Tiger King's Bhagavan "Doc" Antle | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #271

today's guest has made over a dozen. appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay. Leno he is the founder of the Institute. for greatly endangered and rare species. tige RS in Myrtle Beach South Carolina. and is the owner of Myrtle Beach Safari. in Myrtle Beach South Carolina today's. guests from the tiger King is Bo Gavin. doc Antal. [Music].

[Music]. it uh can you hear me I can how you. doing Oh wonderful thank you so much for. joining uh. joining me this afternoon bro glad to be.

on god we got to put it together yeah. yeah thank you for your patience. chatting here with da canto from Myrtle. Beach Safari which I'll probably is it. the premier cat visitation spot in in. the US would you say in the world by far. there's no place like this you know. there we just have this fabulous. location that people can have such a. grand time at but is really a palace for. the wildlife in our care and it looks.

really higher-end it looks more like the. Four Seasons of Animalia over there by. you where as opposed to you know you. look at you know a place like Joe exotic. is running more of like a still a. beautiful place but a little bit more. you know something you'd see it like. maybe you're like a rural carnival or. something like that yeah I mean you know. it's the opportunity of time and money. for us this is the going 39 years of. doing this I've had the blessing of. engaging in the biz and being around.

started working so heavily in the 80s. and 90s work in Hollywood and doing. stuff and we made a spin shura and. Jungle Book and dr. Doolittle and 500. movie and television projects over the. round-the-world and all that led me to a. different vision of how to do it and the. financial opportunity to create. something that could have that five star. appeal go do you never had the time. never had the money and I am in this. glorious spot it is one of the hotspots. of tourism in the world here in Myrtle.

Beach here we go yeah beautiful 20. million people come here every year so. it's so filled with people looking for. adventure and opportunity from all over. the world the middle of nowhere Oklahoma. is a hard place to do something there's. only three things that matter right. location location location location Amen. man you guys have a great location over. there a lot of people when they watch. you in the tiger King documentary they. see not only a man that's able. really wrangle pets but also a man.

that's really right able to wrangle. females you know I think a lot of men. were impressed a lot of men I'm a man. you know for now but uh I live in. Hollywood you never know what they're. gonna try to do to me but a lot of men. were just as impressed with your ability. to attract females as to attract you. know this sort of Tarzan atmosphere with. the animals does does the way you relate. to women in the way you relate to. animals is there any is there is there. some similarities there no I mean come.

on I'm a single guy I was married you. know 25 years ago but I'm a single guy I. got girlfriends they come and gone over. the years I mean it can't be unique that. I have girlfriends it's just that they. got put on a screen and said this um and. then they included all of my son's. fiance and my grandma my granddaughters. and everybody else you're like look at. their lineup of all those ladies those. ladies are are my relatives and or the.

significant others of my staff and my. friends and stuff that are here helping. me out I see so this so the documentary. really they tacked on a few extra ladies. to your to your Tiger Tail I guess yeah. I mean the count was just like going up. like bodies hit the floor they're like. oh my god you're seven nine eleven there. it's crazy land you know uh that's not. how it goes by any means you know and.

the tales of woe that somebody wants to. say or just the judgmental insanity of. people yeah oh my god this guy's got. girlfriends what on earth and that is. part of Americana for me. amen no I agree look I think a lot of. men a lot of people were probably. jealous if even at the the assumption of. it did you get a lot of people reaching. out saying that's wrong you shouldn't. have that type of life's not like we did. you get a lot of lifestyle judgment.

lifestyle judgment stop and just somehow. that the ladies are very young and are. taking advantage of being all from the. driller that was coming out of the one. unique characters mouth that talked on. their the girls that are here these are. women in their 40s you know roll it up. on 50 those are the key characters vid. ya help run the preserve these aren't. teenagers that are walking around here. granted some of them have been here for. decades but these are girls that operate.

this facility that are kick-ass. lion-tamer girls who hold their own and. have been doing so and operating the. facility autonomous from me I don't even. have to be here and they can make it. roll along and have everything work out. oh that's impressive eeeh no it. definitely seems like a lot of tough. women there I'm a lot of you know. confident competent ladies what is it. about a cat that women love a cat what. is it about a cat I mean it just is this. incredible symbol of beauty power and.

grace a tiger is the sexiest thing in. the world it's covered in that. incredible primordial calligraphy those. amazing stripes against that super. orange background it's like an unreal. superhero character everybody's kind of. got a vibe of loving Tigers and when you. see one in person it just carries. forward it makes people inside it people. want to get their hands on them and when. you get the incredible opportunity that. I've gotten and some of the senior staff. that are here where you have great big. 600 to 900 and 22 pound tigers come up.

and lay their neck on you and rub and. you can hold walk with them you know. there's the girls that jump on their. back and they run off and they ride them. this is a unbelievable privilege it's. just you are communing with a slice of. nature in its greatest it's a reflection. in a tiger's face there's like a. reflection of nature at its purest. you're looking out at the eyes of God in. a way when a tiger's staring into your.

face it is what I call God's greatest. paint job just a fabulous kid and. they're incredible in their little. because they're just miniature Tigers. they look just like big Tigers which is. so unique you know not a lot of little. things look just like the big things oh. yeah he's got that super appeal when. they're young and people have the. opportunity to meet them and interact. with them and it's a bucket list with so. many people but. right oh yeah I want to see a tiger and. they want to see a big tiger a lot of.

them think man I want to pet a big tiger. now you know I've heard you talking a. little bit watching your show up and. watching you know that you this thing. and and and your oh yeah king of this. thing you know some people are a little. hesitant they think that a tiger is. gonna do something incorrect but our big. tigers are fabulous guys you know we did. it we made Jim Carrey look like the pet. detective we made Eddie Murphy look like. dr. Doolittle it's that we have a great. relationship with these unbelievable big. predators and we're able to have them.

interact with us and act as though they. are tame they're not I certainly don't. think anybody should take one home hey. do not Mia X they're not something that. I think the untrained should do anymore. and you should be out doing you know. driving a racecar 250 miles an hour like. the pros do it's something that takes. time to learn how to do in decades of. devotion and understanding which most. people never gather yeah we missed most. you don't have the opportunity to you. know and yeah it's definitely like I. think that's one of the most fascinating.

things about Tiger King documentary and. just learn for a lot of the nation to. learn about you kind of you know cat. liaison men who are able to really. interact with these animals is that. momenti to be that bridge between humans. and just cat them you know yep and it's. it's just something that is very. complicated right it's not something. simple to do and you see people like.

