Hey all you cool cats and kittens! Netflix’s new docuseries, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, has captivated audiences with its sheer insanity, its massive twists, and shocking depiction of the members of the big cat community. Fans are obsessed with the show’s trippy cast of characters, from G.W. Zoo owner Joe Exotic, to his foil, animal activist Carole Baskin — who’s the subject of a little controversy of her own. As the show’s subjects continue to speak out about their depictions in the series, let’s find out more about where they are today:
At the end of Tiger King, which takes place in January 2020, Joe Exotic — real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage — was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his part in a murder-for-hire plot against his nemesis Carole. He filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Federal Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Interior in March 2020 seeking nearly $94 million in damages. He claimed hat his conviction was based on false testimony, that he was allegedly targeted for being “an openly gay male with the largest collection of generic tigers and cross breeds,” according to the Associated Press. As for the bleached mullet… no idea if that’s still happening.
Joe is still married to Dillon Passage, who told Andy Cohen in an April 1 radio interview that they were still very much in love. He also revealed that Joe had been placed in COVID-19 isolation after being moved to a new prison; the previous facility had confirmed coronavirus cases.
Carole still operates her Tampa-based non-profit exotic cat sanctuary, Big Cat Rescue, and denies all involvement in the 1997 disappearance of her first husband, Don Lewis. That especially includes denying speculation that she allegedly fed him to her tigers. She released a statement regarding Tiger King, writing, “The series presents this without any regard for the truth or in most cases even giving me an opportunity before publication to rebut the absurd claims. They did not care about truth. The unsavory lies are better for getting viewers.
“There is no short, simple way to refute so many lies,” she continued. “If you do want to know the truth, it requires understanding the history of events in the years before my husband’s disappearance and the roles and behaviors of the people interviewed in the series, which I have tried to do as concisely as I can below but still requires a few pages.” Read her full statement HERE. Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon is slated to play Carole in an upcoming Tiger King-based series.
To catch up with everyone from the Tiger King cast, including Doc Antle, Jeff Lowe, and Rick Kirkham, scroll through the gallery above. Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is currently streaming on Netflix.