By now, many of you have probably watched or at least heard of the Netflix title, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. If it weren’t for quarantine and the number of memes I saw circulating the internet, I probably would’ve skipped out on this crazy series altogether. However, I’m glad I didn’t because it is definitely worth the watch. In only 7 episodes, “Tiger King” captures everything from murder conspiracies to poorly written country music. The documentary features a small, private “big cat zoo” located in Wynnewood, Oklahoma that is run by Joseph Maldonado, more commonly known as Joe Exotic. Its storyline focuses on the very drawn-out, financially draining feud between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. There are lots of moments in this show that’ll make you pause to process it all. Here are just a few of them listed below.
- Tiger Attack
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When one of the employees got mauled by a tiger and lost her arm, she went back to work right away so the zoo could avoid bad press.
- Not Gay
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When it was revealed that neither of Joe’s husbands were gay.
- Zoo Cults
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Employees work long hours, yet are barely paid. People are manipulated into becoming lovers in exchange for expensive gifts, drugs, etc., or almost nothing at all. Workers and lovers alike were unfairly told that if they left they could never return.
- Expired WalMart Meat
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Joe’s employees get paid so little, they can’t even afford to buy groceries and as a result, are forced to dig through a giant bin full of expired Walmart meat for meals that are meant for the tigers. The seemingly apparent gratitude of an employee stating that “Joe lets us get first pick” of the meats is astounding.
- A Fashion Disaster
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Carole’s closet is just a train wreck of tiger stripes and cheetah spots. Cat print is all she wears, and frankly, it’s not cute. As she proudly presented her mess of a wardrobe, garish cat statues, and the metal flooring of her house, I visibly cringed in disgust. For me, this indicated the first sign that she is a crazy murderer.
- Sardine Oil
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Carole’s whole demeanor gives off a weird, unsettling vibe. She seems like she’s trying hard to adopt this chill, hippie persona by donning flower crowns on her head, but really, it just comes off as plain creepy. After Joe freaks out about a tiger attacking him because he thinks somebody put perfume on his shoes, Carole counters this with a strange chuckle and an all-too-knowing smile, stating that sardine oil would be much more effective if you wanted to instigate a successful tiger attack. This is so disturbing. Carole Baskin definitely fed her husband to the tigers because who says that kind of shit??
- Political Leader?
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When Joe ran for president and thought he could win. Then, after that didn’t work out, he ran for Governor of Oklahoma and actually received about 19% of the vote for the Libertarian Primary Election. This man is not fit to manage his own zoo, let alone an entire state.
- Extreme Gun Nut
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When Joe was shown going to the store almost daily to purchase ammunition and Tannerite explosives. Also, when he kept pointing his guns at people and aimlessly shooting around. Saying that Joe is a fan of guns is kind of an understatement.
- Internet Shows
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Joe had his own studio where he would film himself making death threats and shooting up a Carole Baskin mannequin.
- Re-Marriage
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When Joe remarried 2 months after his husband Travis died, then invited Travis’s mother to the “wedding.”
- The Will
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When Carole changed the will’s wording to include “disappearance.” Even the attorney thought it was bogus.
The documentary really captures how people are put under some sort of spell when it comes to exotic animals. I’m starting to wonder who coined the phrase “not your average Joe” and am rethinking what that really means.