Carol who's a fool with her cats she got. out there she tried to hug and kiss them. and play with them it all fell apart. that's the normal story Joe certainly. has had a bunch of big cats around but. as they matured and became older cats. almost all the relationships have fallen. apart the rest of the characters on the. show none of them have those great. relationships with big adult cats. outside of enclosures where they're. freely interacting and doing what duty. you see my son Cody I think you have. seen him at Marea Sandman that's out.

there with gigantic adult Tigers. wrestling ride and swim and playing the. same as I did for my whole youth and I. still do. all the time now he's just the flash and. the beautiful guy out there making it. like it's so simple that is super rare. he's one of a kind left in the world was. it like 13 million people following him. on social media he has such a unique. presence and such a fabulous thing going. on it's different to anybody else. yeah he's able to really get out there.

and interact with those cats I mean I. definitely noticed that I'll check I was. checking out some of his YouTube videos. yesterday when when you look at the. documentary do you see like where did. they go wrong like are there things that. obviously they blew out of proportion I. mean obviously they you know tried to. classify or make it just vaguely look. like you're your granddaughter could be. what you know a woman you're dating or. something but what else do they do what. else did they capture wrong or what else. did we not get the true story on when.

you look at it I mean the huge line they. stepped over was there at the end. bringing up on the black screen that. they have asked me about some. inappropriateness with tiger cubs and I. haven't answered but in fact these guys. talked to me for maybe five full days of. filming and three or four half days they. asked me every question in the world 99%. of them had nothing to do with anything. to become King and they just pick and. chose little pieces of course I run this.

incredible world-class operation I have. tiger cubs that live with me. cradle-to-grave no Tiger babies are ever. going to be euthanized they're ever. gonna be pushed out of the way they're. incredibly precious to us. all the way from what they provide us to. their very nature who they have hyper. value they're super rare. we are reproduce that have all been. genetically tested from the time they're.

young and from their grandparents and. great-grandparents and we genetically. test them to know that these are some of. the most genetically diverse Tigers on. earth the only ones left. on the planet with this genetic makeup. we've done house through world-class. genetics the continued to work for us. with us and those guys have been able to. see this incredibly. opportunity we have and this is a bank. against the potential eventual. extinction Tigers are super rare.

they all know yeah I never see a tiger. you can go buy a tiger that's just a. complete joke. I cannot go buy a tiger I know everybody. that's ever been around. 99% of everyone who ever used to do it. is gone there is no one that has a tiger. for sale that you can solicit and find. it is a felony it you know yeah you can. buy some heroin I guess somewhere but. it's a heck of a step to going to. literally be involved with whoever it is. that to move and sell any kind of super.

illegal product and that for the tiger. would be I make up as their a black. market is there a birthmark it's not. America there's a black market in Laos. or Cambodia or you know places in. Southeast Asia where people still. readily consume Tigers the greatest. threat the tiger has is being consumed. by people who think that the incredible. power and grace of the tiger will be. given to them somehow by eating its. parts and pieces all the way from its. testicles to its whiskers a different. part yeah different vibe and fix you up.

but in America a tiger cub is precious. and amazingly rare there is no surplus. of tiger cubs in North America there's. virtually no one doing anything with. comes except the characters on the film. of which most of those people are out or. on their way out they no longer have a. licence you know there's there is no. more Tim Stark there is no more of a. number of those characters and if. they're not there right on the precipice. of falling off we've never had a single.

violation of any kind and at the end. they also said we were raided. we're not yeah yeah you guys had that. raid where December they said you guys. had a raid that came through their dock. for the past we had an inquiry from. Virginia magistrate there who wanted to. get some DNA from some lion cubs that we. had and so what are they doing with the. DNA do you think somebody in Virginia is. having a meltdown case with them about. animal rights thing you know in a small.

hometown zoo that they don't like and. they want to close it down they have. closed. he didn't explain to them in some. capacity what they what they wanted to. hear about some baby lions that were. born there Lions were born there he. called me and said I have lions I can't. take care of would you take them I would. be happy to give them to you. he said yes my daughter got in car. picked him up and brought him back. completely legal transaction. everything's michi lady you didn't tell. anybody what he did he didn't explain it.

right he gotten some beef with them and. they came down here to say do you have. those lines and I said yes he said we. believe you but we have to have an. equivocal proof we've got to know that. that's the lines let's take DNA from. those lines and we'll be on our way I. was never found. or even questioned of doing anything. wrong having stings or any line we're. just here with our wildlife having this. amazing setup go on and just trying to. make things smooth so the guests could.

see us and everybody had the greatest. experience before it seems wonderful. we're cleaned up a little bit because of. the cove it looks like everybody yeah. you know we um we're waiting for a guy's. business say again is that affecting you. guys business right now the curly yeah. we're 98 percent down you know there's. no doubt the whole thing is definitely. shifted in in capacity the Myrtle Beach. the town of Myrtle Beach which can have. yeah 150 thousand hotel rooms you can't.

rent a room it's closed up Wow and you. come here Cody Oh Cody 0:d was walking. in I know he's out taking a walk he was. gonna come say hi and see what was. happening what's happening he's got some. big footsteps give me a wild man who's. this oh come here yeah looking good. looking good. Cody gang bruh oh that's a beautiful. animal right there what is that this is. Bali the chimp one of Cody's brothers.

