredom.

As mentioned, Chimp Crazy is available to stream on Max, or via HBO on demand. After watching it, maybe check out The Sopranos documentary, and learn some more about one of the most acclaimed shows of all time that also ends in a shocking and abrupt way!

When Netflix released Tiger King back in 2020, viewers were instantly hooked by the jaw-dropping storylines that included missing persons, murder, suicide and exotic animal business feuds. Joe Exotic, the main subject of the docuseries, rose to celebrity-status as a result of his wild on-screen persona. However, his notoriety quickly turned to scandal after he was arrested and later sentenced to 22 years in prison for a murder-for-hire job and other charges. And, as if the story couldn’t get any wilder, now another star of the show has been arrested by the FBI.

People reports that none other than Bhagavan “Doc” Antle was arrested Friday afternoon by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He’s the owner of the Myrtle Beach Safari but became famous in his own right after appearing as a controversial talking head on Tiger King. (He later slammed the edit of him on the show as being “salacious.”) As of this writing, Antle’s charges haven’t officially been made public knowledge, and he remains in a Horry County jail facility in South Carolina.

According to the Post and Courier of Myrtle Beach, though, their reporters have received a tip about the circumstances surrounding the arrest. A source close to the FBI’s investigation told the outlet that Doc Antle is facing allegations related to money laundering. A hearing on the matter is supposedly set for Monday, June 6.

This isn’t the Tiger King star’s only troubles, either. In October of 2020, he was indicted in Virginia on felony counts of wildlife trafficking and conspiracy to wildlife traffic, along with 13 other misdemeanor counts pertaining to animal cruelty and conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act. His two daughters were charged with two of those misdemeanor counts as well at the time. Per the Post and Courier, the trial for the Virginia charges is slated for July. Debbie Metzler, the associate director of PETA’s Captive Animal Law Enforcement, said in a statement regarding the latest developments:

Legal drama has persisted elsewhere in the Tiger King universe beyond Doc Antle’s latest issues, too. Jeff Lowe’s touted “hot nanny” from the documentary, Masha Diduk, was arrested in January for allegedly stealing a very pricy candelabra. (But she’s seems to have weathered that storm if her Instagram is any indication.) Meanwhile, Joe Exotic himself was last heard to be so desperate to get out of prison that he agreed to work with his former nemesis, Carole Baskin, to do it. It must not have panned out like he hoped (a pardon or parole offer in exchange for backing certain legislation efforts) because the TV personality remains in prison in North Carolina.

Keep an eye out for updates on the legal troubles of Doc Antle, Joe Exotic and any of the series' other cast members. Both Tiger King and its Doc Antle Story spinoff are still available for streaming for those with a Netflix subscription.

Viewers are finally getting a first look at the long-anticipated Peacock series Joe Vs. Carole, starring John Cameron Mitchell as Joe Maldonado-Passage and Kate McKinnon as his rival, Carole Baskin. The trailer above promises an all-out war between the big-cat enthusiasts, as well as all the absurdity that initially attracted audiences to Netflix’s zeitgeist-snatching 2020 docuseries Tiger King. Just as it went in the docuseries, there will clearly be no shortage of guns and explosions either.

Saturday Night Live vet Kate McKinnon seems to be bringing a self-awareness to the role of Carole Baskin, especially in the smaller moments, such as the irony of Baskin’s being allergic to cats. But this won’t be just a dramatized retelling of Tiger King, as the Peacock series is based on Wondery's podcast Joe Exotic: Tiger King and will dive into the history of Baskin and Joe Exotic’s animalistic feud. The trailer promises to give audiences the other half of the story: 

Tiger King certainly was stranger than fiction, so I’m really intrigued to see what Kate McKinnon and John Cameron Mitchell’s performances will add to the story. The trailer shows Carole Baskin speaking with investigators about Joe Exotic’s history of abusing animals in an attempt to shut down his roadside zoo, and he doesn’t take kindly to Baskins’ attempt on his livelihood. It results in Exotic launching an offensive of his own, as shown in the trailer when he blows up a mattress, and Baskin comedically describes him shooting a blow-up doll that was dressed like her.

While this story couldn’t be told without its comedy, Joe Vs. Carole — which was previously titled Joe Exotic — looks like it’s going to take a dramatic turn, as Joe Exotic says, “Someone’s gotta kill that bitch,” and Carole Baskin and her husband Howard are shown buying their own firearms. The trailer even shows a man coming out of the woods and seemingly pointing a gun at the bike-riding Baskin. The real-life Joe Maldonado-Passage is currently serving a 21-year prison sentence for a failed murder-for-hire plot targeting Baskin, and many of his experiences since Tiger King's debut have been anything but comedic.

Along the way, Joe Vs. Carole looks to feature a number of moments familiar to Tiger King fans. Joe Exotic’s three-way wedding to John Finlay and Travis Maldonado, complete with hot pink button-downs, is shown, as well as him dressing up in a king’s robe with a scepter for the filming of the documentary.

The wardrobes are a thing of beauty, and could have been taken right from Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin’s closets — even Baskin was shocked to see first looks — with Joe Exotic’s infamous nothing-but-a-Speedo look, as well as him rocking a vest over his bare chest. Baskin is, of course, donning nothing but animal prints, and there’s a quick joke about what appears to be her Dancing With the Stars costume.

Joe Exotic and his crew captured the intrigue of viewers with Tiger King's documentary footage, and adding the humor of Kate McKinnon and John Cameron Mitchell into the mix has definitely piqued my interest. Here's hoping the fictionalized version can reach the same heights as the docuseries.

Joe Vs. Carole premieres Thursday, March 3, on Peacock, with all episodes debuting in one fell swoop. Check out some cool things you can get with a subscription to Peacock Premium.

The drama surrounding the subjects of the hit Netflix series Tiger King, which dropped a sequel series in November 2021, never seems to stop. Now, one of Jeff Lowe’s inner circle has been arrested for something unrelated to big cats. Masha Diduk, who was hired by Jeff and Lauren Lowe as the “hot nanny,” was arrested and charged with grand larceny for stealing a candelabra from a Las Vegas nightclub in July 2021.

Security footage from the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas showed Masha Diduk taking the candelabra from a private dining room and walking out with it on her arm, according to a police report (via TMZ). The item was said to be worth $5,000.

The police report stated that from the surveillance videos, authorities were able to retrieve the suspect’s valet ticket and license plate. They matched that information with Instagram posts that Masha Diduk made from the Wynn at that time. 

However she appears to be contesting the value of the candelabra in question. Tiger King’s “hot nanny” posted, in her Instagram Stories, a screenshot that seems to suggest she found the item in question – or one similar to it – for a much lower price tag:

If the candelabra is indeed only worth $312 rather than the $5,000 the Wynn reported, that would be good news for Masha Diduk, as it would likely lead to reduced charges. Diduk’s post made it look like she wasn’t too stressed out about the situation, posting a clown emoji next to a $5,000 sticker to make light of the Wynn’s reported price point.

As seen on the polarizing Netflix series, Jeff Lowe went into business with Joe Exotic at the G.W. Exotic Animal Park before taking full ownership when the titular Tiger King, whose legal name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was sentenced in 2019 to 22 years in prison on 17 federal charges of animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder for hire in the plot to kill his nemesis and fellow big cat owner Carole Baskin.

In the Season 1 episode “Dethroned,” Jeff Lowe showed a photo of Masha Diduk from social media, claiming that his wife Lauren had given him permission to hire a “hot nanny.” Diduk seemed to confirm on social media the couple had gone through with the hire.

Drama has continued to follow the Tiger King cast in the aftermath of the 2020 docuseries. Multiple lawsuits have arisen from the case that was covered in the series, and more recently, Morgan Creek Entertainment sued Netflix as well as Tiger King production company Goode Films regarding the use of two clips from 1995’s Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls. 

Season 2 documented some of the trouble the series’ subjects found themselves in following so much national attention. Allegations that Carole Baskin was involved in the disappearance of her first husband Don Lewis resurfaced and were explored deeper in the five-episode second season. Meanwhile, Jeff Lowe lost control of the G.W. Exotic Animal Park after a USDA inspection found multiple violations, including animal food not being sufficiently refrigerated and reports that animals appeared to be malnourished.

You can get caught up on all the big cat drama by streaming Tiger King on Netflix, and be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what other shows are coming up.

Netflix’s controversial docuseries Tiger King was one of the most talked-about streaming releases of 2020, but not all of the attention that it received was positive. Multiple lawsuits have arisen surrounding both the case that was covered in the series and the series itself, and now another has been filed from none other than the production company behind the Ace Ventura films. Morgan Creek Entertainment has sued Netflix as well as Tiger King production company Goode Films regarding use of footage from the Jim Carrey-led franchise in Tiger King. 

Tiger King used two clips from 1995’s Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls in its first episode, which was released back in March 2020 and has since been viewed by an incredible number of Netflix subscribers. According to a lawsuit from Morgan Creek Entertainment filed in Los Angeles federal court (via Reuters), the production company is suing on the alleged grounds of the docuseries infringing on Ace Ventura copyrights by including the clips. The lawsuit comes after the company and Netflix and Goode Films were unable to come to an agreement on the dispute after the series’ release. 

According to the lawsuit, the two clips used in Tiger King span for approximately five seconds altogether, although they come from separate scenes from Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls: first when Jim Carrey’s character has a monkey wrapped around his neck, and then when he is riding an elephant. Ace Ventura is allegedly the only film with multiple clips used in the docuseries. The suit claims that Morgan Creek Entertainment “suffered substantial economic damage” due to the two clips’ inclusion, with the goal of an award of “up to and no less than $300,000” in damages, including attorneys’ fees.

Morgan Creek’s suit was filed on December 27, so if the case does go to jury trial as demanded by the production company, it won’t happen until the new year at the earliest. This is certainly not the first lawsuit filed against Netflix in relation to Tiger King, with Carole Baskin – who appeared in the first season as Joe Exotic’s nemesis – and husband Howard Baskin filing a complaint against the streaming giant just a couple of months earlier alleging breach of contract after they appeared in promotional material for the second season.

That case didn’t move very far ahead, as Netflix responded by saying that Carole and Howard Baskin did not need to approve their appearances in the promotional content due to the original releases signed for the first season. The Baskins ultimately dropped the suit in December 2021, after Season 2 released in late November. The second season didn’t generate nearly the kind of buzz as the first season, although that may be due to the timing, as the first season launched shortly after pandemic lockdowns began in 2020. The talks between Morgan Creek, Netflix, and Goode Films over Ace Ventura began in June 2020, just a few months after Tiger King made its divisive debut. 

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (previously available streaming on Netflix) was a hugely profitable film when it was released back in 1995, grossing more than $108 million after being produced on a budget of $30 million. Only time will tell if the lawsuit from the production company results in the $300,000 damages, but it can be added to the list of controversies to arise out of the release of Tiger King.

We’re just over a week away from Netflix’s release of Tiger King 2, and while we knew Carole Baskin — Joe Exotic’s nemesis who was featured heavily in Season 1 — refuses to have anything more to do with the Netflix docuseries, it looks like Baskin isn’t about to roll over in her tiger cage either. The Big Cat Rescue CEO and her husband Howard Baskin filed a complaint against Netflix last week alleging breach of contract regarding their appearance in promotional material for Season 2.

Netflix doesn’t seem to be too worried about the Baskins’ claims, however, saying that the big cat enthusiasts signed multiple releases for Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness in 2019 that, according to court documents obtained by People, "explicitly permit Defendants to use the footage in later projects.” The streaming service and Royal Goode Productions said despite Carole Baskin’s wish to disassociate from Tiger King 2, Netflix had already secured all of the necessary paperwork from the Baskins to use the footage. The defendants explained in the court documents:

Strong words from Netflix, to be sure, but it’s no surprise after everything Carole Baskin has dealt with since the first season of Tiger King aired that she’d do everything in her power to get as far away from the project as possible. In Tiger King's first season, which became a binge sensation in early 2020 as much of the country was stuck at home quarantining from COVID, Joe Exotic accused Baskin of being involved in the disappearance her first husband, Don Lewis. 

In the aftermath of the series, the authenticity of Don Lewis’ will was called into question, with a Florida sheriff saying the signature on Lewis’ will had been found to be “100 percent a forgery.” And as Carole Baskin competed on Dancing With the Stars (in tiger-themed numbers, naturally), Lewis’ family aired a commercial asking for information about his disappearance. Lewis’ three daughters and his former assistant also filed a lawsuit against Baskin regarding jokes that had been made at Lewis’ expense on Dancing With the Stars and Good Morning America.

Carole Baskin slammed Tiger King and its creators earlier this year, calling the series “a reality show dumpster fire.” She’s openly discussed how the finished docuseries was not what she had discussed with the directors, and she disagreed with the way she was portrayed in the series. Along with the legal trouble, Baskin said she spent months repairing relationships with her friends and family over what they saw on the Netflix show. Her concern that the same thing will happen after Tiger King 2’s release is why she says she will be tuning in to Netflix come November 17.

Along with the upcoming Netflix release, Kate McKinnon’s Peacock series Joe Exotic is also in development, with the Saturday Night Live veteran set to play Carole Baskin. No release date has been set for that, but stay up to date with our 2021 TV Schedule to see what’s premiering through the end of the year.

November is a time for giving thanks, and one thing we should all be thankful for this year is that Netflix is once again delivering another month of spectacular originals. Subscribers will be thrilled to learn there are many great originals to binge all month long, some new series and others returning. 

This year has seen the release of some incredible series, but I feel that 2021 will be the year of Cowboy Bebop. Netflix fans will see the live-action series November and many other shows that will help them gear up for the impending stress of the holiday season. 

Big Mouth (Season 5) - 11/5

Netflix’s irreverent animated series Big Mouth is back once again for a season of stories that run from “No nut November” to New Year’s Eve. Season 5 will get into lovebugs and hate worms, which can shift between the two depending on the emotions of the characters they’re associated with. Of course, we can expect the usual relationship drama, like Nick pursuing his feelings for Jessi until she publicly rejects him. Basically, it’s going to be a crazy 8th-grade year for the crew, and probably another great season for fans. 

Narcos: Mexico (Season 3) - 11/5

Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo is behind bars, and now there’s an open position of power in the drug cartel. This is where Narcos: Mexico opens for Season 3 and will hopefully find new life after saying goodbye to actor Diego Luna. Expect a struggle for power as cartels look to seize control of the hole left by Gallardo, and the DEA  is still trying to clean up the drug operation with more arrests. Hopefully, Season 3 can keep the same momentum even in the absence of Luna and deliver yet another great season. 

Arcane - 11/6

League of Legends is one of the most popular games in the world, and now it finally has an animated series to reflect that. Arcane tells the story of the cities of Piltover and Zaun and two sisters on different sides of a war. The series has a talented voice cast that includes names like Hawkeye star Hailee Steinfeld and Star Trek: Prodigy’s Ella Purnell. This series will release new episodes weekly, so definitely one to keep an eye on, especially if you like the game. 

Tiger King 2 - 11/17

Joe Exotic’s heated feud with Carole Baskin captivated the world, and it seemed Tiger King was all America talked about for a good while. The popularity faded over time, of course, but there has been no shortage of developments in the ongoing story of Exotic after his incarceration, and with Carole Baskin’s continued fight to protect big cats around the nation. This season will likely dive into what came after the series, and maybe some anecdotes even the most rabid fans don’t know about yet.  

Blown Away: Christmas- 11/19

I think I’ve said this every time I’ve featured Blown Away in this recurring feature, but I’ll say it again. This Netflix series is one of the best competition shows in the history of television, and now that we have Blown Away: Christmas added to the mix, it may be the best. Five fan-favorite glassblowers will return for this season rooted in Christmas-themed challenges. This season’s winner will get a sweet $10,000 cash prize, as well as an additional $10,000 to the charity of their choosing. It sounds like a great show to help get someone in the holiday spirit!

Cowboy Bebop - 11/19

Netflix’s live-action adaptation of one of the most iconic anime of all time finally arrives in November. Three bounty hunters travel the galaxy searching for some of the worst criminals around, provided they have a reasonable price on their heads. I’m unbelievably excited to see John Cho in action as Spike, and based on what we’ve seen so far, this is going to be a hit even those unfamiliar with the original Cowboy Bebop will fall in love with. 

Hellbound - 11/19

A Netflix original out of Korea just became the platform’s most popular series of all time, and if that’s not a sign to pay attention to more international originals, I’m not sure what is. And there’s another new series coming out of Korea called Hellbound, which features “unearthly” beings sending humans to hell, seemingly resulting in a religious group bent on divine justice. It sounds different but isn’t that what we need before the holiday season kicks into full gear?

Masters of the Universe: Revelation (Part 2) - 11/23

Masters of the Universe: Revelation got off to a rocky start with fans, but there have been assurances that some problems will be resolved in Part 2. The universe is in danger, and it appears Teela will be forced to join forces with an unlikely ally in order to not just save Eternia but the universe as they know it. 

True Story - 11/24

When you think of a serious actor, I’m not sure Kevin Hart is one of the first people that comes to mind. Yet, he’s starring in True Story alongside Wesley Snipes in a drama in which a comedian’s entire career hangs in the balance following a night out with his brother. I’m already set on watching this series just based on the casting alone, but the premise does sound like a series that will be worth at least a watch from most subscribers just ahead of Thanksgiving.  

School of Chocolate - 11/26

No, Netflix wasn’t about to go an entire month without a new baking competition series, which is a good thing because most of them are great. School of Chocolate appears to be no exception, as eight pastry makers and chocolatiers compete for a chance to take both their skills and careers to the next level. The series features world-renowned chocolatier Amaury Guichon and a prize for the winner that includes a big opportunity. I’ll be watching, probably with some cheap chocolates on standby in case I get peckish.

Elves - 11/28

Some people are in the Christmas spirit even before Thanksgiving, but after the holiday, Christmas truly seems to be on the way. Netflix is prepared for this with Elves, which is a Christmas series that definitely throws a spin on the popular view of Christmas elves. This series features a Danish town haunted by a monstrous breed of elves and one family on vacation, and they do something to cause conflict between the two parties. Yeah, this isn’t the average Christmas classic, but I’m hoping it has the potential to be and will be watching in late November. 

Catch all these original shows on Netflix this November. For a full list of what’s available, be sure to check out the full list of offerings, which includes some of the movies arriving in November as well.

