As the world continues to abide by CDC orders and remain indoors while practicing social distancing, there has been an increase in Netflix binging internationally. One series that is creating an uproar (sorry, I had to) across the globe is Tiger King. The limited docuseries explores the wild behind the scenes life of the big cat lovers’ society that includes the one and only Joe Exotic.
If you don’t know who Joe Exotic is, allow me to introduce him. He is the over the top founder of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood, Oklahoma and is best known for his eccentric style, multiple marriages and his involvement in a murder for hire plot to kill his arch-nemesis, Carole Baskin. And this doesn’t even scratch the surface.
Without giving away spoilers to the hit Netflix series, here’s a nose dive into Joe Exotic’s crazy backstory and how he has become a household name, all while being locked up behind bars. Joseph Allen Schreibvogel, AKA Joe Exotic, is the former owner and founder of the GW Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma. Born in Kansas, Joe lived a normal small-town life until his passion for exotic animals and attention lead him to open his controversial zoo in 1999.
As the self-proclaimed most prolific breeder of exotic big cats in America, Joe gained his fair share of enemies along the way, most notably the founder of Big Cat Rescue, Carole Baskin. It should be noted right off the bat that Carole has been accused of killing her husband, Don Lewis, and feeding him to the tigers in their “sanctuary” in Tampa, FL, but you can find out more about that by watching the docuseries. Not to mention her “sanctuary” has also come under fire for being just as abusive and cruel to animals as Joe Exotic’s, but that’s not the point.
His ever-growing exotic animal park was founded in honor of his brother who passed away in a car accident in 1997, with his brother’s pets being the first animal inhabitants. The drama quickly started circulating Joe before the zoo was ever open when he shot and killed emus in Texas that were meant to be transported to his facility in Oklahoma. He was indicted but this would be the first incident of alleged animal abuse that the flamboyant reality star would face.
In 2000, Joe acquired his first two big cats for his zoo and it’s been all downhill since then. He began doing sideshows across the U.S., but he came under Carole’s fire for his mall performances where he would allow hundreds of guests to pet tiger cubs. He began to incorporate magic and singing into his performances to combat the backlash he was facing, even releasing records and music videos.
He gained a cult following of fans who would tune in for his daily live-streamed “Joe Exotic TV,” a show that was filmed on his property. He also gained a lot of haters. He became known for his unfiltered and unapologetic attacks on Carole as she continually tried to shut him and his zoo down on her own live-streamed shows.
Ultimately, Joe was convicted in 2019 on two counts of murder for hire (yeah, he hired an undercover FBI agent to kill Carole Baskin. That’s not even the craziest part. Watch the show.), eight violations of the Lacey Act, and nine violations of the Endangered Species Act. Just this year he was convicted to 22 years of federal prison and has recently been moved into isolation amid growing concerns of coronavirus.
From controversial ‘Tiger King’ to convicted felon and pop culture sensation, Joe Exotic’s story and rise to fame have been anything but traditional. Everything from his fraudulent country music, whimsical wardrobe, countless marriages and eventual launch into superstardom this year has made for a telling tale of big cats and even bigger drama.
To watch ‘Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness’ click here.
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