that hangs out with us here and is. hanging around he's uh he just goes out. and plays he comes in every evening and. has a big dinner party with us and hangs. around has a lovely time doing that. stuff yeah Wow how long is he how long. is his body oh he's got a nice hand he's. a big guy he's well over a hundred. pounds. he's about four feet tall he's a Indian. on nine years old. and Cody and dokdo you guys in. interacting with animals so closely. especially here like volley does it make.

you feel more like evolution or does you. still think that there's a one that. there's a uh there's a religious element. like what kind of comes into your soul. when you're this close to animals I mean. I think that there is potentially a. creator to the universe right I believe. that I some kind of divine fingerprint. that helps organize us all out I don't. know that anybody's down there doing day. to day calls on how we behave but I. think that there is something. spectacular in what was made up and how. it all happened. please think I got a question.

volley do you think that uh Carroll. Baskin had anything to do with their. husband's disappearance that's really. what I think a lot of people want to. know he's run them up he's over there. wrastlin with Cody hey guys I hate to. interrupt this episode but I need to. tell you about keeps who is supporting. this past weekend it is keeps and you. can support them and support our podcast. two out of three guys will experience.

some form of male pattern baldness and. that's where baldness comes and gets at. you get such a head by the time they are. 35 years of age huh so right around that. age edge. you got that MP be looking for you son. that male pattern baldness the good news. is with today's advancements in science. keeps offers proven treatments that can. combat the symptoms of hair loss and. help you keep the hair you have and.

that's one thing that's critical and. that's one thing that I love about keeps. is that it's helping me hold on to what. I got a lot of people thinking okay. let's go let's regenerate let's do this. but let's start with keeping which you. have keep you don't have to go broke to. avoid going bald keeps offers generic. versions of the only two fda-approved. hair loss products out there some of me. some of you have may have tried them. before but probably never for this price. that's what keeps does keeps is offering.

you that price. prevention is key keeps treatment really. works they're up to 90 percent effective. at reducing and stopping further hair. loss that's the game plan. find out why keeps has more 5-star. reviews than any of its competitors and. nearly 100 thousand men trust keeps for. their hair loss prevention medication if. you're ready to take action and you. should be you should be hold on to that. mane. you want to hold on to that man if.

you're ready to take action and prevent. hair loss go to keeps calm. that's ke EPS calm / Theo th EO to. receive your first month of treatment. for free I mean what else can you ask. for. that's ke EPS calm / th EO if you're. wondering about your hair you're if. you're worried about your hair you're. wondering about your hair and one of. them what you're gonna look like if you. lose it all.

then then eliminate that from the. equation and use keeps it works support. this past weekend keeps calm / Theo he. took your coat off and stood in the rain. you're always crazy like that and if you. guys ever heard that old song about jus. L or jewel or jus jewel Joe L but um but. man I'll never forget that post mates.

fella that came it was raining and he. you know I shared about it on my. instagrams but the man was just he was. there and he was gone and then I was. alone I had food but you know my heart. was still empty but it could be. different for you if you try post mates. from an early morning breakfast burrito. if you want that rise and shine in your. frickin face hole or if you want that. hit of wine after work huh. you want that tangy berry juice after.

work you want that freakin grape cape. bro you know what I'm saying you want to. get wind up and feel like you're. Superman or superwoman sometimes. whatever you want you need to deliver it. fast and that's where post mates comes. in post mace doesn't just deliver. burgers and. sushi they actually make your life. easier especially these days you know. maybe going out to the market you're. concerned about getting you know about. flu symptoms or this or that but post. mates can help grocery delivery whatever.

you can think of delivery convenience. stores clothing stores you name it no. more trips to the store no more. late-night stealing mom's car you know. driving 200 miles to get a waffle don't. worry don't live like that just download. post mates on iOS or Android and if you. are if you already have it downloaded. again and support this past weekend. because we have this offer for a limited. time post mates is giving our listeners. $100 of free delivery credit for your.

first 7 days to start your free. deliveries download the app and use code. weekend. that's code weekend for $100 of free. delivery credit with no minimum purchase. for your first 7 days when you download. the post mates app anything you need. anytime you need it post made it don't. even put your shoes on don't go get in. the car don't get on the skateboard post. made it don't get in your hot air. balloon and crank that thing up because.

you're going to get a slushy or a snow. cone post made it bucco have them bring. it to you and support the podcast you. can do it just go to post mates dot-com. download the app and use the code. weekend $100 of free delivery credit. with no minimum purchase for your first. 7 days and now back to the episode so. doc in a video I saw online Carol Baskin.

who's also another you know she's. another cat owner and farmer that's. featured in the in the documentary Carol. Carol really pushes the envelope of you. guys miss handling cub treatment over. there right some some crazy illusion of. it you know the cob is a super valuable. character that is too why because why's. the cups are valuable. he created likewise aw why is it all. about the Cubs like everyone's always. like the Cubs the Cubs the Cubs why is. that the.

real reason is it just they know it's. going to hit the heartstrings of people. so they want to create drama unfounded. unprecedented endless drama people like. peril and Peeta just trying to make up a. story of course the Cubs are super. valuable to us as individuals as. characters that hold vital genetics to. our ongoing program almost 40 years. where we've been holding these family of. tigers together I've known several. hundred Tigers in that time trying to. add them hold up that genetics which may.

in fact save the tiger and in through. that make it that they'll even be Tigers. on the planet in time to come a baby. tiger needs TLC around the clock you. just can't rough them and handle them in. some way that's inappropriate they are. cared for round-the-clock handled super. minimally you know they pretend like. we're passing them off in a line 20. minutes people come they get a 20-minute. interaction three days a week that's it. one hour whatever and what about when.

they age out of kind of that sugar realm. where people are loving them and you. know like they start to become you know. hit the terrible twos you know like even. like children do do you guys is there is. there a Underground Railroad or. something where you guys get rid of. Tigers at that point or is there you. know what's the real deal you see all. those those guys that are with Cody. those are Cody's uh. you know brothers and sisters that he's. out there with all day he's got every. color every size every shape boys girls. we continually have a relationship with.