It seems like it happened forever ago, but it was just early in 2020 when Tiger King came along on Netflix and took the country by storm. The true crime docuseries was so popular, in fact, that it led to several other shows about the case of Joe Exotic and his assorted friends and enemies being given the go-ahead. One of those, aptly titled Joe Exotic, has been filming for several weeks, with us finally getting a first look at star Kate McKinnon as Exotic’s competitor / enemy, Carole Baskin. Now, we know what the real Baskin thinks of seeing McKinnon play her for the Peacock series, and her review is pretty good.

Kate McKinnon has become very well-known for her many impressions and wild characterizations as a member of the Saturday Night Live cast over the years, so it’s not a huge surprise that she was tapped to take on the cool cat / kitten known as Carole Baskin in Joe Exotic. All along, Baskin was shown to be quite a character in her own right, and now that images of McKinnon have leaked from the set of the new show, she has talked to TMZ about it.

Baskin told the outlet that she was stunned to see the photos of McKinnon as her, mostly because whomever is in charge of wardrobe for the Joe Exotic cast has nailed her clothing. In the pictures, McKinnon is sporting a wig to copy Baskin’s long, blonde hair, along with a teal cardigan, jeans, a multi-colored animal print shirt, and a chunky necklace. Apparently, in real life Baskin does have nearly the same outfit, and she even noted that the addition of the necklace (which also matches a real item of hers) was a special surprise, because she never had it on for any of her Tiger King interviews.

The cat-loving lady also said that McKinnon seems to have totally accessed her own inner cat lady to pull off the look, and was also shocked to see the production using a 2012 Toyota pickup as her vehicle, because that is what she drives.

Joe Exotic will be based on the Wondery podcast, Joe Exotic: Tiger King, which was hosted by Robert Moor and brought Exotic’s story its first round of major mainstream attention. The Peacock series will follow the rivalry between Baskin and Exotic, which began when she learned that he was breeding and then using his big cats for profit, and made moves to try and shut down his roadside zoo. 

Baskin was seen as a somewhat sympathetic person in the docuseries, until talk of her past and questions about what happened to her second husband came up. Exotic accused Baskin of killing him and then feeding him to her tigers to get rid of the evidence, which led to a whole new round of allegations and investigations for Baskin after Tiger King aired. 

According to Baskin, Joe Exotic will show her relationship with her current husband, Howard (who’ll be played by Kyle MacLachlan), but she has no idea how her feud with Exotic (actor, director, and playwright John Cameron Mitchell) will play out this time around. At least Carole Baskin can rest easy knowing that Kate McKinnon has her cat-focused fashions down pat.

We don’t know when Joe Exotic will air on Peacock just yet, but you can check out our 2021 fall TV schedule while you wait for updates.

It's been over a year since Netflix's Tiger King since hit our screens and, for the most part, the hype had mostly died down. However, Netflix isn't quite done with the story of Joe Exotic, as it was recently announced that work on Tiger King 2 is underway, much to the dismay of Exotic's rival. Carole Baskin. The Big Cat Rescue CEO recently slammed the docuseries' creators after the Season 2 update but she also explained why she’ll still need to watch it when it streams.

It makes sense that Carole Baskin wouldn’t be thrilled about another documentary, especially since she’s been on the receiving end of so many jokes and has experienced legal trouble since the series aired last year. In an interview with Variety, Baskin said she assumed there would be more to the docuseries and was aware they were working on Season 2 but that she doesn’t consider it a documentarian work at all. In fact, she calls the whole production a “dumpster fire,” saying:

According to Carole Baskin, the Tiger King directors did not do her justice, and the finished documentary apparently wasn’t what they had discussed. In the same interview, Baskin recalled the conversations she had to have with her friends and family to set the record straight about the way she was portrayed, which is something she assumes will need to happen again after Tiger King’s second season. With this, it seems she'll be tuning in for this new season:

During Netflix's fan event, Tudum, it was announced that Tiger King 2 is set to be released on Netflix on November 17. While it sounds like Carole Baskin will be watching right along with us, it’s unclear if Joe Exotic will be allowed to tune in from his jail cell. Fans of the wild docuseries may also want to keep an eye out for the upcoming Joe Exotic series for Peacock TV, which is sure to capture the essence of the polarizing doc.

Erik Cowie, best known for his involvement in Netflix’s runaway hit docuseries Tiger King, has died. Cowie served as the Head Keeper at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal, which belonged to the show’s polarizing lead, Joseph Maldonado-Passage, or Joe Exotic. Cowie was 53 at the time of his passing.

The Tiger King alum was found dead this past Friday in a New York City residence, where his body was found by a friend. Local law enforcement officials informed TMZ that there did not seem to be any foul play when it came to Erik Cowie’s passing. However, officials report that the man had been drinking heavily and that a bottle of vodka was present at the scene of his death. Cowie, who had been living and working in Oklahoma for a while, was reportedly in New York to visit friends.

Over the course of the docuseries, the keeper proved to be an honest interviewee and a somewhat of a grounding element for the over-the-top show. Joe Exotic came under scrutiny for alleged abuse towards his animals with other reports claiming that he would kill tigers for one reason or another. Erik Cowie once told reporters that he “knew cats were getting shot.”

Joe Exotic would ultimately leave the G.W. Zoo in 2018 and was eventually arrested that same year for numerous charges of animal abuse. He was also charged on two counts of attempted murder for hire in a plot to kill rival and Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin. Erik Cowie remained with the zoo, which was subsequently headed by Exotic’s partner, Jeff Lowe. The park would eventually be closed for good in August 2020 after Baskin’s legal acquisition of the property.

Following the events of Tiger King, Erik Cowie would return to the public eye again for Netflix’s follow-up reunion. Cowie appeared to be in a good place and had even gotten his teeth fixed (after viewers assumed his missing teeth were the result of drug use). While speaking with host Joel McHale, the keeper stated that his loyalty remained to the animals he cared for and not his former employer. He would even go on to declare that Joe Exotic would die in prison.

More recently, the former zoo employee had experienced some legal problems, as he was arrested in Oklahoma earlier this year for DUI following a car accident. He would later plead guilty and was set for sentencing, though he never appeared in court.

Erik Cowie was introduced very early in the Tiger King documentary. The candid zoo employee explained that when he first arrived at Joe Exotic’s Oklahoma compound, he was on “kind of the end of my ropes.” He went on to say that he found out about the zoo position through Craigslist and soon took a liking to doing shows with tigers.

We here at CinemaBlend extend our thoughts to the loved ones of Erik Cowie at this time.

Truth is stranger than fiction, and that was certainly proven with Netflix’s hit 2020 docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness. But that fact hasn’t stopped filmmakers from wanting to fictionalize the weird world of big cat enthusiasts Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. The Kate McKinnon-backed scripted series Joe Exotic, which will stream exclusively on Peacock, is just one of several follow-up projects to center around the self-proclaimed “redneck, gun-toting, mullet-sporting, tiger-tackling gay polygamist.” (Amazon also has a scripted series in development, with Nicholas Cage set to star as Joe Exotic.)

Peacock’s Joe Exotic is based on the Wondery podcast Over My Dead Body, whose second season explores the world of big cat owners Joe Exotic (real name: Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage) and his nemesis Carole Baskin. Even if there weren't tigers involved, this was a story worth telling — from Baskin's questionable past to Joe Exotic's flamboyant lifestyle, and the rivalry that ended in a prison sentence - and the podcast drew acclaim from listeners and Baskin herself for its more objective perspective. Aside from Kate McKinnon, who will co-star as the aforementioned nemesis, plenty of well-known names are attached to portray the Tiger King's crew. Let’s take a look at an updated list of confirmed cast members for the highly anticipated streaming series Joe Exotic.

John Cameron Mitchell (Joe Exotic)

A star of stage and screen, John Cameron Mitchell will play the ostentatious title character, Joe Exotic, and Mitchell's spicy career seems appropriate for the role. Mitchell co-wrote and starred in the Off-Broadway hit Hedwig and the Angry Itch, and also directed and starred in the film version. Along with multiple theater roles both on Broadway and otherwise, Mitchell directed Rabbit Hole in 2010, starring Nicole Kidman. He’s directed music videos for Bright Eyes and Sigur Ros, as well as episodes of Nurse Jackie and GLOW. As an actor, Mitchell plays Gabe Parrish on the Hulu series Shrill and has had recurring roles on Girls and The Good Fight. He can also currently be heard on Anthem: Homunculus, a dark, musical podcast. Playing Joe Exotic will be a walk in the park for Mitchell.

Kate McKinnon (Carole Baskin)

Kate McKinnon, known for making us laugh as a longtime member of Saturday Night Live, will take on the role of Carole Baskin, the head of Big Cat Rescue with a possibly scandalous past who got caught up in a dangerous rivalry with Joe Exotic. McKinnon’s sketch comedy pre-dates SNL, as she was part of the original cast of The Big Gay Sketch Show. She is also known for co-starring in the 2016 remake of Ghostbusters, and has has built up a solid voice work career with multiple projects including The Angry Birds Movie, The Venture Bros., Finding Dory and voicing Ms. Frizzle on The Magic School Bus Rides Again.

Sam Keeley (John Finlay)

John Finlay, the ex-husband of Joe Exotic who became as famous for his gap-tooth smile as his relationship with the Tiger King, will be portrayed by Sam Keeley. The role seems like a departure for the Irish actor, who played Cooper Roback on the military drama 68 Whiskey and can also be found on the British sports drama The English Game on Netflix. But Keeley has done films of all genres, including historical action (In the Heart of the Sea), sci-fi (Monsters: Dark Continent) and horror (The Cured), so it’ll be interesting to see how Keeley embodies the animal lover.

Dennis Quaid (Rick Kirkham)

Rick Kirkham, the producer of Joe Exotic TV who witnessed (if not outright enabled) many of Joe Exotic's antics, is surely interesting enough to lead his own biographical series, so it's fitting that colorful Hollywood legend Dennis Quaid will play him in the Peacock series. Quaid has played a number of significant roles across genres, including A Dog's Journey and A Dog's Purpose as Ethan, The Parent Trap, The Rookie, Any Given Sunday, The Right Stuff and The Big Easy. The actor's mastery of comedy and drama, combined with some antics of his own, should lend themselves well to the world of Joe Exotic.

Brian Van Holt (John Reinke)

John Reinke, who lost both of his legs in a non-tiger-related accident, played a big part in Joe Exotic's story as a manager at the G.W. Zoo, and it will be Brian Van Holt portraying him on the TV series. Van Holt was most recently seen on the Fox drama Deputy as Cade Ward, but may be better known for his role as Bobby Cobb on the ABC sitcom Cougar Town. He is also known for his dual role in the 2005 thriller House of Wax, and along with being part of Ascension's main cast and recurring on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Van Holt has appeared on hit shows including Sons of Anarchy, CSI: Crime Scene Investigators and Burn Notice.

Nat Wolff (Travis Maldonado)

Nat Wolff will play another of Joe Exotic's husbands with the role of Travis Maldonado, whose drug abuse and tragic death were detailed in an episode of Netflix’s Tiger King docuseries. Wolff got his start as part of The Naked Brothers Band, a Nickelodeon series co-starring his brother Alex. He is also well-known for his roles in two John Green teen film adaptations, Paper Towns and The Fault in Our Stars, as well as for his role as Jeremiah in Admission alongside Tina Fey and Paul Rudd. Most recently Wolff played Lloyd Henreid on the CBS All-Access mini-series The Stand.

It'll be interesting to see how some of these stranger-than-fiction stories will be handled in the Peacock scripted series, particularly when it comes to the more sensitive subjects like Travis Maldonado's death and the multiple animal abuse allegations. But with the popularity surrounding the big cat sanctuaries and their staff, it's sure to draw an audience, which will no doubt also be taken in by Kate McKinnon and the rest of this stellar ensemble cast. There's no doubt Joe Exotic will be entertaining in one way or another, but while waiting for first-look images and trailers, be sure to check out everything coming to 2021 summer TV!

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In March 2020, there was one pop culture thing on everyone’s minds: Tiger King. The Netflix docuseries, which became an “out of left field” success was watched by as many as 34 million unique viewers when it was first launched, just as everyone was beginning to shelter in place. Tiger King fever quickly became the subject of numerous potential adaptations, including the upcoming Joe Exotic TV show starring Saturday Night Live mainstay Kate McKinnon.

The upcoming Peacock limited series, which currently has a working title of Joe Exotic, will one day come to NBCUniversal’s streaming service, bringing with it a star-studded cast with the unenviable task of faithfully portraying some of the most colorful and hard-to-believe-they’re-real grifters and drifters the world has seen in quite some time. And, even though we don’t yet know how the limited series will compare to the Netflix series or even the podcast on which it was based, what we do know is that the show sounds just as crazy as you’d expect…

Kate McKinnon, John Cameron Mitchell, Nat Wolff And Dennis Quaid Lead The Joe Exotic Cast

When Joe Exotic launches on Peacock (hopefully with the same momentum as Netflix’s Tiger King), it will feature an impressive cast of actors taking on some of the more larger-than-life characters involved in the world of big cats and the years-long feud between Carole Baskin and Joe “Exotic” Maldonado-Passage, one which could have potentially led to murder. According to Deadline, Kate McKinnon is set to take on the role of big cat enthusiast Baskin, with John Cameron Mitchell portraying her charismatic and unique adversary. Nat Wolff and Sam Kelly will be playing two of Exotic’s husbands: Travis Maldonado and John Finlay, respectively. Dennis Quaid will step in as Rick Kirham, Exotic’s reality show producer, and Brian Van Holt will take on the role of John Reinke, one of the less wild figures in the Netflix docuseries.

The Peacock Limited Series Will Center On The Years-Long Feud Between Carole Baskin And Joe Exotic

When Joe Exotic was first announced in April 2020, NBCUniversal revealed that the Peacock limited series will center on Carole Baskin around the time she learns Joe Exotic is not only breeding big cats but also using them to make profit. What follows will be a multi-episode dramatization of the years-long feud between the two, as Baskin attempts to shut down Exotic’s various ventures, including his Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, while Exotic takes things to the next level by exposing his enemy’s checkered past.

Joe Exotic Is Based On The Wondery Podcast Of The Same Name

One thing that should be pointed out is that Joe Exotic isn’t a recreation of Netflix’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, but instead based on the 2020 Wondery Podcast series Joe Exotic: Tiger King. Created and hosted by Robert Moor, this six-part podcast takes an extremely deep dive into the life and times of Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, providing even more crazy stories which the producers of the Netflix docuseries couldn’t squeeze in during the show’s run.

Listen to Joe Exotic: Tiger King on Wondery.

Shameless Writer Etan Frankel Is Penning The Joe Exotic Limited Series

Writing the Joe Exotic series, as well as serving as an executive producer, is Etan Frankel, according to Variety. Prior to landing the writing gig for the upcoming Peacock limited series, Frankel made a name for himself penning multiple episodes for shows like Shameless, Gossip Girl, Friday Night Lights, Animal Kingdom, and the Epix adaptation series of Get Shorty. The number of episodes has yet to be revealed at this time.

Other executive producers include Kate McKinnon, and a group from Wondery consisting of Hernan Lopez, Marshall Lewy, and Aaron Hart.

The Chi’s Justin Tipping Will Direct The Joe Exotic Pilot And Additional Episodes

When Joe Exotic enters production, the first few episodes, including the show’s pilot, will be directed by Justin Tipping, according to The Hollywood Reporter. While Tipping’s name might not stick out, the shows he’s worked on in the past include a few notable series: The Chi and Black Monday from Showtime, and Netflix’s Dear White People. Tipping, who got his start with a series of short films in 2012 has since gone on to direct episodes of Flatbush Misdemeanors, Run the World, and Twenties.

Joe Exotic Will Be Exclusive To Peacock

If you want to watch Joe Exotic whenever it premieres at some point in the future, you will need to have a Peacock Premium account (as is the case with other Peacock originals) in order to do so, and that’s because it will be exclusive to the streaming platform. There was a time when the limited series was slated to air across NBCUniversal’s different platforms like NBC and USA Network, but the media conglomerate made a change of course in May 2021 when it reversed its decision. The reason for this change has been attributed to Susan Rovner, Chairman of Entertainment Content for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, who felt the nature of the show was better suited for streaming than traditional broadcast, per Deadline.

Carole Baskin Has Urged Joe Exotic’s Producers To Avoid Using Real Big Cats

Shortly after the Joe Exotic Peacock series started to build up steam in March 2020, Carole Baskin issued an open plea (via EW) to one of the show’s executive producers and main stars, Kate McKinnon, asking her to not use actual big cats during production, arguing that it would be cruel to use live animals in a show that has a large focus on the effects of animal cruelty. In the letter, Baskin also suggested McKinnon and the other producers make us of advanced CGI technology to recreate the big cats rather than forcing live animals to suffer.

Amazon Is Also Developing A Joe Exotic Limited Series, With Nicolas Cage Tapped To Portray The Tiger King

The Peacock Joe Exotic limited series isn’t the only show in the works that is centered around the star of Netflix’s docuseries. In May 2020, just when the world was coming down from the high that was Tiger King, word began to spread that another scripted series based on the life and times of Joe Exotic was in the works, this time with Nicolas Cage set to portray the zoo owner-turned-convict. The momentum kept going throughout the year, especially after Amazon acquired the rights for the show in September 2020, per Variety.

Based on the Texas Monthly article “Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild,” the Amazon series will largely focus on Joe Exotic as he becomes the over-the-top character while he loses himself in the persona he crafted over the years.

There is still a lot we don’t yet know about Joe Exotic on Peacock, including its release date, episode count, or when it will enter production. While we wait for updates, why not check out CinemaBlend’s 2021 Summer TV schedule to see when your favorite shows return to the airwaves.

Listen up, all you cool cats and kittens. If you were looking forward to seeing Saturday Night Live’s Kate McKinnon as Carole Baskin from Netflix’s Tiger King in the new scripted series, Joe Exotic, I have some bad news for you, at least if you are an old school TV subscriber. If you want to watch the new TV project, you're going to need to add a streaming service to your bill.

Joe Exotic, starring the Ghostbusters star and John Cameron Mitchell, will stream exclusively on NBCUniversal’s Peacock, according to Deadline. The bad bit of this news is that this actually reverses the company’s decision made back in August to air the series across its platforms including NBC and USA Network, opting to now air the series solely on the subscription streaming service.

