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Carole Baskin Responds to 'Joe Vs Carole' Trailer

JOE vs CAROLE | Official Teaser | Peacock Original

Peacock is set to release a new series following the rivalry between 'Tiger King' favorites Carole Baskin and Joe Exotic.

Netflix's hit 2020 docuseries Tiger King followed the story of exotic zoo owner, Joe "Exotic" Maldonado-Passage, as he feuded with CEO of Big Cat Rescue, Carole Baskin. The two became household names overnight, as did their rivalry.


Shortly after Tiger King's success, a limited drama series based on the Wonderly podcast Over My Dead Body was announced. Now, two years later, audiences finally got a look at the trailer.

Peacock's new series Joe vs Carole premieres March 3, and stars Kate McKinnon as Baskin, Kyle MacLachlan as her husband, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch’s John Cameron Mitchell as Exotic. Baskin herself has finally commented on the show and its trailer, stating,

"My husband and I look forward to seeing Kate McKinnon and Kyle McLaughlin’s portrayal of us, even though we expect it will be a parody based on the trailer. Both are talented actors and I expect 'Joe vs Carole' will be a lot more entertaining than the situation was in real life."

Season one of Tiger King saw Exotic arrested for the attempted murder of Baskin, as well as seventeen counts of animal abuse. Baskin later went on to call season two a "reality show dumpster fire" after it explored the disappearance of her first husband, Don Lewis, and the theories blaming her for his fate. She and her current husband sued to have all footage of them removed from the season, but their complaint was dropped.

Despite Baskin's vehement opposition to how she was portrayed in Tiger King, Baskin seems to be more open to Joe vs Carole. She hopes it will resonate with audiences more than TK season two, and that people will focus on the important issues at hand.

"None of these programs created for entertainment value really get at the main issues of big cat and cub abuse and the imminent extinction of big cats due to cub petting. [...] My fear is that in the next five years, while people are morbidly obsessed the plight of my former husband, Don Lewis, we will have reached the point of no return for the planet by failing to safeguard the world’s most iconic species."

McKinnon and McLaughlin's performances have yet to be seen, so only time will tell how well they hold up to viewers and to Baskin. Exotic is now serving twenty two years in prison, but is scheduled to be resentenced this Friday, January 28, which he has reportedly been delaying prostate cancer treatment for.

Joe vs Carole premieres March 3 exclusively on Peacock.

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Ryan Adamczeski

Digital Director

Ryan is the Digital Director of The Advocate Channel, and a graduate of New York University Tisch's Department of Dramatic Writing, with a focus in television writing and comedy. She is also a member of GALECA, the LGBTQ+ society of entertainment critics.

Ryan is the Digital Director of The Advocate Channel, and a graduate of New York University Tisch's Department of Dramatic Writing, with a focus in television writing and comedy. She is also a member of GALECA, the LGBTQ+ society of entertainment critics.