So by now, I bet you all have heard about the documentary phenomenon, Tiger King. I’m here to tell you that it shouldn’t be watched and the word should be spread to put its glory to rest and expose it for what it really is: truly evil.
First off, the documentary and post-release commentary only expose the viewers to the drama behind the story of a “Mythical character living out in Bum f*** Oklahoma,” that being Joe Exotic. No matter how much the documentary may try to butter up Joe and Carole Baskin, and villainize Jeff Lowe and Doc Antle, all of these people are evil.
They all have had a hand in slowing down the Big Cat Protection Act, because they don’t see wild animals when they look at a tiger, lion, or a panther. They see a barcode and depending on the looks of the cat they see a profit. None of the zoo owners I mentioned earlier even have their tour prices readily available on their website. It’s almost like you need to get a background check before they allow you into their so called “kingdoms.”
I don’t want to make any of them stand out, but if I had to pick one out of the bunch it would be Carole Baskin. She is very open about her past and it’s not a past to be entirely open about. She talks about unresolved abuse from her family, her father and first husband in particular. And before I continue, anyone with issues so damaging and unresolved as the way she describes can make anyone dangerous. Another thing: she claims that she has friends in high places (meaning politicians in the federal government), and in the episode that goes in depth about the disappearance of her second husband Jack “Don” Lewis, the looks of fear from the people involved is absolutely mindblowing. Lewis’ former lawyer interviews with the documentarians and looks absolutely terrified to even speak; and everyone else they interview looks the same out of fear that they may accidently speak out against her. Someone with that kind of power, beyond just being a zoo owner, is someone that should not be looked at in a kind light.
But I really don’t want her to be singled out because anyone who deals in the trade of exotic animals is a piece of s*** and belongs behind bars. Even though Joe Exotic was the only one to commit crimes in the eyes of the federal government, they have all committed crimes against humanity and morality.
I would consider the trade and distribution of exotic animals to be nearly as inhumane as poaching, because these people are using these animals and mistreating them for a profit. And I may sound ridiculous, but these zoo owners are killing animals too. According to the documentary, apparently there is a select amount of time that an exotic animal, like a tiger, is valuable from a business perspective.
So what happens to them after that? What happens when they turn into more of a liability than an asset?
I’ll tell you what the documentary does not. They are euthanized. I don’t care how much evidence I don’t have, that is a fact. From a business perspective, every business owner does everything in their power to cut as many liabilities from their budgets as possible.
So here is the point of this article: there needs to be a movement to boycott these businesses, and watching the documentary only promotes these places. Because at the end of the day, the entire documentary does everything in its power to mask what they truly are, that being inherently evil. The documentary makes all of these places look inviting and friendly and fun. But it hardly ever depicts the quality of life for the animals. There is hardly a shot where there isn’t an animal that is doped up out of its mind to keep it from attacking someone. They reveal this in the post-commentary episode. In all of those bulls*** photographs where one of the owners or a model is posing with a exotic carnivorous animal, it’s sedated with a dose of fentanyl to keep it from ripping off their face off.
Help end it. Support the efforts to stop the trading of exotic animals and shut down the zoo industry for the greater good of preserving our Earth and all of its creatures.