The decision reportedly comes after Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming (who joined after the Kate McKinnon series was purchased) and her team saw scripts and heard more about the producers’ vision for the show. Following that, it was reportedly believed to be more suited for the streaming environment rather than traditional broadcast television. In addition to the report, Rovner explained the decision to move Joe Exotic to Peacock in a statement:

Joe Exotic is based on the second season of Wondery’s Over My Dead Body podcast. Kate McKinnon will play big cat enthusiast Carole Baskin, while Cameron Mitchell will play the Tiger King himself, Joe Exotic. In the series, Carole “learns that her fellow exotic animal lover” Joe Exotic is breeding and using his big cats for profit. She then sets out to shut it down, which will incite a rivalry between the two. However, as most know by now, Carole has a dark past of her own and “when the claws come out,” Joe will stop at nothing to expose her.

The good news? This limited series is one of multiple projects about the Tiger King folk, popularized by the Netflix docuseries. Another is in development at Amazon with Nicolas Cage as Joe Exotic. At one point, Ryan Murphy was planning a series with Rob Lowe portraying the Tiger King. Despite the docuseries coming out over a year ago, the hype is still there and will undoubtedly remain while these series are being developed. Though it will be interesting to see how the story is portrayed in fiction, since Kate McKinnon and Nicolas Cage evoke different types of performances.

Joe Exotic has been in prison for two-and-a-half years now, having being convicted for multiple violations of wildlife laws and murder for hire – and he's set to serve a lot more time if he doesn't get parole. Exotic (real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage) has made many attempts to get parole, and after former President Donald Trump let him down, he's now agreed to something he may have never imagined: work alongside his nemesis Carole Baskin.

Howard Baskin, the living husband of Carole, recently suggested the couple would support a reduction of Joe Exotic's sentence if he were to help support a new piece of legislation called the Big Cat Safety Act hoping to make a splash in Washington. Joe Exotic recently confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that he'd heard the offer, and he's on board. With that said, he had a few more things to say, both about Baskin and the proposed Big Cat Safety Act itself. Said Exotic,

It's a bold move for Joe Exotic to up the ante while still being behind bars, but the type of spirit that shows he's willing to throw his whole self behind something he's passionate about. If he could channel the fight to prove his innocence into a Big Cat bill that could prevent the exploitation of wildlife in America any further, this legislation could be passed.

All other comments aside, Joe Exotic did say he'd help, which is a big step possibly towards his release. That being said, a verbal commitment may not be enough to gain his freedom just yet, as Carole Baskin responded with the following after she was asked for comment on his offer:

Neither Joe Exotic nor Carole Baskin could make a statement without making a veiled criticism of the other, so this partnership may be easier said than done. With that said, it would be hilarious that after all his attempts the one who could finally get the star of Netflix's Tiger King out of prison is the woman he absolutely can't stand. It's a story that would almost justify a second season, just to see these two bury the hatchet.

Tiger King is currently available to binge on Netflix. As Joe Exotic fights for his freedom on the inside, his pop culture cred remains high on the outside. In fact, an actor was recently cast to play him opposite Kate McKinnon's Carole Baskin in an upcoming series.

When Netflix’s Tiger King docuseries premiered last year, it took the world by storm, effectively solidifying Joe Exotic’s place in pop culture. The former zoo owner actually proved to be so popular that a few scripted adaptations were soon greenlit. One hails from NBCUniversal and is set to star Kate McKinnon as Exotic’s rival Carole Baskin. Now, the show has found an actor to play McKinnon’s Exotic.

Actor, director and playwright John Cameron Mitchell has been tapped to play Joseph Schreibvogel (or Joe Exotic) in NBC’s upcoming Tiger King limited series, per Variety. As of this writing, Mitchell and McKinnon are the only cast members to be confirmed for the series. In addition to the report, Mitchell responded to his casting with a statement of his own:

Steven O’Neill of UCP also commented on the casting of John Cameron Mitchell. In his statement, he explained just why Mitchell was the actor to embody Joe Exotic:

John Cameron Mitchell has amassed quite a resume over the course of his career. From the ‘80s to the present, the actor has had roles in shows ranging from MacGyver and Law & Order to Girls and The Good Fight. He’s also directed on acclaimed shows like Nurse Jackie and GLOW. Of course, he’s best known for co-creating the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which first debuted in 1998. The play was later revived in 2014 and would win Mitchell the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and a 2015 Special Tony Award for his performance. He would also write, direct and star in the 2001 film adaptation of the play.

Based on his body of work, John Cameron Mitchell seems to be a good fit for the role. The actor has plenty of experience playing over-the-top characters, but he’s also shown that he can go past the theatrics and find the humanity in his characters. The fact that he can relate to some of Exotic’s life experiences will surely also help Mitchell better identify with the controversial figure.

John Cameron Mitchell won’t be the only one to take on the role of Joe Exotic within the next few years. Nicolas Cage is also set to play the incarcerated former entrepreneur in a scripted series for CBS Television. Both actors are sure to give distinct takes on Exotic, and it’ll be fun to see how they pull it off.

There were a lot of cool moments in the new Army of the Dead trailer that dropped last week, but arguably the scene stealer of the bunch was seeing a zombie tiger in the middle of Las Vegas. This tiger, whose name is Valentine, scored a lot of attention on social media following the preview’s release, and one can only imagine how hard it will be for the movie’s protagonists to take this undead creature down compared to your average zombie. But here’s the icing on the proverbial cake: Valentine is connected to a fellow piece of Netflix content: the docuseries Tiger King.

During a panel at the Justice Con virtual event this past weekend, Army of the Dead producer Deborah Snyder revealed that Valentine is based on a real tiger. The movie’s visual effects team called various animal sanctuaries to see if they could record footage of a tiger for reference, and the candidate they ultimately chose lived at a sanctuary owned by Carole Baskin, one of the major players in Tiger King. Snyder added:

You hear that, everyone? Army of the Dead was connected to Tiger King before it was cool. In all seriousness, Army of the Dead began principal photography in July 2019, eight months before Tiger King premiered on the same platform and took the world by storm. So it’s amusing to hear that Army of the Dead now finds itself tied to one of Netflix’s biggest hits. But like Deborah Snyder noted, it’s fortunate that Marcus Taormina managed to get all the video he needed of Carole Baskin’s tiger without sustaining any injuries, since that docuseries showed firsthand how dangerous those felines can be.

Directed and co-written by Deborah Snyder’s husband, Zack Snyder, Army of the Dead was first announced way back in 2007, three years after the filmmaker delivered his Dawn of the Dead remake to the public. At that time, the movie was set up at Warner Bros, but it then spent over a decade in development hell until Netflix acquired it in January 2019. Army of the Dead follows on the heels of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which premiered on HBO Max last month.

Army of the Dead follows a group of mercenaries who’ve been hired to pull off a heist in Las Vegas, which has been quarantined from the rest of the world following a zombie outbreak. The main cast includes Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omar Hardwick Ana de le Reguera, Theo Rossi, Hiroyuki Sanada and Tig Notaro. This is the first entry in a franchise that also includes an anime-style series called Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas and a live-action movie called Army of Thieves.

You can catch Army of the Dead on Netflix starting May 21, and naturally Tiger King is still available on the streaming service should you wish to delve back into that insanity. Those of you wondering what movies will play in theaters later this year should look through our upcoming 2021 movies schedule.

In the lead up to President Trump’s final days in office, there was a lot of speculation around potential federal pardons and who he might hand them out to. One of the names repeatedly floated was Tiger King lead Joe Exotic. Unfortunately for the reality star, however, the list of nearly 150 people dropped, and he was not on it. Never one to keep his thoughts to himself, the reality star took to Twitter to talk about what happened and explain why he thinks he didn’t get pardoned.

Even by Joe Exotic standards, the post dropped on an account alleged to belong to the Tiger King is pretty juicy. In it, he calls out Donald Trump Jr, says he was used for social media boosting and claims he’s “too innocent” and “too gay” to deserve a pardon. You can check out the whole tweet below…

Joe Exotic, or Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage as he’s legally known, became a local celebrity in Oklahoma where he owned a zoo, unsuccessfully ran for Governor and put on various animal shows. He was eventually tried and convicted on murder for hire and animal abuse charges after a multi-year feud with the owner of a animal sanctuary named Carole Baskin with her own shady backstory. The subsequent Netflix documentary, called Tiger King, became a cultural phenomenon and shot everyone involved to immediate fame.

Riding the incredible publicity, Joe Exotic publicly called for his own release, and his team of lawyers went to Washington DC to petition for a pardon. Donald Trump Jr seemed to be receptive to at least listening and mentioned the case on social media, and his lawyers even hired a limousine to take him home when the pardon came through. Unfortunately it never did and now both Exotic himself and Tiger King fans are wondering what happened, especially after President Trump pardoned several other high profile individuals including Lil Wayne and Kodak Black.

Exotic was arrested in September of 2018 and eventually sentenced to 22 years in prison after one of his acquaintances turned government informant and recorded him talking about hiring a hitman to murder Baskin. He claims he never followed through with the money and was just talking. The government obviously disagreed.

Even if he gets out for good behavior, he could be looking at another decade or more behind bars and may not be released until he’s in his 70s or even 80s. No doubt that’s torture for a natural showman like Exotic who loves the stage and attention. He would have absolutely cherished his newfound celebrity status and found his way onto every talk show imaginable. Instead, most of those appearances have gone to his longtime rival Carole Baskin, though he can at least take solace in the fact that her run on Dancing With The Stars only resulted in a fourteenth place finish.

We certainly didn't get to see a lot of movies in theaters in 2020, but while we have all been home in various stages of quarantine since the beginning of the year, there have been countless documentaries and docuseries on various streaming services and premium cable channels to help expand our horizons and give us an escape for a short period of time. Over the course of the past 12 months, we've seen series like HBO's I'll Be Gone in the Dark, The Last Dance, and Tiger King, as well as feature-length documentaries like Beastie Boys Story and Jasper Mall.

If there were a golden age of non-fiction storytelling, it would be now thanks in part to all of the outstanding films and series that have been released this year. But with so many out there, keeping track of them all is no easy task. Fret not because here is a list of more than a dozen of the best of what the world of documentaries and docuseries had to offer in 2020.

I'll Be Gone In The Dark (HBO)

The HBO docuseries I'll Be Gone in the Dark is really two stories wrapped into one six-part docuseries centered on the crimes and capture of the Golden State Killer, a former police officer who preyed on dozens of victims in various locations throughout California during the second half of the 20th Century. On one hand, you have interviews with survivors and families of the victims of the Golden State Killer, but on the other you have an emotional and riveting story of the late Michelle McNamara, the obsessive true-crime writer who wrote the book on which the series was named. Sadly, McNamara never got to see her work (both the book and the capture of her subject) come to fruition before her April 2016 death.

Jasper Mall (Amazon)

Once you get past the irony of Amazon distributing a documentary about a dying mall in small town in Alabama, the 2020 film Jasper Mall is one of the best titles on this list and Prime Video, for that matter. Over the course of a year, Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb popped into the once-booming mall just outside of Birmingham, Alabama, to document its employees (specifically Mike McClelland, the mall's superintendent and the driving force to keep the place open) and visitors who do everything from shop, eat, watch gospel concerts, and play dominos. Each little vignette is filmed at a different point throughout the year, which does a remarkable job of showing the mall's fight for survival in a dying town seemingly forgotten by time.

The Social Dilemma (Netflix)

There have been few documentaries that have affected me as much as the 2020 Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma. This enlightening yet terrifying documentary breaks down how social media companies (most notably Facebook and Google) prey on its users and get them addicted to the platforms so they can continue to mine their data as well as influence their behaviors. And with an unusual setup of having a standard documentary with a scripted short film highlighting what the various psychologists, sociologists, and former tech engineers are saying, the documentary does a tremendous job of illustrating issues with social media.

Beastie Boys Story (Apple TV+)

One of the biggest draws to Apple TV+ in 2020 was the premiere of Spike Jonze's live documentary experience Beastie Boys Story which featured surviving members Adam "Ad Rock Horovitz and Michael "Mike D" Diamond taking a theater full of Bestie Boys fans through the group's nearly 40-year history and the unbreakable bond they formed along the way.

Over the course of the nearly two-hour documentary/two-man show/Q&A panel, Ad Rock and Mike D tell stories from the road, their final show at Bonnaroo 2009, and the impact that Adam "MCA" Yauch had on them and continues to have on them eight years after he succumbed to cancer on May 4, 2012. Anyone one grew up with Beastie Boys cannot miss this hilarious, emotional, and engaging experience.

Totally Under Control (Hulu)

Years from now when people look back on the year 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic will be one of the first things they learn about. The ongoing public health crisis has affected essentially everyone on the planet and no industry has been left untouched. But a lot of great documentaries about the pandemic and the way it has reshaped society, including the Hulu film Totally Under Control, which does a great job of breaking down the United States federal government's response to the crisis at various stages throughout the year. There are more in-depth documentaries that focus on certain topics or areas, but Totally Under Control is perfect for anyone wanting a more general look at the health crisis and its toll on society.

The Vow (HBO)

There are few outlets (both streaming and traditional television) that released as many great documentaries and docuseries in 2020 than HBO, and one of the biggest of those films was The Vow, a nine-part series on the cult NXIVM, it's leader Keith Raniere, and the various members who broke free of the organization and attempted to get as many people out before too much damage could be done. Each episode focuses on a different aspect of the story as things grow from a group putting on self-help seminars in hotel conference rooms to a global organization whose leaders are serving extended stints in prison due to various crimes committed under their guidance over the years.

The Last Dance (ESPN/Netflix)

Back in April 2020 when everyone was looking for new and fresh content to watch (especially sports), ESPN and Netflix elected to release its 10-episode limited series about the dominant 1990s Chicago Bulls dynasty earlier than expected. The Last Dance, which featured in-depth interviews with everyone from Michael Jordan to Barack Obama to the late Kobe Bryant offered and unparalleled look at the life and careers of some of the Bulls' biggest names that was intertwined with the 1996-1997 season where the team won its sixth NBA Finals Championship.

More than sports, however, The Last Dance touches on the culture of the era and just how significant Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and the rest of the historic squad were to everyone from all walks of life.

Heaven's Gate: The Cult Of Cults (HBO Max)

Before watching Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults on HBO Max in early December 2020, I thought I knew all there was to know about that "crazy UFO cult" who committed mass suicide in order to be picked up by an alien spacecraft in March 1997, but that was far from the case. This four-part docuseries detailing the infamous cult's demise, also sheds light on the human side of the story through interviews with surviving members and the families of those either started the cult or took part in the group's final act at a spacious southern California mansion 23 years ago. This engaging and informative documentary doesn't attempt to justify the actions of Heaven's Gate, but attempts to tell the story that didn't make the news clips on the major evening news shows.

40 Years A Prisoner (HBO)

One of the main purposes of a documentary is to shed light on a subject or event that most people watching don't know about or don't fully understand, and that's very much the case with Tommy Oliver's 2020 documentary 40 Years a Prisoner, which focuses on the 1978 raid by the Philadelphia Police Department on the radical group MOVE that resulted in the death of an officer and extended prison terms by members of the group. Through archival footage and eyewitness interviews, Oliver tells the story of that fateful day as well as the struggle decades later by Mike Africa Jr., the son of two MOVE members convicted of the murder, as he seeks out the truth of what really happened.

Tiger King (Netflix)

There was nothing (well, besides Animal Crossing and pizza delivery) that got me through the first couple of weeks of quarantine than the Netflix dumpster fire that is Tiger King. The seven-part docuseries chronicling the rise and fall of Joe Exotic, aka the Tiger King, his nemesis Carole Baskin, and the rest of the grifters and drifters who took up residence in their solar system of big cats, murder for hire plots, and general insanity gave everyone a much-needed escape in March. Hopefully there's a part two considering how this story continues to go off the rails with each passing month.

American Murder: The Family Next Door (Netflix)

Another documentary that made the case for Netflix having the best year of all the streamers out there is American Murder: The Family Next Door, which was viewed by a staggering 52 million subscribers in the first 28 days of release back in September 2020. The documentary covering the disappearance and murder of Shanann Watts and her two young daughters (and unborn son) by her husband Chris Watts didn't hold back in its coverage of the grisly crimes committed by a man who seemed to a loving husband and father. And while it's sometimes hard to watch what is being shown in the documentary, the film's exploration of man in crisis and the fallout is worth a watch.

Atlanta's Missing And Murdered: The Lost Children (HBO)

Mindhunter Season 2 did a great job of incorporating the story of the Atlanta child murders that took place in the southern metropolis in the early 1980s, but there is only so much you can do in a scripted series that also touches on a great deal of other serial killers and landmark cases. That's where the 2020 HBO documentary Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children comes in. This five-part docuseries took a deep dive not only into the abductions and murders of all those young lives, but also the way in which the cultural and political divides of the city and its surrounding areas allowed for something like to happen in the first place.

Challenger: The Final Flight (Netflix)

The Challenger disaster of January 1986 remains one of the most memorable and unsettling events to unfold on live television in the United States, and the recent Netflix four-part documentary Challenger: The Final Flight does an amazing job of telling the story of the doomed shuttle, its crew members, and the aftermath of the event that grounded the space shuttle program for nearly three years. The series has a steady pace leading up to the morning of January 28, 1986, and is followed by a detailed account of commission tasked with figuring out what went wrong and how it was allowed to happen.

Miss Americana (Netflix)

Then there is the Taylor Swift Netflix documentary Miss Americana which welcomed fans into the life, mind, and heart of one of the most successful musicians and pop icons of the modern era. The 85-minute film follows Taylor Swift over the course of several years of her career and combines interviews, concert footage, and unparalleled access to recording sessions from the creation of her Reputation and Lover albums. The documentary also shows a raw and exposed version of the pop star that few outside of her close circle of family, friends, and creative partners have seen before. It's a must-watch for T. Swift fans as well as those who want to better understand one of the biggest names in music.

Those are just a few of the great documentaries and docuseries that came out in 2020. There were other greats like Netflix's Dick Johnson is Dead, The Reagans on Showtime, and countless others that all found various levels of success this year. Do you have a favorite documentary or docuseries that came out this year? If so, sound off in the comments below.

Working with wild animals means a lot of unknowns. We saw this previously in 2020 when Tiger King first hit Netflix and shared the story of Joe Exotic’s G.W. Zoo staffer Saffery and how she lost her arm during a gruesome accident in the now-defunct park. Now, Exotic’s rival Carole Baskin saw a volunteer deal with a tiger attack in a similar manner at her Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida.