those guys throughout their life cradle. to grave they're important characters. that on the preserve we swim with them. in a huge fool they're gonna be great. big guys for that we have a big tiger. run where we have a tiger chase. high-speed lures we have ten Tigers that. are set up to throw and chase that lure. system and be part of the whole. interactive part of the tour and big. Tigers come out twenty two adults are on. our big night Safari dinner party every. Tiger has a vital importance to us and.

is like critical characters plus this. idea that someone would do that taking a. tiger and killing it taking a tiger and. getting rid of I wouldn't do it it's a. crime and do it unless the tiger attack. me or something I probably would. do it now it's immoral it's it's it's a. no purpose to it and it's not going to. be something that creates a benefit of. business you need this Tiger tonight. therefore his genetics or his beauty for. what he's going to be able to do later.

and as an individual he's a highly. important loving caring character that a. girl a boy sat there holding and loving. and giving it a bottle around the clock. and always being with it so these are. our imprinted fur children in their own. way as these are family members you know. and we have the world's oldest cat was. here. the world's oldest bear was here there. are so really retirees here that are.

decades old step off it and we modeled. them along so they cross the rain is Joe. viding there I feel like Joe Biden. should be in there as well kind of I. wouldn't be surprised if he qualifies. and that group maybe so yeah obviously. if you guys were doing anything harmful. to animals it would really harm your. business but why do other why is there. such venom between different cat camps. where they're like they're doing this. they're doing this why why isn't there.

more of a unified group that we're all. doing the right thing do you feel like. there's a couple reasons one those guys. are out there running a gigantic fund. raising business to get people to send. them money to rescue something in need. so they have to create drama you have to. say these animals need our help today. you give us a dollar. we'll help make this change whether the. change is real or not has nothing to do. with the equation that's right guys who. are pretending to be rescue you look at. my place at shangri-la huge open forest.

habitats beautiful waterfalls and ponds. and space everywhere beautiful I've seen. the video online yes some of y'all's. videos online man it is really it is. beautiful I feel like I went to like one. of the covers on remember the job is. witness they give you that cover of the. fan flip well pyridine it would have a. yeah yeah it's beautiful that know that. I'm you look at Carol's place holy cow a. dungeon is so. Lopes like white slavery over there - it.

is a very white slavery kind of vibe. she's making four to five million. dollars a year according to her taxes. but it's all donation is that right. what's that but her money is they. they're able to earn money through. donation right that and the other camps. don't do that is that correct right it's. a totally separate thing how they raised. that money and what they're doing with. it you know I mean you got the activists. that are like PETA or a Humane Society. United States who are a vegan world. order they want everybody to be forced. vegetarian they want every human animal.

interaction to stop and they will they. say that all zoos are bad and of course. you can't ride a horse you certainly. can't go get a puppy as a matter if you. see a pound every animals better off. dead the head of PETA has said that no. world without puppies would be just fine. me and with me my entire life. and I think it's essential to get that. love and understanding and connection to. ourselves. and animals to have puppies and have. things around in our life and they're.

living on another side we really also. work heavily as a wildlife conservation. education organization we have we have. our own camps in the deep jungles of. Sumatra but we hire the Rangers for. we've built the stations we have guys. out every day picking up stairs chasing. poachers we deliver drones around the. world to anti poaching teams of fly. drones and find poachers. we've put millions of dollars into. programs like this those characters have. never even considered doing things like. that it's completely outside of what.

they're up to. we're on a different side that is the. American Zoo Association the City zoos. they are running a program where. everybody's equal and everybody can care. for it no one there needs to have their. hands on a tiger so they say puts their. hands on a tiger is wrong and they need. to be right more people go the zoos in. America then all professional sports. events combined we realize there's. billions of dollars at stake in zoo.

visitation and I didn't realize that at. all it's huge the big dues are raking in. phenomenal money San Diego Zoo keeps. keeps money in reserve of over half a. billion dollars just to keep things. running their overhead is hundreds of. millions of dollars and it's from the. public pouring money into it because. most of the public loves wildlife and. wants to see it from afar they really. wish they could hold it but most of them.

don't even realize it's possible to do. it say securely and beneficially some. we're doing it here creates a big. multi-sided benefit where you get to see. the animals and paid for their wild. project restoration so that they have a. place to live hopefully the Kingsmen. forward as we all make up our mind. whether we're gonna hold the world for. wildlife or if we're gonna hold the. world for these people because we've got. to come up with a decision there for the. wild world be left alone a little bit.

everybody wants their slice of it. because it already was that piece. valuable asset you know everything's an. asset. well it's seen if I were an animal I'd. rather live over there with you guys I. feel like because a lot of the zoos are. real [ __ ] honestly yeah they can be. this is this is paulie's brother Cody. what happened he wanted to make it fair. so he wouldn't got bottle.these brother. here and brought Sugriva and how you. doing so good how you doing yeah those. guys right here what's up sugreeva. degree was oh thanks Cody yeah I was.

just looking at some of your videos. yesterday I got nervous sometimes man. you and those cats seem real I mean it. got a little WWE in some of the videos. you guys really are having a good time. you know so brave man I got attacked by. a couple animals on my birthday once. when I was young and that really set me. on a bad course with Animalia but it's. coming around more I dated a girl that. had two cats yeah maybe maybe one day.

