Joe Exotic became an overnight sensation with the release of the hit Netflix docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. However, even after 8 episodes detailing every insane detail about the world of big cat rescues, there's still a lot we don't know about the characters in the series. These fast facts will catch you up on everything you need to know that was not covered in the show...
Lack of Evidence
If you thought the incidents surrounding Carole's ex-husband's death were fishy, you're not alone. Those who made the film claimed to find very little evidence in the mysterious death. "We subpoenaed phone records, and they don't exist anymore in the records," said one filmmaker, "We've done so many things that we were trying to follow up on, and there's just such a lack of evidence that it's really difficult to pursue it further."
Renewed Interest
Everyone found Carole's life a little suspicious. Apparently, local police have reopened the case of her husband's death. Authorities in Tampa reported that they are currently getting new tips about her missing husband, who's been presumed dead since 1997. They get about 6 tips a day. Chad Chronister, the Hillsborough County Sheriff, said they "will be reviewing the evidence."
Chief of Police
Behind Bars
Joe has been confined to a prison cell for almost a year and a half. Eric Goode told Entertainment Weekly in an interview that he still occasionally will contact Joe Exotic in prison. Exotic claims that being in jail has given him a "different perspective on what it means to be in a cage." He also allegedly is very excited about all the press he's getting but is upset he can't see it.
Ligers
Think Ligers are just a myth? Well, Joe Exotic is here to prove you wrong. Joe bred the infamous lion-tiger hybrids in the zoo. Thanks to a New York Magazine report, the public learned that Exotic had high hopes for this process. He believed that it could lead to the re-creation of a prehistoric sabertooth tiger. This would be cool but it is unfortunately very impossible to do.
Sad Singer
You probably have noticed that for all the craziness, Joe Exotic actually has a decent singing voice. Would you be shocked to learn that he's not actually the one singing? Joe hired singers to perform a song about tigers. Joe sang sometimes, but the parts you probably applauded and downloaded were actually performed by the local Clinton Johnson Band.
Turtle Lover
Co-directors Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin have always been big fans of all animals, and that doesn't just mean tigers. In fact, prior to beginning work on the smash hit docuseries, Eric Goode had an animal passion project of his own in the works. Though his movie was about tigers, his love was for turtles. He even founded the Turtle Conservancy back in 2005.
Nightlife Scene
When he's not saving the turtles or filming the tigers, Eric Goode might be out on the town. He opened a nightclub in 1983 known for it's constantly changing themes. Area, the nightclub, drew in huge crowds every single night and included some big names. Madonna, Bianca Jagger, and Cher all partied with Goode. Since then, he has opened The Bowery Hotel, The Jane Hotel, and Waverly Inn.
The Joe Exotic Podcast
You might have seen him on Netflix, but there's an abundance of Joe Exotic content to explore. About 2 weeks prior to the Netflix show's release, the Joe Exotic: Tiger King podcast began, and spends a little extra time going into more detail about the people from the show. Robert Moor, who made the show, spent 4 years creating the podcast, lived at the zoo for 7 days, and even attended the famous trial.
Secret Stories
Cardi B Loves Joe
For some reason, Cardi B really wants Joe Exotic to be freed from jail. The rapper said in a tweet that she was planning on starting a fundraiser on GoFundMe to assist in paying for Joe Exotic's legal fees. She was hoping to help and get him out of completing his 22-year prison sentence. No further word has been said about it, but it's still pretty wild...
Baskin Blues
Not surprisingly, Carole Baskin does not like the series that made her famous. Carole has kept up with her blog, and this is what she revealed in a post: "There are no words for how disappointing it is to see that the series...has had the sole goal of being as salacious and sensational as possible to draw viewers." It probably doesn't help that she was painted to look like a killer...
Baskin's Beau
Not mentioned in the docuseries is that Baskin had a boyfriend shortly after her husband's mystery loss. The man was named was Jay Baykal. After the couple broke up, he reportedly filed a restraining order against Carole. This is keeping in line with what Lewis did, according to Robert Moor. Later, Baskin got married to her current husband, Howard Baskin.
Howard Baskin Speaks Out
Lawsuit Settled
Kim Kardashian Gets Involved
Doc Antle Hates the Show
Doc said in a statement about the show, "It is important to understand that this series is not a documentary; it’s sensationalized entertainment with paid participants. Tiger King is the bizarre story of Joe and Carole and their feud... These characters are not representative of experts in the wildlife sector or world-class facilities like ours here in Myrtle Beach." Sounds pretty upset...
Britney's Biggest Fan
Tonight Show
John Finlay's New Teeth
Rick's Fire
Kirkham's Career
You might not be able to tell by the Rick Kirkham you know and love today, but this prominent producer actually has a history in dance! The celebrated news host began as a dancer and even appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand when he was just sixteen years old. He never knew the life that would come from such a different career change...
Channing Tatum Finlay
John Finlay thinks pretty highly of his appearance, as you might have guessed when his shirt was off the entirety of the show. He thinks that if the show was ever going to be turned into a movie, he would want superstar Channing Tatum to play him. He also wants Tatum because the star once gave a shoutout to his cousin with stage 4 breast cancer...