News broke this week that Big Cat Rescue saw a tiger take a bite out of one of Carole Baskin’s longtime volunteers at Big Cat Rescue. According to reports, Candy Couser stuck her hand into Kima the tigers’ enclosure in order to open the cage for feeding time and Kimba decided her hand looked like a better meal.

In fact, per TMZ, Kimba bit down hard on Candy Couser’s hand and then began “thrashing,” a move which caused Candy Couser’s arm to nearly get “torn off at the shoulder.” Three employees were on hand after the accident happened and were able to apply a tourniquet and staunch the bleeding until Hillsborough Fire Rescue was on the scene about 15 minutes after they got the 8:30 a.m. call.

As noted prior, this isn’t the first time that a tiger at one of the animal sanctuaries spotlighted during Netflix’s popular Tiger King docuseries has gotten violent. During the events of Tiger King itself, G.W. Zoo staffer Saffery also suffered a similar injury. When he went to the hospital, Saffery was given the choice to go through two years of surgery or amputate, ultimately choosing the latter so he could get back to work. Tiger King spoke with Saffery and goes deep into the story during the Netflix doc.

At Carole Baskin’s rescue center, most of the people working under Baskin and her husband -- the one who's not missing -- are volunteers. As detailed in the documentary, volunteers who have been around for different periods of times wear different colored shirts. Candy Couser seems to be a “green shirt” member of Carole Baskin’s staff, which means she is a “Senior Keeper,” according to the lingo the staff uses.

This means she volunteers regularly, has experience at the zoo and has been working at the Big Cat Rescue for at least four years. Green shirts are trained and allowed to work with the big cats, while people with less experience often work with animals like lynxes or in the gift shop.

According to a statement from Big Cat rescue, the volunteer does not want Kimba harmed, though she will be quarantined for 30 days as a precaution. The reason the attack allegedly happened, according to the Baskin family, is because safety protocols were not properly regarded and Candy Couser was not abiding by rules about unclipping a second gate when Kimba latched onto her arm:

In this case, it sounds like Candy Couser may keep her arm and her life, which sounds like a lucky break. Being the victim of a tiger attack is no joke and we hope she recovers in good spirits in the coming weeks.

It seems like a lifetime ago that we first feasted our eyes on Netflix’s Tiger King and learned of the bitter feud between former zoo owner Joe Exotic (whose actual name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage) and activist Carole Baskin. The rivalry reached a major turning point when Exotic was arrested on numerous charges, including two counts of murder-for-hire. Exotic, who is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence, is still hoping to get out and is currently aiming to get a pardon from President Trump and, now, Carole Baskin has weighed in on the matter.

Carole Baskin didn’t hold back when discussing the situation, saying that she can’t see why someone would see fit to release Joe Exotic from prison early. For her, the charges against Exotic are reasons why he shouldn’t be pardoned:

Based on her comments to The Morning Show, it doesn’t sound like Carole Baskin doesn’t care for the idea of Joe Exotic being released from prison early. As of right now, it’s unclear as to whether or not Exotic will actually get his wish.

Joe Exotic has been quite vocal during his incarceration. The Tiger King star gave an interview earlier in the year in which he declared that prison hadn’t made him any less “crazy.” He’s also expressed concerns about his health, especially since he was put in quarantine during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Exotic, who says he suffers from several lingering ailments, expressed fears for his life. At one point, he even claimed that he would be “dead in 2-3 months.” Despite all of this, Exotic is still feeling good about his chances of getting a pardon.

Meanwhile, Carole Baskin actually gained control of Exotic’s former G.W. Exotic Animal Memorial Park after he failed to pay Baskin $1 million owed to her in a trademark infringement dispute. Baskin was also recently a contestant on Season 29 of Dancing with the Stars, and her inclusion managed to drum up a bit of controversy. She’s also dealing with a legal battle, as she’s being sued for defamation by the family of her late husband, Don Lewis.

It can honestly be said that the Tiger King saga just keeps getting wilder as time goes on. It remains to be seen how things pan out for both Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin in their respective legal situations, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted.

And if you still haven’t seen Netflix’s Tiger King, you can do so by streaming it on Netflix.

Is Joe Exotic about to be a free man? The Tiger King star is reportedly feeling pretty confident that he is going to get out of prison soon. If you were one of the tens of millions of people who watched Netflix’s smash hit docuseries, you know that Joe Exotic is currently serving time in federal prison. Is that almost behind him, though? Exotic thinks it might be.

There is a reason why. Joe Exotic’s team reportedly believes that he may be on the verge of getting pardoned by President Donald Trump. The leader of the effort to get Exotic out of prison, Eric Love, told TMZ that the team received calls from Washington D.C. regarding a pardon. The news comes a few months after Joe Exotic argued he was two to three months from death.

Cut to November, and Joe Exotic is still alive and hopeful that his time in prison could be ending. In fact, his team is reportedly feeling so good about it that they have a Dodge Ram pickup truck stretch limo on standby to pick up Joe Exotic if the pardon comes through. As of now, Exotic is serving a 22-year sentence for numerous counts.

At 57-years-old, Joe Exotic’s current sentence puts him getting out of prison in his late 70s, which is potentially a near-life sentence. Exotic’s life in prison has reportedly included getting quarantined in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. News of a potential presidential pardon also comes after Joe Exotic launched a civil rights lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Federal Wildlife Service.

The Tiger King star dropped the suit earlier this summer with the possibility of revitalizing it, per The Oklahoman. As for the presidential pardon, inquiring minds will undoubtedly want to stand by to see if it happens. Can you imagine the hubbub if it did? It would be a sight that Tiger King’s cameras would undoubtedly want to capture, perhaps warranting another bonus episode beyond the virtual cast reunion from earlier this year.

Joe Exotic’s wild year has seen him become a household name following the massive success of the Tiger King docuseries. In an interview released earlier this year by Netflix, he laughed despite being in prison. As mentioned up above, Exotic indicated a decline that he believed had put him within months of dying. Meanwhile, Nicolas Cage is readying to play Exotic in a television adaptation for Amazon.

Will Nicolas Cage end up playing a man who has gone free from prison by the time the series comes out? Stay tuned. There could be movement either way soon. As for Joe Exotic’s arch-nemesis, Carole Baskin, she competed on Dancing with the Stars and was sued by the family of her mysteriously vanished husband. Baskin was voted off in Week 3 but not before some non-ballroom drama during the commercials.

The family of Carole Baskin’s missing husband aired an ad during her Dancing with the Stars debut. As for Joe Exotic, he remains behind bars for now. The following months could prove crucial to his bid for a presidential pardon. You can stream Tiger King on Netflix, where the docuseries has been among the streaming giant’s 2020 premieres. While you wait to see if Joe Exotic gets out of prison, peruse 2021’s winter/spring schedule.

Halloween is upon us and, with it, comes a cavalcade of costumes from folks across social media. Of course, general social media users aren’t the only ones who share their holiday looks, as celebrities also enjoy getting in on the fun. 2019 was a year that was filled with notable Halloween outfits, including Gabrielle Union’s Bring It On-inspired mother-daughter costumes. Of course, the Kardashian-Jenner family typically joins the festivities, and Kim Kardashian chose to be Tiger King’s Carole Baskin this year. The result is something that may not leave your brain immediately.

Kim Kardashian recently posted a Halloween snapshot of her in costume as Tiger King alum Carole Baskin. In the image, she’s also joined by longtime friend Jonathan Cheban, who assumed the role of Joe Exotic, and her four kids, who are dressed as tiger cubs. You can check out the image for yourself down below:

Is it weird that whenever I see Carole Baskin moving forward, I’ll probably just be thinking about Kim Kardashian’s take on her look? Yeah… it’s weird. Though that still doesn’t change the fact that Kardashian’s costume is spot-on. With Tiger King mania having hit the world earlier this year, it was only natural that the craze would find its way into the Halloween season through costumes, even though some were dressing like Tiger King alums way before October.

Kim Kardashian will soon be followed by others who are set to embody Carole Baskin, although these people will be playing her on either film or television. SNL fan favorite Kate McKinnon is set to play Carole Baskin on NBC’s Tiger King series, which honestly sounds like perfect casting. Meanwhile, Baskin is also set to be portrayed in a big-screen adaptation, with the producers reportedly eyeing Tara Reid, another solid casting choice. Now, I’m wondering how Kim Kardashian would play the character in a TV or film project.

While that more than likely won’t be happening, Kim Kardashian has had other reasons to celebrate as of late. The reality TV star just had her 40th birthday, which was a throwback to many of her past birthday bashes.

And of course, she marked the occasion in the most Kim Kardashian way possible. She posted a photo of herself in a bikini, declaring “This is 40!” We’d expect nothing less from the starlet, who will also be saying goodbye to her long-running reality TV show very soon.

Kim Kardashian’s take on Carole Baskin is only one of many costumes that we’ll likely see before Halloween weekend is over. There’s no telling who celebrities will choose to dress up as, but you can bet they’re going to bring their A-games just like everyone else.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more news from the world of TV and movies.

The disappearance of Carole Baskin’s first husband, Don Lewis, was one of the various topics that was covered in Netflix’s Tiger King docuseries. In the doc, Lewis’ family expressed skepticism regarding his whereabouts and accused Baskin of having a hand in his disappearance. Recently, the family debuted a commercial, which aired during Dancing with the Stars (on which Baskin is a contestant this season).

In the commercial, Lewis’ daughters and former assistant made an appeal to the public for information regarding his disappearance and Baskin’s suspected involvement. Now, the family has taken things a step further by suing Baskin.

Don Lewis’ family is suing Carole Basking for defamation. According to court documents (via ET), Lewis’ three daughters, Gale, Lynda and Donna, and former assistant Anne McQueen allege that Baskin was “complicit with jokes” regarding Lewis’ death while competing on Dancing with the Stars. The family believes Baskin did not make attempts to shoot down or condemn the comments made on the show.

The family’s lawsuit also claims that Carole Baskin was also complicit with jokes that were made about Lewis during a recent Good Morning America interview. The statement in question was a remark made by Baskin, who said she’d “really kill it next week” on DWTS. In a statement to the trade, Jon Phillips, the Lewis family’s attorney, explained that this defamation lawsuit was filed as Baskin settled a libel and slander claim with Anne McQueen which goes back to 1998. Baskin ultimately paid $50,000 in the settlement. Phillips also chastised Dancing with the Stars producers for allegedly making jokes as well.

Court documents also claim that Carole Baskin has recently published new information about her relationship with Don Lewis through videos that Baskin claims are from the past. Phillips alleges that Baskin used Tiger King as “a springboard” for exposure and that she’s currently using the videos to do the same. He says this is why Lewis’ family chose to take action:

This is far from the first legal battle Carole Baskin has been involved with in recent years. Earlier this summer, a federal judge granted her full control of Joe Exotic’s G.W. Exotic Animal Memorial Park. Baskin had previously engaged in a trademark infringement lawsuit with Exotic. The court ultimately ruled in her favor and required Exotic to pay her a sum of $1 million, though he reportedly never paid the full amount.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more news from the world of TV and movies.

Dancing with the Stars got off to a (tiger) roaring start with Carole Baskin taking center stage, as the Tiger King subject performed the Paso Doble to no less than Survivor’s apropos “Eye of the Tiger” with her pro-partner Pasha Pashkov. Not too far from the eye of last night’s premiere was the family of Baskin’s missing husband Don Lewis, who set up a damning commercial to air on ABC during her DWTS debut.

Don Lewis' family did not want Dancing with the Stars viewers to get caught up in the excitement of Season 29 so much that they forgot the mystery surrounding competitor Carole Baskin’s missing husband. Lewis’ daughters, as well as his former assistant, gathered to film a commercial that asked for the public’s help in procuring information regarding Lewis’ disappearance and Baskin’s possible involvement. Check it out below:

In the video, Don Lewis’ daughters Gale, Lynda and Donna make a point to remind the public about the $100,000 reward being offered for information regarding the high-profile case. In a cold case worthy of Unsolved Mysteries, Lewis vanished back in 1997, with many suspicious that he was killed and his remains were eaten by tigers. Carole Baskin’s participation as a contestant in Dancing with the Stars created new fame for the animal advocate and activist, and Don Lewis’ family utilized it to shine a light on their dad’s case.

Before this unexpected Dancing with the Stars commercial, the Lewis family’s plight and the surrounding mystery were covered extensively in the Netflix docuseries, Tiger King. Earlier this year, the phenomenon surrounding Tiger King reignited the public’s interest in Don Lewis’ disappearance and questions that have been floating around for the 23 years since. In the docuseries, Lewis’ family openly shared their suspicions about Baskin’s involvement in the case.

Not too long after Tiger King’s release, the local sheriff revealed he was looking into new leads in the missing persons’ case. That was back in spring, and so far, no charges have gotten brought up concerning Don Lewis’ disappearance. Carole Baskin’s life definitely changed after it aired, as she attracted tons of attention, both positive and negative, with her Dancing with the Stars debut obviously among her more recent activities. Meanwhile, accusations have continued to fly.

Don Lewis’ former attorney, Joseph Fritz, alleged that Carole Baskin had forged Lewis’ signature to take control of Lewis’ money. Despite that, Baskin is not letting the accusations cause her to avoid the spotlight, even if she probably won't be taking the Mirrorball trophy home. In her Dancing with the Stars debut, Baskin and her pro-partner scored 11 points out of a possible 30 for the duo’s Paso Doble.

It'll be interesting to see whether the commercial commissioned by Don Lewis' daughters actually leads to any breaks in the investigation. Dancing with the Stars has traditionally garnered a large audience, so the appeal garnered considerable visibility. Plus, it is also on YouTube, where it has already garnered over 100,000 views (as of this writing). Stay tuned to see what happens.

You can keep watching to see if more commercials from the family of Carole Baskin’s missing husband air during Dancing with the Stars when Season 29 continues next Monday, September 21, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. In the meantime, check out what other shows are waltzing onto this fall’s schedule.

Carole Baskin came into her spot in the limelight following her appearances in Netflix’s docuseries Tiger King, and became a household name thanks to her rivalry with Joe Exotic, her obsession with big cats, and the rumors surrounding the circumstances of her husband’s death. Baskin has moved on to new things now and will be taking to the stage in Season 29 of Dancing with the Stars, and in a very on-brand move, her first number will absolutely involve a tiger.

Dancing with the Stars won’t be the first time audiences have seen Carole Baskin dance, but it will be the first time it'll be done in a professional and competitive setting. In the past, Baskin has always made it a point to include tigers in some way — be it by wearing a tiger-print onesie, shirts, jewelry, etc. — and Dancing with the Stars will be no different in that regard. Speaking with EW, Baskin revealed exactly how she will be incorporating tigers into her first performance, which will be the paso doble. Here’s what she said:

Performing the paso doble to “Eye of the Tiger” is very fitting for the owner of Big Cat Rescue. Her requests for costuming are quite specific, and she clearly won't be dressed as a bird in a motorcycle gang, but it sure sounds like animal print could still be an option for use in her outfit. We won’t get to see Carole Baskin’s performance until next week, but I’d wager that it’ll be a roaring good time.

Ahead of the performance reveal, Carole Baskin appeared on Good Morning America alongside the rest of the Season 29 cast and didn’t shy away from discussing Tiger King. Considering all the negative attention she still gets from how she was portrayed, Baskin didn’t have any kind words, and accused the docuseries of glamorizing animal abusers and villainizing her in the process. My guess is that she’ll use her frustration with the Netflix show and channel it into her paso doble, a dance which is purposeful and fueled by emotion. Even without a live audience to cheer her on, having Rocky's theme pumping through the speakers could definitely be inspirational.

In addition to Carole Baskin, the Dancing with the Stars Season 29 cast includes Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean, Nelly, One Day At a Time’s Justina Machado, figure skater Johnny Weir, Skai Jackson, and Cheer’s Monica Aldama, among several others. Between the cast, Tyra Banks taking over in place of ousted hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews, and a new judge, I'm not lion when I say I think Season 29 will be quite an interesting one.

Dancing with the Stars Season 29 is set to premiere on Monday, September 14 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC. For more on what to watch, be sure to check out our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule for options.

Thankfully, several TV shows have been able to go back into production so that we can enjoy at least some of our expected content this fall. One of the most anticipated shows is always Dancing with the Stars, and the new lineup of competitors was just announced with great (virtual) fanfare, giving fans a lot of exciting surprises for the upcoming season. Tiger King's Carole Baskin will be joining the fray this year, on a season which is already set to be full of big changes, and she's now given her blunt thoughts about fans of the Netflix docuseries after her DWTS casting.

There have truly been some major pop culture moments this year, despite the big break and many letdowns the entertainment industry has seen over the past several months. Among those major events was the release of Tiger King, which introduced many of us to the crazy true stories of Joe Exotic, Carole Baskin and the wild world of roadside zoos and the people who try to stop those zoos and the animal abuses they believe happen at many of them.

While Joe Exotic is the one who ended up in prison not long after the events shown in the series, Baskin got (and is still getting) a lot of negative attention herself. While participating in the cast reveal for Dancing with the Stars on Good Morning America earlier this week, Baskin was asked what this year has been like for her once people watched Tiger King, and the head cool cat had some very blunt things to say:

Well, it's pretty hard to dispute Carole Baskin's main point here, which was that she felt "villainized" while Joe Exotic and some of the other roadside zoo owners shown in Tiger King were "glamorized," even though Exotic is the one went to prison, partially for trying to have Baskin killed, and is clearly not great at making good decisions (at the very least). While big-cat activist and sanctuary owner Baskin should have been an easy one to see as a hero in the series, there were, of course, some pretty big things standing in the way of most viewers forming such an opinion.

For one thing, as much as we all came to realize that a lot of the things that went on at Exotic's zoo, both with the animals and with the people who worked there (and in his personal life) were less than great, he's a much flashier and wilder real-life character than Baskin, so a lot of people were more easily drawn to him. There are also a lot of viewers who feel like Baskin's rescue efforts and the resulting sanctuary aren't much different than the roadside zoos she's been working to shutdown for so many years.

On top of all that, of course, are the many questions surrounding the disappearance and possible death of Carole Baskin's former husband, Don Lewis, which was a big plot of the docuseries, especially because Joe Exotic openly accused her of murdering Lewis in the show. And, as we know, there are still some shady details about his disappearance (which do sometimes involve Baskin) which continue to come to light.

