In these trying times, thank goodness we can rely on Netflix to keep us entertained and distracted from the fact that the world outside our home feels like it’s falling apart (at least temporarily). While you’re self-isolating, you might want to sink your teeth into the streaming service’s new docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. Trust me, it’d a doozy.
- So what is it about? Netflix describes Tiger King as follows: “A zoo owner spirals out of control amid a cast of eccentric characters in this true murder-for-hire story from the underworld of big cat breeding.” If you’re thinking, “Wait, WHAT? That sounds insane!” then you’re absolutely right. It is!
- Joe Exotic just might be one of the most eccentric people you’ll ever see. His real name is Joseph Maldonado, but Joe Exotic is his preferred name. He was just some weird gun and drug-loving polygamist with aspirations of becoming a country music star before he became the owner of the GW Exotic Animal Park.
- Isn’t owning exotic animals illegal? Not in some states. The 16-acre Oklahoma ranch on which Joe kept 1,200 animals including tigers, bears, and other wild cats seemed to be legit but it was also under regular scrutiny by animal rights activists. Carole Baskin, CEO of the Tampa animal sanctuary Big Cat Rescue, was perhaps the biggest critic of all.
- Joe’s rivalry with Carole soon became murderous. Murder for hire, you say? Well, I won’t spoil how all of this came about or how it ended, but you should know that Carole is still alive and Joe is in prison for 22 years. Needless to say, Joe’s path to the slammer is one of the most interesting and downright insane things you’ll ever see, and Netflix unfolds the story in Tiger King over seven ridiculously entertaining episodes you need to watch to believe.
- Tiger King is available to stream on Netflix now. You know what to do—get watching!