Top 10 Worst Things Done by the Cast of Tiger King
#10: Joe Brushing Off Saff's Missing Arm
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Joe Exotic is passionate about tigers, but there’s nothing he loves more than being the center of attention. Good press or bad press, he embraces the spotlight. So sure enough, seemingly mere moments after one of his employees has their arm ripped off by a tiger, he’s addressing park guests. Someone needs to let the paying customers know that there’s been an accident, but it was far from the most pressing issue. The fact that Joe voices concern (on-camera no less) about how this will impact his finances, shows just how messed up his priorities are. Saff clearly doesn’t have any ill will towards Joe stemming from the event, but it still would’ve been nice for the boss to show a bit more care.
#9: Jeff Lowe “Stealing” the Zoo
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At the end of Tiger King’s fourth episode, Jeff Lowe rides in from out of nowhere like Joe’s tailor-made personal savior who watches too much Sons of Anarchy. Motivated by his financially-draining legal battle with Carole Baskin, Joe opts to transfer the zoo into Jeff’s name. But it’s pretty clear to all parties involved that, while Jeff has become a partner in the zoo, the ownership is in name only. After accusing Joe of having committed fraud, Jeff exercises his right as the legal owner of the property by claiming it for himself and kicking Joe Exotic out. Joe’s no saint, but that doesn’t justify Jeff’s opportunism.
#8: Joe Recycling Old Walmart Meat
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As any pet owner knows, quality food is crucial to an animal’s health. And considering the big cats are already living in an environment so fundamentally different from their own, diet becomes especially important. At respected and accredited zoos and animal sanctuaries, tigers and other big cats are typically fed fresh ground beef, as well as a carefully balanced selection of supplements to make sure they get all necessary nutrients. At G.W. Zoo, they get some meat from livestock, but it’s heavily supplemented with expired meat (including processed varieties) from Walmart dumpsters. As if that isn’t bad enough, that same expired meat was being consumed by the employees and (worst of all) used in the pizza Joe started serving to park guests.
#7: Joe Remarrying So Quickly After the Death of His Husband Travis
Episode 5 of “Tiger King” is a real doozy. Not only does it cover Joe’s political aspirations, but it gives us a close look at the life of Joe’s husband Travis, who accidentally killed himself. By this time, Joe’s other partner, John Finlay, had already left him. And Joe Exotic is not a man who’s comfortable being alone. After hosting a painfully awkward funeral for Travis that felt far more focused on Joe than his dearly departed husband, the zoo owner proceeds to meet and marry another man decades younger than him. And he does it all within the span of two months! Adding insult to injury, Joe invited Travis’ mom and then, according to her, never spoke to her again.
#6: Carole's Treatment of Volunteers & Interns
When we’re first introduced to Tiger King’s colorful cast of characters, Carole Baskin definitely comes across as the most ethically-minded. As early as episode two, however, the water starts to muddy. As Carole herself says, she doesn’t pay people to care for the cats, because she’s got all the free labor she could want. Volunteers are organized into a hierarchy recognizable by T-shirt color; it can take a year or more to advance to another level. An internship can fast-track the process, but it can involve working 6 days a week and putting in 12 hour days. Sure, the sanctuary is non-profit, but Baskin’s critics have accused her of taking advantage.
#5: Doc’s Treatment of His Wives
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Who knew that polygamy and big cats were so closely connected? Joe Exotic’s dynamic with his partners is certainly unconventional, but he can’t hold a candle to what Doc Antle has going on. Based on testimonials in “Tiger King”, it seems that he has a pattern of taking on attractive young apprentices and working them to the bone for next to no pay. Considering the emotional and psychological manipulation, as well as the sense of dependence the environment seems to cultivate, many online have labelled it “grooming”. Others have gone so far as to call it a cult. To hear it from one of the few women who actually left, it certainly sounds like one!
#4: Staging the Studio Fire
Now we’re admittedly getting into speculation. It can’t be said for sure who exactly was responsible for starting the fire that claimed Joe’s studio and the lives of his alligators. But… by process of elimination, we can get a pretty good idea. Rick Kirkham arguably lost more in that fire than anyone else, so he seems an unlikely culprit And while there are many people who are strongly opposed to animal parks like Joe’s, his detractors going to such extreme lengths seems similarly far-fetched. Then there’s that conversation between Joe and his attorney, which, let’s be honest… gives Joe all the motive in the world. To think that Joe would kill his animals is deplorable, but it’s certainly one possible explanation.
#3: Animal Neglect
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There’s a lot that happens in “Tiger King” that feels open to interpretation or could benefit from further investigation. But one thing that’s clear as day is the widespread mistreatment of animals. Sure, Joe has affection for his big cats, but they’re not being taken care of properly. The dumpster meat is bad enough, but as we see in the series, the animals were often left to go hungry when money was tight. Worse still, findings from a 2011 investigation have come to light documenting Joe and his staff regularly being physically abusive with the animals. In the wake of his conviction and the release of the series, even Joe Exotic himself has gone on record saying that he’s ashamed of how the animals were treated.
#2: Murder Plot
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Honestly, had this docuseries simply focused on Joe Exotic and his zoo, we still would’ve been absolutely fascinated. But adding to the surreal nature of the show is the fact that, on top of everything else, it includes a real life murder-for-hire plot! Professional and personal rivalries are common in many industries, but rarely are they allowed to escalate to the point of murderous intent. If this were anyone else, we’d dismiss these accusations as outlandish. But considering the countless threats that Joe Exotic made against Carole Baskin, it’s not hard to wrap your mind around him hiring a man to kill her. And really… there’s no amount of bad blood that justifies such a horrific crime.
#1: The Possible Murder of Don Lewis
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Let’s get one thing straight. At the time of writing, there’s no concrete proof that Carole Baskin was involved in the disappearance of her husband. Like the docuseries, all we can do is speculate. But, based on the evidence presented in “Tiger King”, Don Lewis’ disappearance certainly seems suspicious. And if Lewis was indeed killed, as many suspect (including his family), well then . . . that would certainly warrant the #1 spot. The only thing that can top hiring a hitman is actually succeeding in ending someone’s life. Given that Lewis hasn’t been seen in 20 years, who knows… maybe Joe’s music video isn’t entirely inaccurate. For what it’s worth, OJ Simpson thinks Baskin did it!