Speaking of light, Baskin was asked if she's hoping that appearing on Dancing with the Stars will let people see her in a new light, after having so many suspicions about her because of Tiger King, and Baskin answered:

Whatever your thoughts on Carole Baskin, the animals do seem to be her main focus with all she does, so I fully expect to see a lot of fake tiger, leopard and other big cat prints during her performances on Dancing with the Stars, along with a stuffed animal or two. Baskin might not have made it into that Justin Bieber music video, but she's, arguably, scored herself a much bigger audience now.

Dancing with the Stars will be back on ABC this fall with Carole Baskin and many more celebrities, and will debut on Monday, September 14, at 8:00 p.m. EST. For more on what to watch in the coming weeks, check out our guide to fall TV!

The Tiger King saga has been a long and admittedly, weird one, to say the least, as the drama surrounding the rise and fall of Joe Exotic just doesn’t seem to be going away. With Exotic currently serving a 22-year prison sentence, Jeff Lowe received ownership of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park. But Exotic’s rival, Carole Baskin, gained control of the grounds after a judge ruled that the property was “fraudulently transferred,” stemming from a copyright lawsuit previously filed by Baskin.

Jeff Lowe, who vowed to leave the property in shambles for Baskin, was required by law to vacate the area and remove all of the animals within 120 days of the ruling. Now, a new development seems to have sped up the closure of the park. Not only that, but it sounds like Lowe’s plans for his new park in Thackerville, Oklahoma have changed.

In a now-deleted post from the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park’s Facebook page, Lowe confirmed that the park will be closing for good, effectively immediately. The park’s closure comes after the US Department of Agriculture suspended Lowe’s exhibitor license. Despite the closure, the zoo operator is already looking ahead to the future. Lowe explained (via CNN) that the new park will serve as a private, film set, where Tiger King-related content will be produced for cable and streaming services.

The suspension of Lowe’s license comes after a USDA inspection found multiple violations, like animal food not being sufficiently refrigerated. Inspections also reported that animals appeared to be malnourished. Lowe claims he’s being targeted by animal groups and that the USDA is only folding to pressure from activists.

Before the inspection, the zoo was already in danger of closing as, earlier this year, the Oklahoma Tax Commission asked a judge to shut down the park due to delinquent tax sales. Reports claimed that Lowe and the park owed tens of thousands of dollars in taxes. Lowe was asked to cease all business operations after this, but he kept the park open, which is considered a misdemeanor punishable by fine or jail time.

Joe Exotic originally brought Jeff Lowe into the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in an attempt to improve the park. However, their visions for the park’s future soon clashed, and Exotic would accuse Lowe of trying to push him out of his business. But that didn’t stop Exotic from putting the park in Lowe’s name due to his own personal set of legal problems.

With the park closed, Lowe doesn’t seem to have any regrets, as he’s even previously spoken about his desire to leave the park behind and start anew. It’ll be interesting to see what’s left of the grounds when Carole Baskin officially takes ownership.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more from the world of TV and movies.

Tiger King fever swept pop culture back in March 2020, and now fans of the Netflix docuseries will get the opportunity to see some of Joe Exotic's belongings in an exhibit. A number of items, including Exotic's penis pump, will be available at none other than the Haunted Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada. Yes, really.

Television personality and museum operator Zak Bagans visited the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma, previously owned by Joe Exotic before he went to prison. Bagans went to the park, which is now owned by Jeff Lowe, to produce an episode of Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures.

Zak Bagans left Oklahoma with more than just footage for his show. Thanks to Jeff Lowe, who has promised to leave a mess for Carole Baskin at the park, Bagans is now the owner of some of Joe Exotic's belongings that had been left behind at the park. Among those items are Exotic's jeweled crown, pill bottles, clothing, wedding trinkets, and of course the penis pump, according to TMZ. Also included was a glass pipe belonging to Exotic's late husband, Travis Maldonado.

The Ghost Adventures host also received some larger items from Jeff Lowe and the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park. For his exhibit, Zak Bagans will be able to use the original “Exotic Animal Park” sign and a section of a wall mural that reportedly features a bullet hole from Travis Maldonado’s suicide, which was documented in Tiger King.

The memorabilia will be showcased in an exhibit at Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum in Las Vegas, but Bagans did more than just visit the park to collect a penis pump as part of his Ghost Adventures production. TMZ previously reported that cadaver dogs were brought into the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park for Ghost Adventures, and the preliminary findings courtesy of the dogs’ trainer suggested they’d found human remains in the alligator pit.

The possibility (and potential challenges when it came to recovery) of human remains in the alligator pit was debunked hours after the initial reports, when law enforcement reportedly discovered animal bones, including a small animal with a tail. Zak Bagans will take some memorabilia, stories, and probably some exciting footage to use after his investigation for Ghost Adventures, but no story of humans being eaten by alligators under Joe Exotic’s watch.

Tiger King fans likely won’t get a look at what happened until they get to visit Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum or see the episode of Ghost Adventures, but Bagans did take to Twitter with a short and sweet message about his experience:

For now, you can relive the wild ride that was Tiger King with the full series and the somewhat divisive post-show special streaming on Netflix. If you want a look at what Zak Bagans is all about with his Travel Channel series, you can find Ghost Adventures streaming on Hulu.

If you’re in the market for some additional viewing options in the not-too-distant future, be sure to check out our 2020 summer TV premiere guide. If you’re already looking ahead to the fall, we have you covered with our 2020 fall premiere schedule.

Although Netflix’s Tiger King docuseries aired months ago and Joe Exotic is now serving a 22-year prison sentence, the saga of his controversial zoo seems to be far from finished. The most recent development in the story saw ownership of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park go to Exotic’s longtime rival, Carole Baskin. However, the current owner -- Jeff Lowe -- has another hurdle to face, as the facility is now in danger of being shut down. But why is the zoo now facing closure?

Apparently, a judge has been asked by the Oklahoma Tax Commission to formally shut down the park on the grounds of delinquent tax sales. Per USA Today, owner Jeff Lowe and the park owe $50,274 in taxes that were collected in 2016. In addition, both Lowe and the zoo have yet to pay an undisclosed amount of taxes since then.

Jeff Lowe was ultimately told to cease all business operations when the Oklahoma Tax Commission refused to renew his tax permit back in May. Despite this, as explained by lawyers, Lowe has violated state law by keeping the park open, “which provides that it is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine or jail time to conduct business without the requisite licensing.”

Some may be surprised that Jeff Lowe is still keeping things running against government orders, but the park has actually experienced a spike in popularity since the debut of the docuseries. The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park has reportedly garnered visitors from the across the country over the past several months.

Jeff Lowe was initially brought in by Joseph Maldonado-Passage (or Joe Exotic) to assist in enhancing the business. Maldonado-Passage would eventually put the park in Lowe’s name since he himself was dealing with legal problems at the time. And when Exotic eventually went to jail, Lowe and his wife became the co-operators of the zoo.

Despite keeping the park open, it’s become clear that Jeff Lowe has no love for Exotic’s property. The zoo owner has stated that he’s more than ready to leave the grounds and the memories of working with Joe Exotic behind. After he vacates the premises, he’s even planning to open up an even bigger facility in Thackerville, Oklahoma sometime this fall.

And by the time he leaves, he’s not exactly aiming to have things in the best shape for the incoming Carole Baskin. According to Lowe, the park is in a state of “complete hell,” and he has no plans to fix things up before heading out.

It’s unclear as to how Jeff Lowe plans to proceed following this new court order, especially given that his time as owner is just about up. All that can be said is that this paired with Carole Baskin’s ownership makes the future of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park fairly uncertain.

And if you still haven’t seen how it all began, you can still check out Tiger King on Netflix now.

Netflix’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness made Joe Exotic — whose legal name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — a household name. However, now that the docuseries is no longer trending as much, Exotic’s star has lost some of its shine. While his husband Dillon Passage has been enjoying newfound popularity, Exotic is still trying to get out of prison, and is now making the stark claim that he’ll “be dead in 2-3 months.”

The former zoo owner is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence, having been convicted of two counts of murder-for-hire.(That's along with 17 other crimes, including nine counts of violating the Endangered Species Act.) From prison, Joe Exotic wrote a letter to his "supporters, fans, and loved ones,” which was acquired by TMZ. In it, he wrote three full pages filled with general grievances, some of which detailed the abuse of the prison system that he believed would contribute to his eventual death. He also asked President Trump, Cardi B, and Kim Kardashian for their assistance in his release from prison, believing the current health crisis to be over (which it’s not). Read some of what he wrote below:

Joe Exotic’s letter also reveals that the former zoo owner has not been visited by his husband for quite some time. (Dillon Passage recently partied it up with Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle star Bryce Hirschberg, however.) Exotic is clearly upset about the lack of communication from Passage and rather morosely claims that he should have just “have ended things” after the death of husband Travis Maldonado in 2017.

What’s more, Joe Exotic sounds incredibly annoyed that people are sending him screenshots of Dillon Passage. He claimed that it’s not funny and “not healthy” for him to see his husband hanging out with friends while he’s in prison. Most of the letter is quite despondent, with Exotic also writing:

Joe Exotic sounds a lot less hopeful than in the interview he provided Netflix with in March, where he promised that he would be “as crazy” when he eventually leaves prison (and he thinks he will). While Exotic’s been behind bars, his rival Carole Baskin has gained control over his zoo, and Nicolas Cage has been cast to play Exotic in a TV series, with other projects also in the works. Perhaps this is what Exotic meant about people making money off of him while he’s in prison.

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness is currently streaming on Netflix. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates on Joe Exotic. For more on what to watch in the meantime, be sure to check out our 2020 summer TV premiere guide.

Just when it seemed the Tiger King craze was settling down, the Netflix docu-series' main subjects just keep making headlines in the show's wake. Joe Exotic's famed tiger zoo was awarded to Carole Baskin, and while the establishment's current operator Jeff Lowe has promised to make that experience miserable for her, she may have far bigger issues on the way. A sheriff involved in the case of Baskin's ex-husband has shared intriguing details about his death and disappearance, confirming there's more shadiness involved than viewers may have known.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister has confirmed new information about the death of Don Lewis, as well as some of the suspicious activity that led investigators to believe Carole Baskin had a hand in his initial disappearance. Chronister talked specifically about observations made concerning Lewis' will, which transferred his fortune solely to Carole Baskin after his death. Here's how he put it to Tampa Bay's WTSP.

Though there were big suspicions previously that the signature on the will had been forged, based on the claims made by a woman who said she was forced to lie about being a witness for the will's signing, but having it now be proven true by two different experts is hopefully a step in the right direction. But the reason why authorities hadn't been able to move forward with a case there is because the statute of limitations had already expired. In Chad Chronister's words:

That suspicion has been enough to keep authorities interested, and having that confirmation could help to take things to the next step. As reported, the will of Don Lewis awarded his $10 million estate to Carole Baskin. The rest of his family was cut out of the fortune entirely, which is made all the more relevant now that experts have justified the police's suspicions that the will's signature was forged. That's enough to make even the most casual Tiger King viewer raise an eyebrow, much less all the conspiracy theorists who peg Baskin as the guilty party.

Chad Chronister has gone on the record and said he believes Carole Baskin played a role in Don Lewis' death, which may be why the department is still talking about the case years after its conclusion. As for the latest, Chronister revealed there's some new news in regards to the case that could become bigger news down the road, even if he couldn't share details. In his words:

Each passing day is only giving Netflix more content for Tiger King Season 2, but that's not a thing yet. While the streamer has added an after-show special with Joel McHale, it seems like anyone waiting for more Tiger King episodes will have to continue waiting until someone pulls the trigger. Personally, I'd say there's already more content than what Netflix had for Season 2 of Making A Murderer, so here's hoping the streaming service picks things up with Baskin and the zoo and see what happens next.

For anyone who still hasn't seen Tiger King yet, all episodes are up and currently available to stream on Netflix. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for the latest news and updates on popular docuseries, and for a look at what's happening in television and movies the rest of 2020 and beyond.

A lot has happened since the events of the highly controversial (and extremely popular) Tiger King docuseries. The eponymous former zoo owner, Joseph Maldonado-Passage (or Joe Exotic), is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence, while his former employees have become something of celebrities due to their involvement in the Netflix documentary. More recently, Exotic’s longtime rival, Carole Baskin, has just been granted control of his properties, meaning current operator Jeff Lowe must leave, but he isn’t exactly planning to straighten things up before he heads out.

Jeff Lowe has confirmed that he won’t be taking care of things around the G.W. Exotic Animal Memorial Park as he prepares to vacate the area, and that may not be a good thing for Carole Baskin. According to Lowe, the park is in currently in a state of “complete hell.”

Part of the reason Jeff Lowe appears to be so anxious to leave the site is that he associates it with bad memories of working with Exotic. At this point, he and his wife, Lauren, are more focused on leaving everything behind and starting fresh in Thackerville, Oklahoma:

Jeff Lowe’s plan is to open a larger animal park in Thackerville sometime in the fall, which adds to his disinterest in Joe Exotic’s old park. Despite everything, he did wish Carole Baskin good luck in taking over but did stress that getting things up and running won’t be easy. Lowe went on to tell ET that the 16-acre park was never a good place for business, as he believes it was poorly constructed.

Although both Jeff Lowe and Joe Exotic had their problems with Carole Baskin, the two also came to blows themselves over the course of the documentary. Exotic brought in Lowe as a business partner to help improve the park. But ultimately, the two came to blows when their ideologies clashed, with Exotic believing that Lowe was attempting to push him out of his business.

During this time, Jeff Lowe also offered to assist Joe Exotic with his legal problems and, as a result, Exotic ended up putting the park in his name. This would, of course, lead to Lowe and his wife to gain total ownership following Exotic’s arrest in 2018.

Tiger King featured more than enough drama on its own, so it’s crazy to think that there’s it’s not over just yet. Though Carole Baskin’s ownership and Jeff Lowe’s departure may indeed signify the end of what’s been a long (and honestly unbelievable) road. We’ll just have to wait and see how the two progress in their new ventures. And while we do that, we can still relive the original series, which is still streaming on Netflix.

Anyone who’s seen Netflix’s Tiger King knows that one of the focal points of the widely viewed docuseries was the rivalry between Joe Exotic and big-cat activist and sanctuary owner Carole Baskin. Baskin took issue with Exotic’s Oklahoma-based Zoo. This resulted in a feud that spread across the internet and, eventually, into the courtroom. Now, there’s been a major turning point in Baskin’s legal battle with Exotic’s company, one that has granted her control of his former territory.

A federal judge has granted Carole Baskin control of the zoo that belonged to Joseph Maldonado-Passage (Joe Exotic), per the Courtroom News Service. Exotic, who is currently serving a stint in prison on two counts of murder for hire, was sued by Baskin for trademark infringement before he was arrested. The judge ruled in Baskin’s favor and required Exotic to pay her roughly $1 million, though Baskin never received the full total. Now, the judge has ruled that Maldanado-Passage’s properties were “fraudulently transferred,” resulting in Baskin receiving ownership of them.

In addition to owning the 16 acres of land, Carole Baskin was also given ownership of several cabins and vehicles on the premises.

The judge has also ordered fellow Tiger King star Jeff Lowe, who is the current operator of Exotic’s G.W. Exotic Animal Memorial Park, to leave the property within 120 days and remove all of the animals. In a statement to CNN, Lowe’s attorney revealed that they weren’t surprised by the verdict:

Carole Baskin and Joe Exotic’s rivalry was intense from the start. Baskin used social media to speak out against Exotic and, in response, the zoo owner created brutal videos in which he used Baskin’s likeness.

Following Tiger King’s debut, Carole Baskin has quickly achieved fame and has easily become one of the most recognizable faces from the show. However, she’s also become the subject of scrutiny herself, specifically in regard to the circumstances surrounding her first husband’s death.

Nevertheless, numerous scripted TV and film adaptations of Tiger King are currently in development and several stars, including Tara Reid are being circled to play the animal rights activist.

With Joe Exotic now in prison and Carole Baskin in possession of his assets, it would appear that their infamous rivalry has finally reached its conclusion. At this point, it’s unclear as to what exactly Baskin plans to do with the land, but there’s a firm chance that we’ll find out sooner rather than later. If you’ve still yet to see the Tiger King docuseries, it’s currently available to stream on Netflix.

Joe Exotic’s husband, Dillon Passage, is passing the time during the Tiger King subject's incarceration by partying it up with one of the stars of another Netflix series. So who was Passage hanging out with? None other than Too Hot to Handle’s Bryce Hirschberg. Considering both are stars of highly popular Netflix shows, it does make some sense that their paths could cross.

How exactly this crossover come to fruition definitely isn't as much of a mystery as some of the questions sparked by Tiger King. In the case of Dillon Passage's hang-out with Too Hot to Handle’s Bryce Hirschberg, a birthday party is what brought the pair together. According to TMZ, Joe Exotic’s husband reached out to Hirschberg to share how big of a fan he was of Too Hot to Handle. So, when Hirshberg sent out his birthday invitations, Passage got one, and he obviously took advantage of it.

This is one Netflix ending that viewers can probably get behind, even if the same cannot be said for Too Hot to Handle’s controversial conclusion. Some endings are still being written or at least being wished to be re-written, as Bryce Hirschberg reportedly used one of his birthday wishes for Joe Exotic’s days in prison to come to an end, and for Exotic to be set free. (Not that one is supposed to share that sort of thing.)

Does this mean that Too Hot to Handle’s Bryce Hirschberg does not see Joe Exotic as Tiger King’s most prominent villain, the way that some viewers did? Apparently not. Either way, Hirschberg and Dillon apparently had a good time together celebrating the former's 30th birthday. Let’s face it. There was no shortage of things for the new friends to talk about during the party, which was also joined by other Too Hot To Handle stars such as Harry Jowsey and Matthew Stephen Smith.

For instance, I wonder if the recent casting of Nicolas Case as Joe Exotic came up in the Netflix stars’ conversation. Or if the most recent allegations against Carole Baskin got discussed at all. Probably not, considering the party atmosphere, but the Tiger King and Too Hot to Handle stars likely didn't suffer any conversational voids during their time together.

On the surface, Tiger King and Too Hot to Handle could not be any more different. Tiger King is a docuseries that follows former zoo operator Joe Exotic and his feud with arch-nemesis, Carole Baskin, whose husband has been missing for years and presumed dead. In a sign of how explosive the basis for Tiger King is, there are even more startling facts that did not make the actual show.

On the other hand, Too Hot to Handle is a reality show/romance competition in which Bryce Hirschberg and other contestants were forced to abstain from sexual activity in a bid to build genuine connections with prospective love interests. The show was also pretty explosive in a far different way, and likely provided more alcohol-friendly discussion topics to dig into.