I'll be able to come there and see you. guys I have a question how is the. documentary do you feel like I got. scared at the end of watching Tiger king. that I said I thought to myself man this. is really going to put a damper on this. this kind of like wild experience that. you could have with cats are the most. like innate experience you could have. with cats do you feel like. at all like or at the end did you feel. like this is going to inspire more. people to come to these experiences I.

hope it lets people think they can you. know experience it and halves and create. the benefit for the animals in the wild. and for the animals that are here with. us but it is very rare in America. there's very few places that are left. doing it it's very expensive you know. even to consider how it flows and how to. start it and operate it and people don't. even have the knowledge of how how to go. about it so it's disappearing it we we. are an endangered species ourselves. right now the whole thing is slimmed way.

up the opposition's being vicious you. know they wish to pass laws it would say. no baby tiger would ever be touched by. anybody ever again they want to take you. right away how its your right to scuba. dive or parachute or you know go 80. miles an hour downhill on skis it should. be your right to interact with wildlife. in any way that you see fit if you're. doing it beneficially for the wildlife. if you're doing it in a safe manner for. both yourself and the wildlife and it.

should be a free choice that everyone. has you know want to take it away. because it would disenfranchise someone. like myself there would be a change in. how we went about raising money for the. conservation projects overseas and their. ideas of what's bright would be better. financed right yeah there's a war out. there there's a silly thing called the.

big cat Safety Act which is just up our. ridiculous law but it's private owners. from public ownership where they say oh. the big public zoos can have big cats. nobody private can have big cats anymore. it's just like any other business. it sounds like any other business. business realm it's like trying to. trying to kill out the little man I did. feel like that at the end at the end of. the documentary I worried I said man is. this gonna kill the little man you know. or the middle man because I remember. when I was growing up we had a guy by us. that had a couple of animals I don't.

even know what one of them was and we go. over there and pet him you know and you. could see the animals and stuff like. that and I felt like it at least gave me. at least uh you. inexperience with animals that was close. to me you know we had on by us we had a. Wildlife Refuge when I was in junior. high and you go to air and feet they got. a um like a camel or something and all. kinds of long animals giraffe and. everything and I'm assuming that once. these kind of things move forward that a. lot of a lot of you guys and those sorts.

of things would be shut down that would. be the idea right because the opposition. ultimately wants to say that you can't. have a goldfish you can't have a leather. shoe you can never enter key dinner you. know it's yeah all the way to the. extreme the big money powerful. organizations like PETA and Humane. Society United States are anti all human. interaction or entertainment for pets or. for food I'm a vegetarian but I don't. think you're supposed to be a vegetarian.

you Joyce yourself. I can't impose upon you my own concepts. of thinking it's everyone has to make. their own free choice I think that those. ideas of somebody trying to legislate a. what they think is a moral choice for. you is wrong and that's what a lot of. this boils down to is then saying we. know what's best. now there's a whole vehicle concept of. we know how you should really behave and. be treated let us tell you what it is.

you can't decide big government right. I like having animals in the wild I like. animals look if I go outside I like. having to stay on a swivel not knowing. what's over there what's over there you. know could be an animal could be a. falcon could be anything I like I like. that that you know I like the I like. there to be some risk involved in my. life you know sometimes everything just. becomes this bump or lifestyle that's. just too much you know it's just it's. just everything's just so I like a.

little bit of freelance opportunity yeah. you know I always have that's how we. that's what we're founded on is people. you know we're rolling by the seat of. their own pants. as they see fit so long as they're not. harming others and that they're doing. things according if there's rules sure. there should be rules but the rule says. you can't well that's not part of the. it has to be you can but you've got to. do it in a in a thoughtful right way. yeah I have a question on going back to.

the documentary where do you think that. Joe Joe exotic would be if it weren't. for Carol Baskin today I think that he's. had a lot of difficulties that have come. up I think there was other difficult. things besides Carol I think that pita. was a real difficulty and a thorn in his. side I think that Joe was too big and. imploding in his own way I think he was. taking on so much responsibility of so.

many animals and I think that that is. just a difficulty in itself there's a. certain point that you have to stop you. know if you can properly care for 100. chickens then you've got 100 chickens. and you built a barn from and that's how. it is you had ten more chickens to there. you start reducing the quality of all. 110 chickens now and I think he was. piling it on and that was causing a lot.

of pain and suffering for him and that. potentially that was going to expand in. to the staff and to the animals and to. other things it all became tragic in its. own way and it's incredibly difficult to. find people that want to help you so I. had very difficult staff problems you. know he was he was really scraping the. edges sometimes to find people that he. could have do the work there and try and. have the food it cost me a fortune to.

feed my cats I have to being a thousand. pounds of food out every day and if it's. not that I would eat or I would expect. my children need I wouldn't expect a. tiger to eat it but they're grabbing all. that old funky meats and secondhand. deliveries and things and that also. creates an implosion things are. unhealthy things can't reproduce things. can't live their best life you everybody. needs care and quality in their life. when you reduce the care you reduce the.

quality of the opportunities for them to. eat to sleep for where they can stay. everything oh yes off the edge it was. imploding in his own his own way and I. spoke to him a couple times saying Joe. you've got too many parts here you got. too much going on you need to worry. about care and the center point here and. was he able to hear that like he refer. he's referred to you or he in the. documentary at one point he referred to. you as a mentor and somebody he really. looks up to um was he able to hear that.

when you were talking to him when you. kind of when you guys checked in with. each other. he was like I'm I sneeze okay he was. able to hear some of it but hearing it. and enacting it are two different things. saying try and find some better quality. help shoot many restaurants in America. that serve fine food cannot find fine. servers you know many yeah they have. great businesses I have the most.

difficult time with staff Joe was at. odds trying to have staff and then he. wanted to be famous you know he got his. wish this way everybody always even. think of careful with the dish for Joe's. more famous is gonna be right now you. know for him this is the crowning moment. in his career and he's oddly not even. free to see it which is uh yeah which is. such a wild thing on the documentary a. lot of uh there seems to be like a lot.

of like drug use and behind-the-scenes. drug use and I've used drugs so I know. what it's about but did you feel like. that had a lot to do with some of the. things falling apart over there in Joe's. world yeah I think when you're using. drugs it's much harder to focus and then. at times throughout Joe's lights he used. enough drugs that he overdosed on a. number of occasions you know and that he. was looking at some pretty hard stuff to. be recreational recreation hard drugs. that's a very difficult thing might be.