Dillon and Joe
Here's a surprise for viewers: Joe and Dillon Passage are still together after all this time. Dillon Passage responded to an Instagram comment asking if the couple were still married with a simple follow-up comment. He said "I'm still married to joe but my social media platform isn’t used for any joe things. Thank you though." Absence makes the heart grow fonder...
Exotic's Secret Husband
We all know Joe had a lot of husbands, but not much is known about the very first. According to an article in New York Magazine, Joe Exotic's first husband was a man by the name of J.C. Hartpence. Wondering why he wasn't in the show? Well, he is apparently still in prison for murder. He committed the crime after his divorce from Exotic. Hopefully, they don't meet in jail...
Celebrity Endorsements
Zoo Reopening
The city is not letting go of their tigers yet. The zoo is set to be reopened in the summer of 2020. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, this is still up for debate. Lowe says that the infamous grounds are going to be called the Oklahoma Zoo. Hopefully, they don't get confused with the already established and wildly more successful Oklahoma City Zoo...
G. W. Zoo Lives On
Animals Lost
Wondering whatever happened to those lovable big cats? Well, the future might not be so bright. As of right now, it is unclear what will become of the furry animals. Goode doesn't think that all of the creatures in the zoo will survive. "Some will be placed," confirmed Goode, "but I would suspect a lot of them will die from starvation, and probably be put down."
Lauren and Lowe
Everyone was perplexed by Jeff Lowe and his wife Lauren, but reports say that the two are still in a relationship. Lauren Dropla and Jeff Lowe are even engaged to be married. Reportedly, the redhead is still helping him manage the G.W. Zoo and is excited to start a life with him and their new child. That might be the wildest part of the whole series!
Wedding Bells
New Nanny
As mentioned in the series, the couple agreed upon a nanny for their new child. Months later, they're happy to report that she is still around and happy to be a part of this wacky wildlife world. Jeff Lowe recently posted this photograph of the three of them. It includes himself, his fiancée, and their hot nanny. He posted it on Instagram, and those likes just kept coming...
Lowe Loves the Show
Jeff Lowe seems to be the only one happy with his portrayal! In a now-deleted Facebook post, Lowe wrote, "Lauren and I just finished watching the Tiger King. Overall, we think they did a good job. [There was] a little sensationalism here and there, but for the most part, it was a decent Readers Digest version, telling the story of a sick, twisted animal abuser--Joe Exotic."
Farewell Ferrari
A man who is dedicated to his zoo, that's Jeff! He had to sell his Ferrari for the benefit of the zoo. He claimed that he and his girlfriend are "committed to the care of hundreds of animals who rely on us to keep them safe and healthy." Because of this, he sold his beloved car. Lowe thinks that overall, his largest contribution to the animal world is that he helped take down Joe.
"Tigers and Dreams"
Neverland Ranch
Uncut Gems
Mini-Series Magic
Second Time
Believe it or not, this isn't the Tiger King's first documentary. The jungle cat enthusiast was featured in a BBC documentary known as Louis Theroux: America's Most Dangerous Pets. The film was made back in 2011 and didn't expose the world to nearly enough Joe Exotic, so he was eager to get the limelight to himself when Goode came knocking.
Season 2?
Turns out, there's still quite a lot we don't know about the Tiger King, and producers want the people to see. "We have a crazy amount of footage and it's a story that's still unfolding," said Rebecca Chaiklin, co-director, in an interview. "We're not sure yet, but there could be a follow-up on this story, and it'll be just as dramatic and just as colorful as what unfolded these past few years."
Halloween Happenings
After the popularity of the show, fans began showing their support for one side or another. It also spawned a lot of people on social media posting their own versions of people from the show. Many have been dressing up as Joe Exotic, Carole Baskin, Jeff Lowe, or even one of the tigers! Halloween is going to be a breeze this October!
Trump's Help
Fans have been itching to get Exotic into the press junket, so some even reached out to the President for help. He claimed in a press briefing, when asked if he would pardon Exotic, that he would "look into it." There has been no further word on it, but it's probably unlikely. Still though, more content from Joe would make for some great television...
Post-Death
Where do tigers from Tiger King go after they're gone? Well, some of them stay right in Oklahoma.In the state there is a skeleton museum, and who doesn't want to look at a tiger skeleton? A few of the big cats bones have been donated there for research and exhibition, but not all of them. What ever happens to the others? THat's one secret Joe will never tell...
Exotic Loves the Show
No shocker here, Joe Exotic loves his show. Eric Goode knew that Exotic wanted to be in the spotlight more than anything else. Goode said: "He is absolutely ecstatic about the series and the idea of being famous. He’s absolutely thrilled.[...] You can hardly talk to him without him mentioning the amount of press he’s getting." He finally has the fame he always craved...