The Tiger King and Too Hot to Handle stars appear to have much in common, though, including overnight celebrity status by way of a Netflix series. Dillon Passage figured into later episodes of Tiger King as Joe Exotic’s marriage to John Finlay deteriorated, while Joe’s marriage with second husband Travis Maldonado ended tragically, with Maldonado accidentally dying in an accident involving his gun. As shown in Tiger King, Joe Exotic and Dillon Passage got married two months later, and they have remained that way despite Exotic’s incarceration.

That said, Dillon Passage was not one of the guests for Tiger King’s follow-up episode, which featured Joel McHale chatting with various participants from the docuseries. Tiger King wasn't the only one to get a new chapter, either. Too Hot to Handle also got another episode, because the more, the merrier.

Tiger King and Too Hot to Handle are both streaming on Netflix as two of its 2020 premieres. If you need more to watch, check out this summer’s new content.

Tiger King brought us a lot to think about when it debuted on Netflix toward the end of March. But, for all the fun that was had during celebrity-hosted watch parties, on late night TV, and in mulling over the wild lives of this group of big cat rescuers and / or zoo-keepers, everyone who tuned in to the docuseries realizes that there are some very serious issues at play, including the disappearance of Carole Baskin's previous husband, Don Lewis. Now, it looks like Baskin could be in some big trouble, because she's being accused of forging her husband's signature on the documents that gave her control of his fortune.

While Tiger King focused mostly on Joe Exotic, it would be pretty hard to tell his story without getting into the life of Carole Baskin. As we know, Exotic was so angered by Baskin's efforts to stop his private zoo, that he eventually hired someone to kill her, and he's now in prison for that murder-for-hire plot (along with other charges). Exotic maintains that Baskin killed her husband, and even though she was never arrested or charged with any wrongdoing which would have led to his disappearance, the case was never closed.

According to Fox News, Joseph Fritz, former attorney and friend to Don Lewis, is now saying that he believes the signatures on legal documents which gave Carole Baskin control of Lewis' money in the event of something happening to him, have been forged. And, Fritz seems to believe that Baskin is the forger in question.

Because of the success of Tiger King, and renewed interest in the disappearance of Don Lewis, Tampa’s Hillsborough County Sheriff, Chad Chronister, recently called for people to submit tips if they thought they had any leads in the case. This may have encouraged Joseph Fritz to review some documents his client signed before he disappeared in 1997, and now that forensic document examiner and handwriting expert Thomas Vastrick has reviewed Lewis' power of attorney and will, he said:

Man, that does not sound good. I, for one, know that I haven't singed my name the same way twice since I was 12 and trying to write exactly like my best friend Danielle, so I completely believe a handwriting expert when he says that the signatures on these documents are too similar to be believed as the real deal. Adding to the suspicion is the fact that Don Lewis met Carole Baskin in 1980, and left his wife and children in order to marry her. Then, when he disappeared, his $10 million estate was left to Baskin, and all of his kids and other family were cut out.

But, it gets even worse. When Thomas Vastrick did his examination, he looked at the signatures of Don Lewis, multiple notaries who singed off on the documents and two witnesses. While he is clearly suspect of Lewis' signatures (which he believes were copied from his marriage license to Carole Baskin), one of the witnesses has recently come forward and told the sheriff's department that she felt pressured at the time to say that the documents were signed by each individual.

Fritz also noted that the truly important document to verify (and to forge, should one desire to gain total control of someone else's fortune in a situation such as this) was the power of attorney. Having Lewis' power of attorney allowed Baskin to move every asset in his name so that it was in her control way before he was declared legally dead, which came five years later.

It's clear that this case is still developing and probably will be for quite a while, so be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest. In the meantime, you can revisit Tiger King on Netflix, and if you need something else to watch you can look into our 2020 Netflix guide and see what's coming to TV this summer.

At this point, it’s safe to say Netflix’s Tiger King has become an indisputable phenomenon. As such, TV and film producers across Hollywood are looking to capitalize on its success with scripted adaptations about the tale of Joe Exotic. A key person in Exotic’s story is Carole Baskin, the big cat conservationist with whom Exotic had a bitter feud. And it would seem that at least one Tiger King production has the perfect actress in mind to play the animal activist.

Sharknado star Tara Reid is reportedly being courted by producers to play Carole Baskin in a live-action film adaptation of Tiger King. Reid’s manager and business partner, Phillipe Ashfield, confirmed the news to People though, in a statement to the trade, he stressed that talks are still in the early stages:

According to the trade, Tara Reid is a fan of the original docuseries, as some other celebrities are, and feels that she can accurately embody the role of Carole Baskin.

In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, Tara Reid was known for playing teenage roles in films like American Pie, Girl and Cruel Intentions. Movies like The Big Lebowski and Josie and the Pussycats would also see her play ditzier characters. In recent years, she’s still done romance and comedy, but she’s also starred in more unconventional projects, specifically the Sharknado franchise.

Tara Reid is definitely not the first actor to be linked to one of the various Tiger King-related projects in development. SNL star Kate McKinnon has also been tapped to portray her own version of Carole Baskin in Universal Content Productions’ adaptation of Wondery’s Joe Exoctic podcast. In addition, Nicolas Cage has reportedly signed on to play Joe Exotic himself in an eight-episode series from Imagine Television Studios and CBS Television Studios.

The original Tiger King docuseries chronicled the exploits of Oklahoma-based zoo operator Joe Exotic and details his rise as an entertainer and entrepreneur and his eventual arrest on counts of animal abuse and murder for hire. The latter charge refers to his alleged attempts to have Carole Baskin killed. Baskin herself also became a somewhat controversial figure in the series and has received plenty of media attention since it premiered.

It can’t be denied that Tara Reid physically resembles Carole Baskin, and her experience with roles that are a bit “quirky” could make her just the right fit for the role. It remains to be seen if she’ll officially land the part but, if she does, one can only imagine who will be cast to play Joe Exotic opposite her Baskin.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more updates as they come and for all news from the world of movies and TV.

It was only a matter of time before Joe Exotic got a biopic. The captivating subject of Netflix's immensely-popular docuseries, Tiger King, has sparked a lot of interest in the former wildlife zoo operator's wacky history. The larger-than-life media personality was destined to be the source of a Hollywood production — particularly with a tale filled with drugs, sex, wild animals, violence, bizarre real-life characters, and criminal activity galore, including attempted murder. But who would play this gun-loving, mullet-rocking convicted criminal? 

Many big-name actors were suggested. Several others threw their hats into the ring. Now, we have an answer. As it was announced last week, Nicolas Cage will become Joe Exotic in an upcoming mini-series inspired by Exotic's stranger-than-fiction story. It's certainly an inspired choice. The Academy Award-winning actor typically plays kooky, deviant characters, and several performances prove he has what it takes to play this wildly-publicized persona.

Raising Arizona

The Coen brothers are masters at making crime comedies based on knuckleheads with overly-confident delusions of grandeur. One of the filmmaking duo's earliest, quirkiest triumphs, 1987's Raising Arizona, allowed the acclaimed filmmaking team to work with Nicolas Cage for the first-and-currently-only time, and it produced one of his funniest, liveliest performances as H.I. "Hi" McDunnough, an ex-con in a childless relationship with an ex-cop who kidnap one quintuplet baby from another family, to hilariously disastrous results. 

While this criminal concept could've been equally disastrous, the Coens adopt a broadly comedic tone, resulting in one of their silliest, most playful movies. And Cage deserves a great deal of credit. His endearing performance, filled with lughead charm, is immensely appealing, emboldening him to play up his goofier tendencies in a winningly rambunctious way. If his take on Joe Exotic can capture a similarly radiant captivation, it'll be a surefire success.

Mandy

Revenge flicks can be a dime a dozen for Nicolas Cage. He knows how to play a man who wants to right some wrongs, either real injustices or perceived, but only a few (if many at all) capture the manic, majestic ecstasy of Mandy. This Sundance darling's plot might be the kind of movie you'd expect from Cage's Redbox selection. It follows a socially-isolated, yet quietly peaceful, man who takes bloody revenge on a drug-addled hippie cult who brutally killed his lover. But the results are splashy and sensationally gory, and through its atmospheric presentation, dazzling visuals and mesmerizing score, Mandy captures a radiantly, wondrously style-driven descent into madness, with Cage's dedicated performance driving our vengeful protagonist's emotional journey. What could've been another throwback vigilante flick becomes a moody, memorable acid trip of a movie with an excellent Cage performance. Plus, it has a tiger. Coincidence? I think not.

Joe

After all, it's in the name. Yes, before Nicolas Cage agreed to play Joe Exotic, he played another Joe altogether: specifically, the title character in David Gordon Green's overlooked 2013 crime drama, Joe. Centered around a tormented foreman who takes 15-year-old Gary Jones (Tye Sheridan) under his wing and protects him from his abusive father, Joe was a nuanced, compelling return to the understated performances that Cage once left behind. 

Joe Ransom is a grounded, introspective character, allowing Cage to become a nicely honed character who showcases his fine dramatic range. Even when crime factors into the tale, Cage's signature rage is intriguingly intuitive, more internalized than bombastic. This intense drama shows how Cage, even when he's seeking vengeance, can allow himself to be more refined and reflective, which might not necessarily factor into his Exotic performance, but it demonstrates the quieter indignation that this show will hopefully explore.

Wild At Heart

David Lynch and Nicolas Cage are a hell of a pair. The auteur and actor are a match made in heaven or hell. If you know which, don't tell me. But they've only made one movie together, 1990's romantic crime-comedy Wild at Heart, which (expectedly) gives us a classic Cage Rage performance. In this film, Cage and Laura Dern play two lovers desperately on the run from both her domineering mother and the dangerous men hired to killed Cage's Sailor Ripley. The road trip movie finds Cage playing a Southern romantic outlaw who fits Cage's brand of passionate, yet dangerous, lovers. Certainly, that fiery mix of zeal and peril makes Sailor an easy comparison to Joe Exotic, who mixed romance and risk into his every waking moment. While Sailor has a softer heart than Exotic, his unwavering recklessness demonstrates that Cage knows how to go... wild.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call — New Orleans

Even by Nicolas Cage's standards, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call — New Orleans is next-level madness. Inspired by 1992's Bad Lieutenant, but neither a sequel nor prequel to that film, the Werner Herzog movie follows Cage as a corrupt New Orleans police sergeant in 2005 who indulges in all sorts of unsavory behavior. Whether it's waving his gun at innocent civilians or consuming or snorting so many illegal narcotics that he envisions iguanas and breakdancers inexplicably appearing in his everyday life, Bad Lieutenant sees Cage at full blast, fully committed to playing this gun-waving, down-and-dirty officer of the law who does almost everything short of protecting and serving the public. It's an intensely insane performance, and we would only be so lucky to see even a sliver of this deranged commitment to this character appear in his upcoming portrayal of Joe Exotic.

Leaving Las Vegas

In his Oscar-winning performance, Nicolas Cage plays Ben Sanderson, a suicidal alcoholic screenwriter who heads to Vegas to drink himself to death. His addiction has cost him everything, and we watch Cage as he becomes a completely-broken character who'd rather drink away his life than fix it. As you'd expect, it's a depressing, fittingly sober film, filled with morose reflections of a man unwilling to dig himself out of his rut and seek treatment. What could've been an utterly devastating movie, however, becomes bleakly engrossing through Cage's compellingly unhinged performance. It's somber-yet-invigorated, filled with remorse and tragedy, which shows Cage's unbridled dedication to his morally-unyielded characters. As many binge-friendly viewers know, Joe Exotic's story carries a similarly dark fascination in Tiger King. Especially by its conclusion, you're left in disbelieving awe at this maddeningly engrossing personality. If anyone could capture that balance of repugnant fascination, it's Cage.

Con Air

Ludicrous though it might be, it's hard not to be won over by Con Air's watchable foolishness. With its silly, cheeky, high-testosterone stylishness that is undeniably a product of the late '90s, this nonsenical action-thriller might not be the smartness or most logical movie you'll ever see, but it's a delightfully dim-witted dude flick that you can easily enjoy with your buddies. Grab a bunch of beers and it'll slap a big, goofy grin onto your face. The whole ensemble does a good job committing to the bit, but it's ultimately Cage's Southern-fried leading man turn that really captures the charm of this buffoonish blockbuster, with this self-aware turn providing no shortage of wacky fun in this Jerry Bruckheimer production. This absurdly nonsenical film seems like a good gateway for Cage's Joe Exotic. Above all else, it certifies one thing: Cage can rock a hell of a mullet.

Bonus: Army Of One

Admittedly, Army of One is a woefully terrible satire with an impressively bad performance from Nicolas Cage. Suffice to say, it doesn't give us confidence in his Tiger King portrayal. But this true story, loosely based on a construction worker who thought God wanted him to single-handedly kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, gives Cage one of his wackiest, goofiest performances in recent memory. It's not necessarily good, but it's easy to see how elements of this true-life character might factor into his Joe Exotic. Specifically, Cage's complete willingness to immerse himself into a character — no matter how silly and crass — suggests he'll play Exotic will total reckless abandonment. He won't be afraid to relish the most absurdist aspects of Joe's wild-and-out persona. And Army Of One proves that Cage can confidently walk around with an arsenal of weapons, which will come in handy.

Are you looking forward to seeing Nicolas Cage's take on Joe Exotic? What is your favorite Nic Cage performance? Let us know in the comments!

Following its release in March, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness became one of the most popular docuseries this year. The subjects of the documentary — which primarily followed Joe Exotic — were the center of attention for weeks after the show premiered on Netflix. Arguably just as famous now as Joe Exotic is Carole Baskin, the owner of Big Cat Rescue, and Exotic’s long-time rival. Baskin recently entered WTF territory after she tried (and failed) to be in Justin Bieber’s new music video.

Who knew that Carole Baskin was such a big Justin Bieber fan? The singer recently collaborated with Ariana Grande and recorded a new quarantine-themed song together, called “Stuck With U.” Naturally, they planned to release a music video to go along with it and invited their fans to submit their own videos to be included. According to TMZ, Baskin said she made the video after some of Bieber’s friends asked her to do so and she hoped it wouldn’t “attract too many of the haters.”

The video submission in question was brief and saw Carole Baskin and her husband Howard dressed up in animal print robes, dancing along to “Stuck With U” while holding onto their cat. Justin Bieber posted the seconds-long clip to Twitter, which has now garnered over 680.8k views. Unfortunately, Baskin’s dancing video did not make the final cut, but she was happy that Bieber ultimately decided to share the video online. You can watch a dancing Baskin below!

In a reply to Justin Bieber’s tweet, Ariana Grande went on record to say that she “did not allow or approve this clip to be in the actual video,” but that its existence in the world was pretty “unique.” That’s a fairly good assessment of Carole Baskin’s video, which also included her and Howard wearing lion masks atop their heads.

To me, the video’s failure to make the final cut makes absolute sense. After Tiger King, Carole Baskin was too recognizable a person and the video’s inclusion would have drawn too much attention, taking away from the song itself, as well as other fans’ video submissions. Justin Bieber releasing the clip allowed others to see it anyway, so it all worked out in the end, random as it was.

Carole Baskin was most recently tricked into giving her first post-Tiger King interview by YouTube pranksters Josh Pieters and Archie Manners. The Big Cat Rescue leader had avoided doing interviews about Tiger King and, though she found out the prank interview wasn’t actually for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Baskin had a “good laugh” about it.

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is currently streaming on Netflix. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates. For more on what to watch, be sure to check out our 2020 summer TV premiere guide.

Anyone familiar with Nicolas Cage’s acting work knows that the man has picked some… interesting roles over the years, and with such roles have come equally interesting performance choices. Okay, let’s not mince words, the man can be downright weird on screen sometimes, but that’ll be to his advantage for an upcoming project, as he’s been tapped to play Joe Exotic, who was one of the main players of the Netflix docuseries Tiger King.

Imagine Television Studios and CBS Television Studios are joining forces for an eight-episode scripted series based on the Texas Monthly article “Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild,” by Leif Reigstad. As Variety reported, this series will follow Nicolas Cage’s Joe Exotic, real name Joe Schreibvogel, fighting to keep his animal park “even at the risk of losing his sanity,” as well as delve into how he built the Joe Exotic persona and “lost himself to a character of his own creation.”

Chances are most, if not all of you reading this have watched Tiger King on Netflix, or have at least heard about the insane events it chronicles. However, on the off chance the name Joe Exotic hasn’t crossed your radar over the last couple months, he once operated the G.W. Zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, and is currently serving a federal prison sentence not just for numerous violations of the Lacey Act and Endangered Species Act, but because he was convicted of hiring someone to kill Carole Baskin, who operates Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida.

Of all the actors to be hired to play Joe Exotic, Nicolas Cage is an inspired choice. Fingers crossed he’ll be able to properly replicate, or at least come as close as possible to pulling off Exotic’s eccentricities and mannerisms, as shown off in the below video:

Outside of hosting Saturday Night Live twice, this Joe Exotic series will mark Nicolas Cage’s first major television project, having spent decades leaving his mark on the film world with content like Raising Arizona, Leaving Las Vegas, Face/Off, National Treasure and Color Out of Space. Cage’s upcoming movies include Pig, Wally’s Wonderland and The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, the latter of which will see Cage playing an exaggerated version of himself.

This Joe Exotic series is being taken to market in the coming days. Since it’s eight episodes, I imagine that means it’ll end up on either a premium cable channel or a streaming service, with CBS All Access being a logical choice in the latter category since CBS Television Studios is involved. American Vandal’s Dan Lagana, who optioned Leif Reigstad’s article with Paul Young, will serve as writer, showrunner, and executive producer, while Young will executive produce through Make Good Content.

It’s also worth mentioning that this isn’t the only scripted series in the works connected to the events explored in Tiger King. SNL’s Kate McKinnon has been tapped to play Carole Baskin in an adaptation of the Wondery podcast “Joe Exotic,” which the actress will also executive produce. Rob Lowe also revealed early last month that he was in talks with American Horror Story’s Ryan Murphy to make a film or limited series about Joe Exotic, which would star Lowe in the central role.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates concerning the Nicolas Cage-led Joe Exotic series and any other major news in the Tiger King sphere. For now, keep track of what’s currently on the airwaves with our handy TV schedule.