some recreational alcohol or maybe. people have recreational marijuana in. their life but recreational math man. you're stepping over and meth is a. full-season game you can't yeah meth is. a full season it's not a pickup game you. know meth is uh yeah that's a million. quarters dude that's a lot of overtimes. man. and a lot of people coming to work with. him falling into the same trap how can. they possibly provide the care that you. would hope and the people that are. continuing in that kind of shade of your.

side of Wildlife. that part of it is probably the most. detrimental thing that can go on you. need that clear head sharp thinking and. focus to make this work out right Dee. would you ever be up I would be I would. be scared to be on drugs or on a big cat. I would be scared to be on drugs around. a big cat how do you feel about that I'm. scared to be around big cats if I have.

allergies going on you know I'm. certainly not going to go out there and. have a few drinks and see what's. happening that just as mad this is this. is a on your toes ready for the serve I. tell people if you don't feel like. you're in a tennis match and that other. guys getting to throw a. hundred-mile-an-hour ball at you right. now but you're not ready for that Tiger. to open that door if you open it you. open the door we say here you go we open. the door right up we say how you doing. there tiger boy come right here come to.

me hold we put them together we say. let's follow wha we have very organized. very specific relationships that we. nurture from the time they're very small. were the last ones doing this kind of. action in America it's just faded away. Jojo is doing it different he was. looking for a tiger that didn't like the. bite very often it's come right. everything cody has not been chewed up I. have never been stood up in my life um. we have not been harmed on our facility.

we've had bumps and scratches and fall. down but we've certainly had far more. trouble with people tripping and falling. with no cats around at any time a cat. hurting somebody it's just not there. that's not part of what goes on yeah I. know - yeah Joe's over there he likes. cats that like to listen to a CDC and. smoke cigarettes and some of that stuff. blew my mind like they hate I even saw a. cat putting a Copenhagen in his jaw you. know it definitely gets a little a. little more risque over there at his.

case. but it seemed like it was just an every. is his whole Tiger complex that GW spot. was just an example of him it was just. it really is it behaves the way the. owner does it seems like like each one. of you guys is camps kind of follows the. owner very erratic behavior you know and. very much behavior of somehow mimimi and. and how it's gonna reflect look and be. about me not about the animals and.

certainly not about the big picture that. wildlife desperately needs the big. picture of what her Tigers doing in the. wild and how are you personally trying. to help I talked with you about that a. couple times trying to get him on that. vein one time he got some money and. raised it I think selling prophylactics. he told me and he raised him for rhinos. and he made a donation to international. rhino foundation so that he could help.

save rhinos but it was a one-off he. couldn't keep the momentum he needed the. money for other activities in life I. guess. and he just didn't hold it together you. know some unscrupulous buddies to come. along and I think they tore him down. hard as he got more diversified and who. was helping him run the park I think. yeah it's probably the most dangerous. thing he ever did was bring on more. people that were from other more. partners as trouble.

he also was Joe when do you where did. you first meet Joe I first met Joe at a. feline conservation Federation meeting. about people that have animals and how. they're gonna care for what they're. doing I was trying to get it that. organization to be able to experience. the wildlife and activities that I have. here maybe 15 years or so ago he visited. because that group was here visiting and. he came through the facility and he got.

to see what we're we're doing and what. was happening and he made application to. try and ask the organization to improve. his place give him tips of what could. happen so because of that I sent him. some notes and letters and things about. what he I thought he should do to him. prove the facility and make a better. life from the animals and better life. supports a conservation movement so you. guys developed a relationship right then. it seems like obviously once he got once. he got his own thing going yeah there. was a lot of ego involved in it and then.

it also you know he said he had a couple. of boyfriends over there who didn't seem. exactly to be homosexual which is fine. dude who knows what anybody's doing you. know like but do you think that oh yes. look man I grew up right down the street. from the fair they used to come to our. town so I used to hang out with a lot of. Wildcats like that but do you think that. Joe is really there's a lot of drug. induced homosexuality that occurred over. there and sometimes I personally wonder. if Joe was really homosexual do you.

think that he was man he seemed that you. know more hardly alien but he had that. edge we're like you know every man that. walks by. it's that exaggerated thing you know. every guy who wants bothered just like. oh yeah look check him out look at that. guy who knows jeans like that leave. those shoulders he was on that vibe you. know just kind of like you were when you. were 14 checking out girls and talking. the inappropriate smack he was yeah that. pretty much as a regular thing I think.

Joe had a very difficult childhood and. those guys that rolled out of childhood. in his own traumatised way and that he. found solace in being an outrageous gay. character and he and he did that. finger-snapping outrageous kind of stuff. but on the side man he seemed like. cuddling up with boys was his thing and. I don't mean underage boys I just mean. the younger pretty guys that were around.

him he liked those guys you know I saw. you talking a little about Travis Travis. was like uh a big giant teddy bear guy. he did not seem like a gay guy he seemed. like a guy that was just like missing. love and peace and understanding in his. life and and had come from a broken home. things weren't right and Joe filled that. space with all kinds of parts and pieces. and made it made it work out yeah it's a. little bit of the dark arts man it's. like. you know a lot of times I do I you know.

