As self-quarantine truly sets in people have begun to utilize streaming platforms, possibly now more than ever. The latest binge of choice: Netflix's Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, a show featuring a gun-toting, gay exotic animal trainer who owns hundreds of big cats, was once in a married triad, and has had a life with more twists than a Shonda Rhimes show. Now, that series is being expanded into a spinoff.
According toTV Line and their sister siteDeadline, the new series will be based on the Joe Exotic: Tiger King podcast which was produced by Wondery and released before the Netflix series. Emmy-winning Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon is reportedly set to play Carole Baskin, the CEO of Big Cat Rescue and archnemesis of Exotic. There is no word yet on who will play the outrageous Exotic in the series.
Known as Joe Exotic, Joe Maldonado-Passage (ne Schreibvogel) is the larger than life figure who ran Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma. The zoo housed around 200 big cats including tigers, lions, and pumas as well as ligers and tigons. Exotic has been married multiple times. His first partner, Brian Rhyne, died of complications from HIV in 2001. Another marriage saw him wed his two partners simultaneously, clips of which are featured in the Netflix show.
Exotic notably ran as an Independent Party candidate for president in 2016. He made the ballot in Colorado and received 962 votes. In 2018, he finished third out of three candidates in the Independent Party primary for Governor of Oklahoma.
Baskin became involved with Exotic when she organized protests against his alleged misuse of animals, including staging shows where the audience could pet small cubs and animals. The feud is the centerpiece of the Netflix series and includes murder accusations, lawsuits, and a whole lot of shade.
McKinnon is a graduate of Columbia University where she studied theatre. Before becoming a regular on SNL in 2012, she also appeared on The Big Gay Sketch Show. She starred in the all-female reboot of Ghostbusters in 2016 and also received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Exotic is currently serving 22 years in a federal penitentiary for trying to hire a hitman to murder Baskin. He was unavailable for comment on whether he plans to run for elected office from prison. President Trump did not answer our request for comment on his 2016 challenger.