Tiger King set off a media storm when it was released by Netflix in March. With many people suddenly doing way more streaming than they had been doing previously, the docuseries about Joe Exotic and the many intriguing people and wild events surrounding him and his roadside zoo became an instant hit that captivated audiences. Viewers quickly binged the series and wanted more, so many of the people seen on Tiger King gave interviews after it was released, with Joe Exotic's supposed nemesis, Carole Baskin, being critical of the show and far less willing. Two YouTube pranksters just got Baskin to do an interview, but only because she thought she was talking to Jimmy Fallon.

Those who either watched Tiger King or who've been following the aftermath of the show's release, will know that people featured in the series, such as fellow zoo owner Doc Antle, Joe Exotic's ex-husband John Finlay and even Exotic himself (from federal prison), have spoken about the things shown in the series since it debuted. Carole Baskin, the big cat-rights activist and owner of Big Cat Rescue who Exotic saw as a threat and tried to have murdered, has really only come out to talk about how disappointed she is that Tiger King didn't deal with the issue of animal cruelty the way she was promised, and has declined several interviews about the show.

But, YouTube pranksters Josh Pieters and Archie Manners, who have been able to convince some big stars in the U.K. to give interviews which turned out to not be for the outlets they thought they were being interviewed by, have now done the same with Carole Baskin. And, they went through a lot to secure and complete her interview, which, obviously, was not for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The whole process was posted to the duo's YouTube page, including the interview they were able to do with Baskin, and you can take a look at it below:

Man, Josh Pieters and Archie Manners really had a lot of work ahead of them when it came to getting Carole Baskin to agree to an interview. As was mentioned earlier, Baskin doesn't really want anything to do with discussing Tiger King, even though it has made her famous and probably brought a lot more attention to Big Cat Rescue and her other causes. Which is fair, really, considering that speculation that she killed her previous husband and fed him to some of those big cats she rescued is a significant subplot on the series.

Manners and Pieters wanted this interview with Carole Baskin so badly, that they weathered two nos, one from her directly and one from her third husband, Howard. In his email to the fake Jimmy Fallon producer, Howard, who's a lawyer, noted that they didn't want the stress of another interview and didn't think that, even if Baskin didn't talk about Tiger King directly, that the interview wouldn't have interest hijacked by the specter of the show. He even went so far as to direct them to others who could talk about big cat issues, with the knowledge that that wouldn't be a big name interview.

Luckily for Pieters and Manners, Carole Baskin later contacted them when it looked like all was lost to say she changed her mind. So, why did Baskin have such a change of heart? It turns out that her daughter, who's been helping her run Big Cat Rescue since it started in 1992, is a big fan of Jimmy Fallon and The Tonight Show, and she convinced her mom that doing the interview would get the kind of attention they want for their causes.

And, it turns out that there was some real synergy at work, since they couldn't find any clips of Fallon talking about Tiger King, but had plenty of general questions and cat-related interviews to work with when picking out past audio for their fake interview.

You can see that, once they get Carole Baskin on live for the interview, she's more than happy to answer the questions and deal with some technical mishaps. But, the question now is, just what does Baskin think of this elaborate prank? Well, it would seem that she's got a pretty good sense of humor about the whole thing. Here's what a statement from Big Cat Rescue about the interview to Entertainment Tonight had to say on Baskin's thoughts:

OK. Points to Carole Baskin for not being angry, and major points to Josh Pieters and Archie Manners for putting some serious time into this prank. You can relive Tiger King on Netflix right now, but for more to watch, be sure to check out our 2020 Netflix premiere guide and see what's coming to TV this summer.

Tiger King became a national obsession overnight and, now a month later, Joe Exotic is a household name. Many have their thoughts and opinions about the former big cat owner and the rest of the colorful characters featured in the docuseries and, apparently, Joel McHale learned a lot of those opinions when he got some backlash from the after-show special he hosted.

Joe McHale's post Tiger King special featured interviews from some of the people featured in the docuseries and gave the subjects a chance to answer fan questions and perhaps also defend themselves. Following the special, McHale was shocked to learn that some viewers had a real problem with one particular question he asked, and he's still confused by it:

Joe Exotic is many things but, in the eyes of the law and Joel McHale, completely innocent is not one of them. Regardless of what Tiger King viewers think, Joe Exotic was tried and convicted of a crime and, per the laws of our country, has to serve time in prison for the various crimes he was found guilty of.

In short, Joel McHale made it clear on Conan that he wasn't sorry he asked the question but does think he understands why so many took issue with it. Tiger King is an outlandish story that feels like a made up television series, but it's actually real life. Characters like Riverdale's Archie Andrews can commit felonies without much consequence, but that's not how things work in the real world:

Maybe not everyone feels that way about Tiger King, though there's no denying others have treated the series as though it were a work of fiction. It's not often the real-life felons have celebrities dress up as them and have a TV series that receives widespread acclaim. Some have even proclaimed Joe Exotic to be a hero, which is not something you'd typically hear of any person accused of murder-for-hire. Joe Exotic may be a popular person at the moment, but that popularity shouldn't make him immune to criticism as Joel McHale has shown.

Those who still haven't seen Tiger King can currently check it out on Netflix. Of course, always stick with CinemaBlend for more on what's coming to Netflix and other streaming services, and for the latest happening in the world of television and movies.

Despite having been released over a month ago, Tiger King mania still appears to be alive and well, as fans are still tuning into to see the exploits of the man called Joe Exotic. Now, it would seem the controversial docuseries has another fan in the form of WWE's Paige and she paid the scorned ex-Zoo owner in a big way.

During a meeting for WWE Backstage, Paige appeared on the video chat fully dressed as Tiger King's Joe Exotic and the results are pretty on point. Check her out in the second title to the right in the top row of this screenshot:

I think it's safe to say that Paige fully committed to the role of Joe Exotic. As you can see, she even has the signature handlebar mustache and plaid shirt, so this bit of cosplay should be commended. It's worth mentioning that Paige’s Joe Exotic look is not the only Tiger King aspect of her tweet. Though, the next one has nothing to do with Exotic himself.

The other refers to Joe Exotic’s nemesis, Carole Baskin. Tiger King chronicles the notorious and intense feud that breaks out between them. One of the things made most famous by the show is Baskin’s catchphrase, which she opens everyone of her videos with. The phrase “Hey, all you cool cats and kittens” is one that fans have all come to know quickly, and Paige found a way to playfully inject it into her caption. The next aspect of the tweet to read as Tiger King related is probably not purposeful, but it's still worth pointing out.

The online chat meeting personally brings to mind the extra episode of Tiger King that fans got following the show's initial run. Joel McHale hosted the after-show, which featured interviews with several of the people featured in the docuseries. It also included more wild stories that weren't featured in the first seven episodes. All in all, WWE Backstage's set-up is very reminiscent of the way McHale organized his video chat.

You have to hand it to the WWE star for packing so much Tiger King content into a single tweet. Paige definitely got creative, even if the reference regarding the chat screen is probably incidental. Believe it or not, she's not the first person to dress up as the Tiger King star. When the Netflix series was just starting to make waves, Reno 911’s Thomas Lennon went on The Late Show dressed as Exotic and did an impression of him.

Both Paige and Thomas Lennon's Tiger King references are further indications of the overwhelming impact the show has had. Everyone from Prince William to Jared Leto has had something to say about the series. It has been one wild pop culture ride, and there's a good chance its reach will only grow within the coming months as people's sheer curiosity draws them to the show.

And at this point, it's hard to doubt the idea of its fanbase growing even more. Netflix projects that 64 million member accounts tuned in for Tiger King during its first month. It's hard to argue with those numbers.

If you want to take it in for the first time or watch it all over again, you can stream Tiger King on Netflix now, along with this year's other new content. And if you need anything else to consider watching, there are always this summer’s premieres.

Never think that Prince William does not have a royally good sense of humor. The future King of England has jokingly revealed why he will not be watching Netflix’s pop culture phenomenon, Tiger King. It was all a part of a funny clip Prince William was participating in with Blackadder’s Stephen Fry for The Big Night In.

In the clip, Stephen Fry chats with Prince William when the topic of good TV suggestions come up. At the 1:33 mark, Prince William asks Fry if he has seen anything good. To which, Fry says he has heard positive things about the Netflix docuseries, Tiger King. Prince William’s response? Check out the clip below:

In case you missed it, Prince William’s response was, “I tend to avoid shows about royalty.” So, Prince William’s account is not one of the 64 million worldwide to tune into Tiger King, according to Netflix? Viewers know that Prince William is joking for many reasons. One of which is because he and his wife have revealed themselves as huge Game of Thrones fans, per Refinery29.

If this was true, though, can you imagine how many shows Prince William would have to deny himself? No Tiger King, Game of Thrones, The Tudors, The Crown, and so on. Okay, that last one is a bit more understandable. It is about Prince William’s family, after all, although that has apparently not been an issue for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

This is not the first time that Prince William has shown off his pop culture acumen. Earlier this year, the royal congratulated Joaquin Phoenix on his award-winning performance in The Joker. He has also attended the BAFTAs with his wife, Kate Middleton. While his interest in films seems pretty concrete, his TV knowledge has been a bit more open-ended. Cut to Tiger King.

The smash-hit series’ impact has been widespread. From Jared Leto throwing an online viewing party to celebs jockeying to play the central role of Joe Exotic, a.k.a. the “king” Prince William referenced, it has been Tiger King chaos.

Now, if Prince William would like to watch a show like Tiger King minus the royalty factor, he has a lot of options to stream. Hopefully, all is not lost, and Prince William will eventually watch Tiger King (if he has not already) and offer the world his thoughts on it. Oh, and the after-show too. There was a lot worth hearing.

While Prince William has jokingly said why he plans to skip it, you can stream Tiger King on Netflix. The limited series has been among this year’s new content. If you need anything else to consider watching, there are always this spring’s premieres. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV and movie news.

Back in the days before the WWE Network, Netflix was one of the premiere streaming platforms to watch collections of old matches and wrestling documentaries from the McMahon family's vast empire. And although the extensive library of classic WrestleMania moments and other WWE-produced content has shifted away from the streaming giant in the past six years, Netflix still has an impressive collection of wrestling content, consisting of original shows as well as one of the most in-depth and controversial documentaries on the subject.

And in a time when finding new, or at least unseen, wrestling programming is as important as ever, I've put together a short list of some of the best shows, movies, and documentaries about life in and around the squared circle that I think every wrestling fan will enjoy. So, without wasting any more time, here's what to watch on Netflix if you love wrestling.

GLOW (2017)

I was pretty bummed to hear that GLOW, the Netflix original drama series about the formation of the Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling promotion was getting the can following the fourth season, but at least we got four seasons of action from Alison Brie, Betty Glipin, Marc Maron, and the rest of the cast before the plug was pulled.

Why It's A Good Option For Wrestling Fans: The series, which primarily focuses on Alison Brie's character, Ruth "Zoya the Destroya" Wilder, offers an in-depth look at formation of the famous all-female GLOW promotion. Each of the first three seasons do a tremendous job of balancing in-ring action with the behind-the-scenes dramatics that provide for an engaging story told through believable characters, despite them coming off as larger than life stereotypical wrestling personas.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Beyond The Mat (1999)

If you thought Darren Aronofsky's 2008 drama The Wrestler was about as emotional and depressing as a movie about an old washed up wrestler could get, then you should probably watch Barry W. Blaustein's 1999 documentary Beyond The Mat, which takes a look at the life of wrestlers like Jake "The Snake" Roberts and Terry Funk at the end of their respective careers (at least at the time), as well as big names like The Rock, who made his film debut with this production.

Why It's A Good Option For Wrestling Fans: Any obsessive wrestling fan has probably watched this shocking piece of film at one point or another in the past 20 years, but there's a good reason for that. Never before had the lives of wrestlers been exposed like this, and it helped open the door for similar films in the years following. It's even harder to watch the scenes following Darren "Droz" Drozdov considering he became paralyzed after sustaining a neck injury just weeks before the film was released.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Main Event (2020)

A little more lighthearted than the previous entry on this list, the WWE Studios Netflix film The Main Event tells the story of Leo Thompson (Seth Carr), a young boy with a dream of being a WWE superstar who finds a magical luchador mask in an old house after being chased by a group of bullies. This family comedy follows the young boy as he enters a wrestling tournament at the WWE Performance Center (the location of WrestleMania 36) in hopes of making his dream come true.

Why It's A Good Option For Wrestling Fans: Like I said, it's more lighthearted than Beyond The Mat, and probably anything else for that matter, but The Main Event features enough wrestling action and WWE superstars like The Miz, Kofi Kingston, Otis, and Keith Lee to make fore a fun, action-packed family movie.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Big Show Show (2020)

In April 2020, Netflix launched The Big Show Show, an eight-episode sitcom about WWE star Big Show and his fictionalized family. There are several wrestling references peppered throughout the first half of the season, but it really picks up after a few Attitude Era stars make a surprise run-in.

Why It's A Good Option For Wrestling Fans: Although there isn't too much actually wrestling in the show, it's still fun for longtime wrestling fans to pick up on all of the callbacks to some of Big Show's best moments inside the ring.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Toys That Made Us - Wrestling Figures (2019)

The Netflix documentary series The Toys That Made Us has spent the past three years exploring the origin stories and legacies of some of the most popular lines of toys in pop culture history. It was only a matter of time before the series took a look at all the great wrestling toys, specifically those manufactured by legendary toy companies LJN, Hasbro, and Galoob.

Why It's A Good Option For Wrestling Fans: Part wrestling history lesson and part toy documentary, this particular episode takes a very in-depth look at the fandoms' shared history through interviews with wrestlers, collectors, and fans.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Nobody Speak: Trials Of The Free Press (2018)

Less of a traditional wrestling documentary and more of deep dive into the legal battle surrounding the infamous Hulk Hogan sex tape that brought down the Gawker Media empire, Nobody Speak: Trials Of The Free Press offers an inside look at one of the most crucial legal decisions regarding free press in the 21st Century. With courtroom footage of Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan) trying to argue that he and his wrestling persona are two different people, it's easy to lose track of the danger of the lawsuit.

Why It's A Good Option For Wrestling Fans: Nobody Speaks isn't your typical wrestling documentary, it isn't really a wrestling documentary at all, but sometimes it's crazy to see how different areas of media overlap into a crazy, glorious mess that is the United States legal system. It has a more somber tone than other entries on this list, but seeing Hulk Hogan in his iconic bandana in on the witness stand is pretty wild.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Tiger King (2020)

If wrestling fans don't like the Netflix sensation Tiger King then I don't know what to believe anymore. This seven-part docuseries is the closest thing to a wrestling show you'll see outside of the ring. With a cast of characters that includes wild cat owners like Joe Exotic, Bhagavan Antle, and Carol Baskin, as well as an assortment of grifters and drifters, this insane piece of television plays out like a low-rent wrestling promotion you'd watch every Saturday night on a public access station.

Why It's A Good Option For Wrestling Fans: Surprise, surprise, according to Vice, Joe Exotic hosted two wrestling show at his infamous Oklahoma zoo in the years prior to his murder for hire plot gone awry.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Nacho Libre (2006)

It might not be the best Jack Black movie or film about wrestling, but the 2006 comedy Nacho Libre helped spread the word of lucha libre wresting south of the border in Mexico. In the film, Black plays Ignacio, a cook for an orphanage who dreams of becoming a luchador. To get around the orphanage's ban on wrestling, Ignacio dons a mask and the Nacho moniker.

Why It's A Good Option For Wrestling Fans: Although not loved by critics, Nacho Libre does feature some pretty humorous wrestling scenes, especially the ones featuring the famed luchador Silver King, who plays Ramses in the movie.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Ronda Rousey Story: Through My Father's Eyes

Wrestling fans might be upset with Ronda Rousey after the former UFC champion made some controversial remarks about fans and the way they treated her during her brief WWE run a couple of years back, but that's no reason to not check out the athlete's documentary Ronda Rousey Story: Through My Father's Eyes. This personal and intense documentary primarily focuses on Rousey's training during her MMA days, but it does explore the intense athlete's motivations.

Why It's A Good Option For Wrestling Fans: Although the documentary focuses on Ronda Rousey's Olympic and MMA fighting careers, it's nice to see the work the athlete and former WWE Raw Women's Champion put into her intense training program leading up to her big fights.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Nuestra: Lucha Libre

And then there's the insanely in-depth wrestling documentary series Nuestra: Lucha Libre, which looks into the lives of some of the most famous and infamous luchadors the sport has ever seen. Over the course of five episodes, this miniseries explores the daily lives of wrestlers like Negro Casas, Atlantis, Ultimo Guerrero, and many more.

Why It's A Good Option For Wrestling Fans: This is a great watch for fans who are familiar with the lucha libre style of wrestling as well as those who want to know more about the variation of the sport. Through enlightening interviews and wrestling segments, Nuestra: Lucha Libre is worth a watch.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Those are just a few of the great wrestling shows, movies, and documentaries you can watch on Netflix. Make sure to check back because Netflix is constantly adding new titles to its library. And in the meantime, make sure to check back for more wrestling news and features here on CinemaBlend.

Tiger King has been a major part of entertainment headlines and Twitter buzz since its release, but it may not be the biggest Netflix hit right now. The streamer has another original series that is making waves with viewers, too. In fact, Tiger King may not wear the crown of having the most massive worldwide audience. What show is on track to beat it?

The same show that set binge-watching records last year with the release of its previous season. That would be the Spanish-language thriller – Money Heist (La Casa de Papel). When it comes to which show brought in the largest worldwide audience, Money Heist has the edge over Tiger King for the first quarter of 2020.

THR reports that Netflix projects 65 million member accounts watched Money Heist. Tiger King is not far off from that with 64 million member accounts tuning in. It is also important to note that this is just Netflix’s projection. Could Tiger King make up that million in the end? Stay tuned.

It is important to note that Netflix’s new measure of a “view” now constitutes a subscriber watching a piece of content for only two minutes. It was previously defined as an account viewing 70% of an episode. Whatever the metric, Money Heist has the edge over the much-buzzed-about Tiger King.

It is a stat that even Money Heist’s criminal mastermind, The Professor, may not have predicted. The fourth chapter in the heist saga chronicled yet another dizzying descent into the madness of a high-stakes heist at the Bank of Spain. This show is a scripted drama, whereas Tiger King is all docuseries.

As it stands in the U.S., Tiger King is the number six most-watched content, according to Netflix’s handy new popular feature. In contrast, Money Heist is not anywhere in the top ten. While Tiger King may lose the crown of top monthly worldwide audience to Money Heist, it still has something going for it.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Tiger King raked in 34.3 million unique viewers during its first ten days on Netflix, a number that proved how popular the series has actually been. Or, this at least gave a strong indication about it. In another sign of its popularity, Netflix green-lit an after-show for the series.