I think I blame Joe a little bit like oh. man you really it seemed like he took. advantage of these of this of that young. man but then somebody at some I mean but. then it's all a chain of events somebody. took advantage of Joe or treated him. wrong it's just that kind of stuff just. goes on and on as big choices I mean. there's at the time you say hey I'm. gonna have a relationship with this man. you've crossed the line yeah well and I.

don't think he held anybody down Travis. was a man mountain no one was forcing. that guy what to do he crossed the line. and said I guess I'll hold onto that for. you yeah I guess I guess I'll hold onto. that for you with my mouth brother. that's what they're saying a lot of. times here's goes down what um what. about the filmmaking that's one thing. that we don't see that we're not able to. get an insight from as a viewer of you. guys's documentary what about the. filmmaker Eric good about the production.

group did it seem like they came in with. one agenda and serviced a different one. or one of your thoughts about them for. that for them right now I have been. advised to not talk about them because. it's gotten to that point where it may. get litigation or something going on so. they said oh don't don't don't give any. what about what ifs about that whole. situation I see that Joe is suing for. ninety four million dollars in the New. York Post day right times I don't.

remember which one and I'm four million. that might help get him out of the clink. yeah man what if in that the perfect Joe. amount though 94 million 94 million and. change everything for Joe was 15 years. you know Joe kind of reminds me of like. kind of like a gay Wyatt Earp kind of. like a get like there's there's such a. he first of all he for me he like. reclassifies what a gay man could be. like it's like okay now a gay man has.

guns he's like a you know he's got this. kind of like Clint Eastwood kind of. Clint Eastwood vibe what are a few. things that you that you admire about. Joe or things that we see in Joe that we. that we don't get exactly from the. documentary where did you grow up what. state were you in I grew up in Louisiana. Louisiana so maybe and maybe it was. different there I grew up an Arizona on. the Mexico border you know and going.

between Mexico and the south and being a. cowboy in California and there were gay. cowboys around you know they were. hardcore gay cowboys look like Cowboys. like Joe totin guys that just had that. edge to them where they just swung in. both ways. I think the joke kind of is emulating. that because he's 55 or so so he's from. a little bit a little era before I think. Joe had good intentions of what he was.

doing I think Joe loved the party and I. think Joe was looking for a party where. he could be the king of that party and. there is no doubt that having exotic. animals even just from a little monkey. to a Big O Tiger with you creates a. something flashy that will draw someone. to you and makes a great icebreaker for. that situation now the responsibility.

that comes with it is so great that it. will wash it all away but you a lot of. time it takes people a long time to. figure out the flash of the tiger comes. with an a massive amount of. responsibility and time and that the. Tigers not gonna act like a dog unless. you become a world-class trainer which. then requires thousands of hours and. then takes away the party again mmm you. know I think he was just wishing but you.

know what I think Joe wished is most and. did the most as Joe wanted to be. Siegfried and Roy yeah that's his mentor. in his mind I would say far more I. thought wanted to be Siegfried and. always I think yeah just just to have. that you know wow factor you know that's. why I did the magic and did other things. and I think that all that was part of. what he was chasing he he looked like a. really hard worker though doc I will say. that and that's just. perception I get was he a hard worker I.

think he was I think he was working very. hard at a very difficult thing that. would not he could not keep that shift. going I think there he's got a nice ship. they poked a bunch of holes in it and. who's the one back there with the puck. slinging water out as fast as he can. she was going down yeah he's working his. ass off to sling the water out he's. right next to him and they're drilling. holes growin old Pete is on the other. side and then the animal people that he.

met and the other con men shysters and. losers that got their drilling holes and. Joe's back there going happy that bad. he's got a bucket he's going crazy. slinging it over the side doesn't even. realize that it's on until uh they close. that big metal door behind him to Ching. you know should he should Joe exotic be. in prison I would guess it certainly a. portion of the stuff that they say he. did wrong he did some of it I would not.

have been shocked if they gave him time. served right that's all right the way. out might even be there cuz he sat there. for a long time being locked up without. being guilty of anything which always. seems strange when that happened so he's. locked up all that time he's suffering. he said he's not the healthiest guy and. he's feeling bad in there and I thought. some people go I'm shocked that he got. 22 years I think it's a sign of the. times of just you know people saying.

that he's gone really too far that the. things that he did wrong are too big but. I'm really not sure that they were near. as big as other criminals in our system. many of whom are even our politicians we. elected and put in office that I think. crossed a line. far more heinous than anything that. Joe's done and they float by so legal. systems really hard I think if Joe was. had top-notch attorney would have spent. a few million dollars on his defense his.

sentence would have been far alive when. when you look when you look back at your. time obviously as a as a cat owner. as a you know an animal ologist i don't. know all the best words a lot of times. but when you look back at your time you. know you know interacting with wildlife. what is something that you want to be. remembered for when your time here in. this realm is done house or remote. remember doctrine and have the our place.

that we're trying to hold in Sumatra. declared a national park hey Doc yeah. there you are. okay great we just have one more minute. and we'll be all finished thank you so. much I'm all good I got all the time in. the world I'm sorry to be I don't know. what's happening on your end and my end. it's gone both ways it's probably the. government it could be the government. doesn't want us talking you who knows.

it's Carol what the hell it is hey big. cake at 8:00. cats and kittens it's Carol from Big Cat. Rescue I think my god spooky and you. yeah every time I hear it did you ever. meet her husband that is that is a. deceased her previous husband no sir. never met him Darren's favorite in such. a different strange world of buying and. selling pets you know I was zoo guy. there out there in the pet trade and. they just took their pet trade and. flipped it into rescue took all the.

animals that they already had rescued. these and made it all part of a big old. scam that ran along and I think they. picked up a few animals in need here and. there but I think a whole lot of it is a. massive misrepresentation there's 12. animals there twelve twelve big cats. it seems like it's interesting yep like. since they run on donation instead of. selling with the service they're able to. provide the donation I guess the the. service for free because they run on. donation and they run as a zoo I mean.

you can pay 30 40 bucks an expensive zoo. your 40 bucks and go through their tens. of thousands of people visit the. facility every year and hey the ads. often say the world's greatest. collection of big cats when it's it's. not 10% of what happens here it's not. any hoes we have all of the big cats. here she has just a couple lonely tigers. lonely lion and just a few things yeah. and a donkey somebody said it see one of. them is a donkey in a costume I heard so.

a lot of fictional animals there who's. the real Tiger King doc well if there is. a tiger king you know I don't know who. he is you know I mean I am a tiger guy. and I've always been the tiger guy. trying to keep these incredible. creatures at their peak of health to be. a baseline to save them as the future is. coming along because they're just none. left I virtually don't know anybody left.

but I could have any relationship with. even barter sell borrow move Tigers back. and forth with that business has faded. in America and even in the zoos it's not. profitable it's not there and tigers are. really on a crash course of not enough. genetics and not enough places to go. even in North America and that. incredible blizzard that there are more. Tigers in America than there are in the. wild is a hundred percent a lie really.