Secret Episode
If you binged the whole show right after it's release, you might have missed out on a secret bonus episode released later on. The show left viewers with so many burning questions that producers decided to follow up with the characters a few weeks after they became well-known celebrities. Not all of them enjoyed the spotlight, but they certaintly were suprised by it!
Horses and Tigers
Tigers weren’t the only animals getting the short end of the stick. People often donated animals to the zoo such as horses. However, directors claimed that while Joe would smile and promise to care for these animals, he would later shoot them and use the meat as tiger food. It was a pretty vicious way to treat any animal that crossed his path, but it continued for years.
Law Enforcement
The law has quite an issue with Joe Exotic. The famous face had previously got into a bit of trouble with the law several times. Once, it was for shooting a group of emus he owned. The emus had escaped while Joe was trying to transport them for one place to another. Police were made aware of the cruelty and Joe was reprimanded for his actions...
Finlay Fiancee
Does anyone hear wedding bells? John Finlay got a new set of teeth and a brand new girlfriend! After finding out hiis secret girlfriend was pregnant, John left Joe to be a father. However, he's now engaged to a different woman than he was before. The two parents are no longer together, but they share custody of their daughter. Looks like a pretty good family!
Unsafe Tigers
Tigers, as you might have guessed, are not treated well in the zoo, no matter what Joe Exotic claims. Goode's co-director Rebecca Chaiklin claimed that, while she was there filming, she saw most of the tigers "were subjected to abject cruelty." It was hard to see it on the small screen, so it must have been heartbreaking to witness up close and personal...
Name Game
It seems like everyone in this show had name changes, nicknames, and alternative titles. One of the most famous was Doc Antle, who also went by the name Bhagavan. However, one post from his website revealed that the infamous "Doc" Antle was known as "Kevin" while he was at school. As mentioned in the documentary, Joe's real last name is not "Exotic."
Joe's Past
Joe did not have such an easy upbringing. He was born in Garden City, Kansas by the name of Joseph Allen Schreibvogel. His birthday is on March 5, 1963. Joe worked on a farm in Kansas when he was growing up. At only five years of age, Joe was sexually assaulted by an older boy, which has profoundly impacted him throughout his life. He later moved to Texas.
Carwreck
Joe's sexualtiy was outed by one of his siblings. After his parents knew he was gay, he attempted to kill himself by crashing his police cruiser into a bridge, though this was unsuccessful. Over the years, his claims about the wreck have changed, sometimes saying that the car was forced off of the road by another vehicle.
Joe's Pet Store
Joe has always been interested in animals. He worked many jobs before opening his own pet store with his brother in Texas. Exotic came into hot water with local Arlington police. The reasoning was that he was hanging gay pride flags and a United States flag with colorful stripes for passersby to see. He accused the police of targeting him due to homophobia.
Joe's First Zoo
Jow was very shaken up by his brother's death from a car accident in 1997. He quickly sold the pet store and bought a 16-acre farm in Oklahoma with his parents. Later on, over 2 years after his brother's tragic passing, the farm reopened as Garold Wayne Exotic Animal Memorial Park in honor of Joe's brother, Garold. The zoo's first inhabitants were two of Garold's pets.
Famous Face
Joe Exotic became a household name in Oklahoma. For over 20 years, Joe Exotic, the owner of the G. W. Zoo, was known for his big cats. He made a reality television show that was streamed from the zoo. He conducted side projects like shows and performances around the country. Here, people were permitted to pet tiger cubs. This is when he caught Carole Baskin's attention.
Man of God
Want the Tiger King to officiate your wedding? Well, he actually can! Joe Exotic is an ordained minister in Oklahoma. This means that he is able to officiate all kinds of marriages. No one knows if he's ever tried before, so proceed with caution. His ministry license is through the Universal Life Church. Wouldn't it be cool to say you were married by the man himself?
Law Troubles
On the day of March 17, 2020, Joe Exotic filed a lawsuit against the US Federal Government while imprisoned at the Grady County Jail. The lawsuit asks for $94 million from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for the loss of his beloved tigers. He says the USFWS cost him $79 million by taking him from his tigers. Maybe they're better off without you, Joe...
More Lawsuits
The lawsuits don't stop with Joe. The television star also demanded $15 million for false imprisonment and a myriad of other allegedly false charges. One of these includes the death of his mother, Shirley. He also accuses Jeff Lowe of switching his medicine with illegal drugs and ruining his property in the details of the lawsuit, which honestly does seem like something Jeff would try...
Tiger Facts
Do you side with Joe? maybe not so much when you learn that tigers are few and far between. Tigers are classified as Endangered. It is estimated by professionals that on 3,500 wild tigers are alive worldwide. They live for about 10 to 15 years at most, so the need to repopulate them quickly is very high. Too bad a lot of them crossed paths with Joe and the others...
Big Cat Public Safety Act
Even co-director Eric Goode believes that big cats should be more restricted. He says that the Big Cat Public Safety Act championed by Carole might be the best way to do that. "We wanted to tell the story, but at the end have the takeaway be that there were horrible suffering and exploitation of these cats," he said in an interview. That point was definitely received...