Curious minds ended up learning even more about Joe Exotic in the Tiger King special, as many of those featured shared various stories. Not taking part in the after-show, however, were Joe Exotic (who is currently incarcerated) and Carole Baskin. The world is clearly watching. My question is if Netflix can somehow give viewers more of this content?

Tiger King’s pop culture prominence has clearly not been lost on Netflix. Considering the worldwide popularity of Money Heist, it is quite impressive that Tiger King was able to claw its way to being so close to the crime thriller. Despite all of the real-life drama of Tiger King, Money Heist may have it beat in the long run.

As someone who watched both upon their release, I have to say that Tiger King and Money Heist could not be any different. It is interesting to see such opposites clamoring for the top spot among the world’s audience.

You can stream Tiger King and Money Heist on Netflix. The limited series and the recently released fourth season of Money Heist have been among this year’s new content. If you need something else to watch, consider this spring’s premieres.

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Nearly a month after its official streaming premiere, Netflix's Tiger King remains the highest-viewed program on the worldwide service. Suffice to say, there are a lot of folks watching the bizarre, fascinating docu-series. Perhaps with time, we'll be seeing more new episodes and dramatized retellings of Joe Exotic's bonkers story. But in the meantime, there's a good chance that you're looking for a few other documentary series to stream. Don't worry. We got your covered. Whether you're looking for true crime, oddball real-life characters, unbelievable true stories, or other stories of murder and revenge, we have a plethora of recommendations that are all available at the click of a button. Here are 12 other shows you can stream if you loved Tiger King.

Wild Wild Country - Netflix

What It's About: Wild Wild Country tells the story of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, a guru leader who built a religious cult in Oregon in the 1980s and eventually launched several bioterror attacks.

Why Tiger King Fans Will Like It: If you watched Tiger King for its bizarre characters, intriguing twists, and cult-like figures, then you'll definitely be interested in Wild Wild Country. Much like Tiger King, it's filled with sex, danger, money, and scandals galore, and it's another Netflix docu-series that people wouldn't stop talking about following its premiere on the streaming service. If you love watching charismatic, enigmatic figures who lure in a number of people in their nefarious schemes and unlawful activities, you'll certainly find a lot worth investing and exploring with Wild Wild Country.

Stream It On Netflix here.

The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst - HBO Go

What It's About: The Jinx tells the story of Robert Durst, a New York real estate heir who was accused of committing a series of murders, including his wife.

Why Tiger King Fans Will Like It: Following the release of Andrew Jarecki's biopic All Good Things, the movie's subject, Robert Durst, reached out to the filmmaker and professed his desire to be interviewed, despite never expressing interest to speak to a journalist prior. What follows is The Jinx, which primarily showcases several hours of interview footage with Durst, and it leads to one of the most shocking endings in documentary TV history. If you found Carole Baskin's personal backstory, where she may or may not have been responsible for her late husband's mysterious disappearance, to be riveting, you'll definitely find yourself hooked by The Jinx.

Stream It On HBO Go here.

Don't F—k With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer - Netflix

What It's About: A three-part limited documentary series, Don't F--k with Cats follows a group of internet sleuths who launch a manhunt to track down a man seen killing two kittens in a graphic internet video. As they dig deeper, it's revealed that his killing spree goes even deeper.

Why Tiger King Fans Will Like It: Much like Tiger King, Don't Fk with Cats is a mini-series that focuses primarily with harmed cats and murder charges. Suffice to say, this crossbreed of animals and true crime makes it an easy comparison to the streaming service's hit docu-series. Be warned, though, that even by true crime documentary standards, Don't Fk with Cats is supposed to get pretty graphic and extremely disturbing.

Stream It On Netflix here.

McMillions - HBO Go

What It's About: McMillions is a six-part documentary series that recounts the controversial scam created around McDonald's Monopoly game that took place between 1989 and 2001. It features interviews from the FBI, the folks at the center of the scheme, the family members of those involved, and other subjects.

Why Tiger King Fans Will Like It: While a little long, at six episodes, McMillions (also titled McMillion$) tells a fascinating, unorthodox true crime story, one that also involves varied recounts, a number of animated personalities, and no shortage of scheming. While it did get some media notice, it's a story that has similarly only recently captured the nation's attention, notably with Ben Affleck expected to direct a dramatized version starring Matt Damon later down the road. It gives a whole other dimension to hitting "Go to Jail."

Stream It On HBO Go here or Hulu (for a limited time) here.

Freakshow - Tubi/Amazon Prime

What It's About: Freakshow is a reality series chronicling Todd Ray's Venice Beach Freakshow operations.

Why Tiger King Fans Will Like It: If you love oddball personalities and watching the day-to-day operations of their unusual business, you'll find a lot to enjoy in Freakshow. The AMC reality series follows former music producer Todd Ray and the various employees --nearly all of whom are proudly adopting the term "freak"-- that he found around the world. Now residing in Venice Beach, we get a peek into what it's like to run this business, and the challenges and obstacles they face in keeping the place running. If you liked Tiger King for how it gave you an unconventional-yet-beguiling look into the day and life wildlife exhibit owners, you'll want to get a ticket to this show.

Stream It On Tubi here and Amazon Prime here.

The Confession Killer - Netflix

What It's About: Henry Lee Lucas was considered America's most prolific serial killer, confessing to hundreds of murders. But when conflicting DNA results and other contradicting information comes to light, a lot of doubt is casted on Lucas' statements.

Why Tiger King Fans Will Like It: Filled with shocking twists and conflicting reports of true crime, The Confession Killer is another Netflix docu-series that explores a beguiling criminal and how his reputation doesn't always match the facts. There are a bunch of interviews with subjects involved with this late figure's story, causing more doubt as to who this man was and to what extent was he involved (or not involved) with these heinous murders.

Stream It On Netflix here.

Dark Side of the Ring - Vice on TV

What It's About: Dark Side of the Ring is a documentary series exploring controversial subjects and specific events within the world of professional wrestling.

Why Tiger King Fans Will Like It: Wrestling has no shortage of boisterous, over-the-top figures who want to make everything a spectacle. Alas, while the world of professional wrestling is often fake (even if the injuries can often be devastatingly real), the truth of the matter is that there are several dark figures within the ring, and their stories are the sources of controversy among wrestling fans. In this documentary series, you learn more about these dark subjects from within the world of professional wrestling. Much like Joe Exotic, they're entertaining personalities, but they have dark histories too.

Stream It On Vice on TV here.

Making a Murderer - Netflix

What It's About: Making a Murderer tells the story of Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man who served 18 years in prison for a wrongful conviction, only to later be wrongfully charged for charged for a separate murder charge.

Why Tiger King Fans Will Like It: There's a good chance that you've seen it already, but Making a Murderer was once Netflix's biggest, most talked-about true crime docu-series hit before Tiger King took that throne. Filmed over the course of 10 years, this compelling true story explores the subject and his history of being accused of these crimes, and it brought nationwide attention to this story. Certainly, it's one of the most popular documentary series in streaming history, and it provides a compelling and stirring look at criminal injustice in local government over the course of several decades.

Stream It On Netflix here.

Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes - Netflix

What It's About: A four-part documentary series diving into over 100 hours of interviews/archival footage of serial killer Ted Bundy, as well as interviews from family, friends, surviving victims and the law enforcement who worked on his case.

Why Tiger King Fans Will Like It: Ted Bundy was as fascinating as he was revolting as a public figure, particularly when exploring the disturbing details of his case. His history of being a tabloid sensation was in sharp juxtaposition with the extreme sensitivity of his serious crimes. He remained a figure of great interest until he was sentenced to his death in 1989. Even after that, Bundy remained a figure of continued intrigue. This docu-series explores this disturbing person in-depth, in his own words, while also talking to those who either knew him or were his victims.

Stream It On Netflix here.

Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist - Netflix

What It's About: A four-part true crime docu-series that explores the murder of Brian Wells and a high-profile incident in 2003 known as the "pizza bomber" case.

Why Tiger King Fans Will Like It: In 2003, a Pennsylvania pizza delivery man robbed a bank, saying he had a bomb tied to his neck. Following a stand-off with the police, the bomb went off, instantly killing him. Found on his person were a series of complicated instructions, suggesting that the robbery/bombing were part of an elaborate scavenger hunt. The story only gets more bizarre from there. This story may-or-may not have inspired the 2011 comedy 30 Minutes or Less, although the filmmakers and studio claim otherwise, but this story is no joke. It results in a surprising, compelling mystery with several surprising turns.

Stream It On Netflix here.

Cheer - Netflix

What It's About: Cheer is a six-part docu-series which follows a Texas-based college cheer team as they're preparing to compete in the National Cheerleading Championship held in Florida.

Why Tiger King Fans Will Like It: While not nearly as extreme as Joe Exotic, cheer coach Monica Aldama plays a similarly looming presence in this Netflix docu-series, particularly as she pushes her students to their physical and emotional limit in order to make them the best they can be. And the students —much like the employees as these wildlife exhibits — go along with it, despite explanation or reason. Either because they're attracted to the lure it provides or because they don't see any other option. The result is a compelling, emotionally devastating journey into these athletes' lives.

Stream It On Netflix here.

Do you love Netflix's Tiger King? What other documentary shows would you recommend? Let us know in the comment section below.

One of the most memorable, and certainly meme-worthy, figures from Netflix’s hit docu-series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness was Carole Baskin, the owner and operator of Big Cat Rescue. Baskin was the supposed nemesis of Tiger King Joe Exotic himself, and the subject of her ex-husband Don Lewis has led to a lot of discussion surrounding his disappearance. When interviewed about Lewis' disappearance, Baskin evidently thought she was providing contextual background for the docu-series.

In an interview with The Tampa Bay Times, there are two different tales to be told when it comes to Carole Baskin’s participation in the Tiger King docu-series. According to Baskin, the reason she spoke as much as she did about the 1997 disappearance of Don Lewis was because it was meant to provide some backstory for her life.

From her side, the story of her ex-husband’s disappearance wasn’t supposed to be a big deal, and was prompted by the series producers. Meanwhile, Tiger King producer Eric Goode has gone on record as stating that apparently those talks were more open than Carole Baskin would like to admit. In Goode’s recollection of Baskin’s participation, the discussion of her life “wasn’t coerced” in any way.

No matter which side of the story turns out to be correct, the truth is that in a miniseries mostly focused on Joe Exotic and his wild and crazy times as an animal caretaker/bon vivant actually took an entire episode to discuss the story of Carole Baskin and her ex-husband’s disappearance. Which, in turn, sent the meme machine flying into overdrive. Tik Tok remixes, a wide-ranging public debate/discussion over whether Joe Exotic’s accusations of Don Lewis’ supposed murder were valid or not, and even a social media post with O.J. Simpson chiming in on his thoughts about the matter were all part of the immediate aftermath in the wake of the series’ debut.

Perhaps the biggest development to come from Tiger King’s aftermath is the fact that Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister is now looking for new leads into Don Lewis’ disappearance, in an effort to reopen the decades old cold case. It’s not all bad news for Carol Baskin though, as she’s also the subject of a follow-up miniseries with Kate McKinnon starring in the role of Baskin herself. So it sounds like there could be more information waiting for the public in this new dramatized version of events.

Netflix has set off a flood of follow-ups, further investigations, and pop culture fodder in the wake of its release of Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. It’s far from over, and as things develop, we’ll be breaking the news here at CinemaBlend. In the meantime, you can watch the entire Tiger King series, with a new aftershow episode, “The Tiger King and I”, hosted by Joel McHale, now on Netflix.

As anyone who has watched it can tell you, Tiger King is one hell of a ride. In addition to exposing some truly horrific abuses in the world of big cat ownership, it also reveals that particular world is one full of some ridiculous characters and truly terrible people – the central three being Joe Exotic, Carole Baskin, and Bhagavan "Doc" Antle. The series manages to jam a hell of a lot of content into 317 minutes, but in the weeks since its release it’s been proven that there are still a lot more details within the larger story that we don’t know about. Hence, we now have The Tiger And I to enjoy.

Netflix has launched the 40-minute piece as an extra episode of Tiger King, featuring host Joel McHale talking with numerous people from the documentary who have seen their lives totally change as a result of the series. Much of the show is dedicated to catching up with the individuals and their reactions to the massively popular release, but they also provided us with some more wild stories that have once again dropped our jaws… and we have highlighted the six best right here:

Joe Exotic Is Apparently Terrified Of Big Cats

Based on what’s shown in Tiger King, big cat owners seem to love the power rush that comes with being around massive creatures that can easily tear them to pieces – but according to Robert Kirkham, everything we see in that regard from Joe Exotic is purely for show and an ego demonstration. The former O’Reilly Factor producer says that Exotic is actually “terrified of lions and tigers,” and had a particular trick to make himself look braver than he was: one of the cats he was regular filmed with was blind, and the other one was sedated with tranquilizers. With that in mind, it doesn’t really seem to be fitting to call him the “Tiger King,” now does it?

Joe Exotic Blew Up John Reinke’s Golf Cart And Cabin

Toward the end of Tiger King, things start to get a bit more violent and explosive, with the murder-for-hire plot emerging, and Joe Exotic’s film studio burning to the ground, but John Reinke reveals in The Tiger And I that there were more episodes involving fire that weren’t covered in the seven episode documentary series. While the animal handler formerly employed at Exotic’s zoo didn’t provide much in the way of context, apparently his boss decided to blow up Reinke’s golf cart and his cabin. Sadly there weren’t any follow-up questions answered about these incidents providing any kind of explanation for why they happened, so we’ll just have to wait for another follow-up episode to provide the details.

Joe Exotic Shot A Horse And Fed It To His Cats

There is a good portion of The Tiger And I that drives home the horrible animal abuse that occurred on Joe Exotic’s watch, but Robert Kirkham’s story about a horse that was left in the zoo owner’s care particularly illustrates why the so-called Tiger King deserves to be in prison serving the sentence he was given. According to Kirkham, a woman traveled to the property with an ailing horse believing that she could leave it with Exotic so that he could give the equine a good home and proper care before it died. As soon as she drove off, however, Exotic took out a gun and shot the horse in the head, telling his producer that he didn’t take care of other people’s animals and that it would just be used for feeding his cats.

Joshua Dial Knew He Was Working With S "Natshit Crazy Person" Going In

One of the most memorable lines in all of Tiger King is featured in Joshua Dial’s introduction, explaining that the 18 months that he spent as Joe Exotic’s campaign manager was “the worst experience of [his] life.” As revealed in The Tiger And I, however, it was evidently a job that the proud libertarian recognized as hazardous from the very beginning. Rather than seeing working for Exotic as an opportunity to get into politics and then discover his boss’ eccentricities along the way, the former campaign manager knew that he was working for a “batshit crazy person” before he went to the zoo looking for a job. Hopefully people in the future will learn a lesson from Dial and avoid employment from people who fit that description.

Joe Exotic Sought Comfort From A Shaman After Travis’ Death

In our modern world, there are many resources that a person can utilize following a traumatic event, from personal and group therapy, to various help lines, but Joe Exotic decided not to pursue any of those traditional routes following the unexpected death of his husband, Travis Maldonado. Per Joshua Dial, who experienced his own trauma having personally witnessed Maldonado’s accidental death, the only kind of counseling that Exotic got after the incident was from an unnamed shaman. In The Tiger And I, Dial expresses that he doesn’t hold any particular prejudice against holistic approaches towards grief, but he also believes that the shaman didn’t help his employer, and instead actually did more harm than good.

Joe Exotic Kept People Down By Telling Them They Couldn’t Run The Zoo

Tiger King is arguably a series about a trio of big cat-centric cults, with each of the organizations featuring many of the recognizable traits – including hierarchies serving under an eccentric leader, and recruitment strategies typically targeting destitute and vulnerable individuals. Right alongside these behaviors is leaders belittling their followers in order to secure their position at the top, and John Reinke reveals in The Tiger And I that Joe Exotic did this constantly. Reinke says that the zoo owner never recognized his contributions to the park and the work that he was doing taking care of the animals, and instead regularly demeaned him and other employees by telling them that he couldn’t run the zoo, and wouldn’t know how to if he tried. “He always tried to keep people smaller than him, Reinke explains in the follow-up episode.

The world of Tiger King seems to be an endless well of fascinating stories, and The Tiger And I is just the latest piece to reveal more of the insanity. The whole thing definitely isn’t going away any time soon, so stay tuned here on CinemaBlend as we continue to track this wild tale.

Netflix’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is still incredibly popular but, now that it’s been a few weeks since its release, information has been pouring out about what happened to the tigers after the docuseries wrapped and certain elements that could have gotten more screentime. There’s still a lot of behind-the-scenes info coming to light, that’s for sure. Most recently, Tiger King’s Rick Kirkham revealed a gruesome incident that was left out of the docuseries altogether.

Rick Kirkham, who once served as producer of Joe Exotic’s reality series before his footage was lost in a fire, has a lot of thoughts about Tiger King and his time at Exotic’s big cat park. He recalls a specific incident allegedly caught on camera that showcases Exotic’s abuse of animals. As Kirkham tells E! Daily Pop, a woman showe up at G.W. Zoo one day asking Exotic to take her old horse in hopes that he would care for it. However, Exotic reportedly killed the horse instead. Here’s what Kirkham claims happened:

Rick Kirkham adds that Joe Exotic would allegedly kill the older tigers and “feed them right to the other tigers.” As you can tell, the details of the reported story are rather gruesome and disturbing, but it does seem to fall in line with the allegations that Joe Exotic — whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — has reportedly killed and abused animals during his time running the big cat zoo.

Rick Kirkham, who says that he’s back in therapy following Tiger King’s release and subsequent rise in popularity, further claims that the docuseries is incredibly precise in its depiction of Joe Exotic and the events that transpired. However, he believes that Tiger King “didn’t go near as far as it could’ve gone.” In his words:

Joe Exotic is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence after being charged with killing five tigers and committing other wildlife violations, in addition to being found guilty for a murder-for-hire plot involving Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin. That said, People reports that Exotic is not currently facing any criminal charges for allegedly killing the horse that Rick Kirkham references.

Tiger King is getting an additional episode called The Tiger King and I, which will feature interviews with those involved in the docuseries. It’ll be hosted by Community’s Joel McHale and will premiere on Netflix on April 12. In the meantime, viewers can still watch Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness on the streaming service.