II there may be a thousand or so Tigers. in America but are certainly not five. thousand there are hundreds of tigers in. private zoos there are maybe dozens of. people entire country it would have a. tiger somehow and not have federal. oversight USDA zoo license got an. exhibitors license it's unheard of so a. lot of misleading information a lot of.

misleading information in the. documentary Oh. endless misleading information about the. stats of big catch and how where they. are and that there's there's somehow a. risk the first responders where the heck. is it there's 10,000 of them hidden out. there you'd hear about it all day long. you know if they weren't really out. there and dude you'd know people still. especially in rural of the rural South. and places that would have a tiger yeah. I passed the law in South Carolina. preventing people from having pet big. cats great apes and bears just because.

there was such a hassle everybody always. said man that state is wide open this. vine install it in training Tigers. past the law became complete exemption. to everybody to be able if you had one. you're exempt she got a register if you. had grandfathered in with that animal. you can keep it until it dies you can't. ever get another one would every law. enforcement person all across the state. if we passed that law in January of. eighteen. Emily tigers lions bears showed up zero.

nobody showed up because there were none. in the state and there was at least one. somewhere of course there isn't because. no one does that. it wasn't yeah popular in the 80s and. 90s but by the new millennium it's faded. it's all over Texas absolutely not true. big census was done about fourteen years. ago I may only found 17 unregistered. Tigers in the state of Texas I believe. that that sound more realistic you know. thousands is a crazy thing they eat a.

lot. I see the thousand pounds every day you. need at least 10 to 15 pounds of good. meat every day that's a burden yeah. freezer okay doc enema appreciate it so. much I feel like I learned a lot about. exactly kind of what's going on in the. tiger community I definitely get a. stronger perception of the business of. how you guys are more of like a small. business and how across all facets of. business in America a lot of small.

businesses are really being shut down or. being you know cornered in by laws and. this and that. one last question do you have to spend a. lot of money in attorney fees every year. to kind of keep yourself open I would. say I don't spend near as much in. attorneys fees as we do in people. helping us talk to decision makers. policy makers in lobbying trying to get. people to understand lobbying you can. call it that just trying to get out. there make the message happen I go to. Washington numerous times it was right.

there in tiger King because I go and I. hold meetings and I go to benefits and I. go places and I speak to people about. incredible importance of Tigers being. alive into the next century into the. next millennium you'd hope and I'm there. you know in Carroll was on there going. yeah he beat us to the office those. people don't want to see her. walk through the door and here's some. whiny baloney about her version of big. cats it's a it's a great big. misrepresentation I'm there too stalling.

you the truth this is an incredibly. precious character it needs to exist. you're right to touch him is incredible. here you go. I brought Tigers to Congress Adam. walking the halls of Congress meeting. everybody and the congressmen were so. excited they had 700 people in line one. day a SP Bono Cain Bono didn't get a. fraction of the blast the tiger cubs got. because everybody is in love with them. by just contact by idea a tiger is of.

blessing it's an incredible character. and if somebody wants to change anything. about it change something about how the. regulations are about care and what. happens to them that you could enforce. different rules but because of that is. exactly how the other wild character. that you see in tiger King Tim start oh. yeah with them about care they say his. care wasn't proper because they say his.

care wasn't proper he doesn't get to. have Tigers anymore that's not uncommon. it's far more common that they take. people's right to have a tiger then that. they somehow say oh yeah those guys just. can keep them it's just not done but. those crazies are trying to say that. they're everywhere right they're hiding. out they always do that about everything. it's about everything they're everywhere. yeah maybe everywhere they're all yeah. everything's every it's everywhere it's. in your house exactly yeah there's sex.

trafficking in your backyard I'm like no. they're not I don't have a yard. as always it's everywhere you love. people love to be fanatic right they. really do man popular notion and that. extremism was focused on us a bit. throughout the show if there's somehow. someway something inappropriate going on. which is by the attack of the silliest. dang front somehow it's got something to.

do with a cult like there's no ritual. here or not. we're not out there doing anything. there's no one applying to work in some. way it's inappropriate or unique the. only thing that I'm culty about is I. believe I stretch and do yoga and I get. hurt less and when I have a giant Tiger. jump on me if I have that morning it. hurts a lot less than if I haven't. stretched that morning yeah the edge of. the cult there is Yoga for impact of.

tigers climbing on you you know that's. it and Cody does the same thing you want. to be warmed up and ready going out and. having a great more time with the tiger. is still a boxing match it is very. extreme so well is that crazy stuff well. we love look I appreciate the time and I. hope to as soon as I American back up. and running and I'm over in South. Carolina I want to come through and take. a tour of the facility and and get to. meet you guys in person. I appreciate the behind the scenes it. gives me a better interpretation kind of.

of what's going on over there and just. kind of a little bit more knowledge or. you know your point of view of what's. happening in the Tiger world and um just. want to thank you and thank Cody as well. all good stuff yep and Bali and sugreev. with the chimp brothers to come out and. say hi oh yeah definitely man I think. you got a couple of chimps waiting on. dinner so I don't want to keep you guys. all night but I'll certainly encourage. our viewers and listeners to get over. there and check out your facility when. it's back open and um and thank you guys. for taking care of those animals over.

there and thank you very much coming. here is like no place on earth love to. see it come on all right we'll do it doc. Cody be good for a gang man thank you. cheers man thank you. [Music]. like these leaves I must be but when I. reach that round I'll share this peace. of mind I can feel it but it's gonna.

take. a little town for me to set that parking. brake and let myself. [Music]. [Music]. [Music].