Tiger King: Joe Exotic Had Michael Jackson’s Alligator (But It DIDN’T Die)

In yet another twist related to the bonkers Netflix true-crime series Tiger King, Joe Exotic had a connection to Michael Jackson’s alligators. It’s only been two weeks since Netflix dropped its latest true-crime series, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, yet it has managed to thoroughly dominate the pop culture conversation. During the dark times related to the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide restrictions surrounding freedom of movement and fear over the state of public health, it’s no wonder audiences have gravitated toward a show that’s equal parts gripping and utterly bonkers.

Part of what makes Tiger King so endlessly enthralling is how unexpected it is at every turn; the series is full of shocks, surprises, and the wholly unbelievable. Every aspect of Tiger King seems to defy belief, from the mulleted central figure, Joe Exotic, and his vaguely Lynchian YouTube rants to the strangest Gubernatorial campaign the state of Oklahoma has ever seen. When it was revealed that Joe Exotic had a connection to the late and deeply controversial king of pop himself, Michael Jackson, it seemed like just another head-scratching plot twist.

In Tiger King, a devastating fire on the grounds of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, run by Joe Exotic, took place on March 26, 2015. The alligator compound and Joe’s TV studio, where he shot his YouTube videos and kept footage for a planned reality series, were destroyed. All but one of the alligators were essentially boiled alive by the heat. The police speculated that the fire was started by an arsonist or possibly a vindictive employee; nobody was ever arrested. Joe Exotic blamed the event on animal rights activists, although the finger was also pointed at Joe himself in the documentary, as well as Rick Kirkham, the reality TV producer working with him. The event is shown in Tiger King to be a tipping point that further escalates Joe’s war with Carole Baskin of Big Cat Rescue, to whom he had lost a costly trademark infringement lawsuit and owed $1 million as part of the settlement.

An April 2015 article from the Los Angeles Times revealed that seven alligators and one crocodile that died in the Greater Wynnewood Park fire had once belonged to Michael Jackson. No details are given on why Jackson gave up the animals, although it’s likely they were intended for his Neverland Ranch zoo. Jackson’s home was the subject of much attention thanks to its lavish and often questionable design choices, including the focus on J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan and the many images of children throughout. Neverland included theme park rides, an amusement arcade, and a petting zoo where he housed his exotic pets. Jackson often invited children from around the world, many of whom came from disadvantaged backgrounds, to spend the day at Neverland Ranch. In 1995, Jackson and his then-wife Lisa Marie Presley welcomed kids from across the globe to the ranch as part of celebrations for the United Nations’ 50th anniversary.

Jackson infamously never returned to Neverland Ranch after his 2005 trial where he was charged with multiple counts of child molestation; Jackson was acquitted. The facilities were closed down and the staff dismissed. By 2009, the animals were all gone. The ranch is still being maintained and is on the market for $31 million, a drastically smaller number than its asking price in 2016 of $100 million.

Despite the report from the L.A. Times, it turns out that some journalistic errors were made. Robert Moor, the journalist who worked on the Wondery podcast Joe Exotic, took to Twitter to fill in some gaps in the story and correct a few oft-repeated errors. He noted that the original report was “almost true.” Joe did have an alligator from Jackson’s estate, but it survived the fire. Its babies, sadly, did not. Many of Jackson’s other animals are still alive today. Bubbles, his famous pet chimp, is now living at the Center for Great Apes in Florida. His tigers are housed at Shambala Preserve, a rescue center run by actress Tippi Hedren. The current whereabouts of Gypsy, the five-thousand-pound Asian elephant bought for him by Elizabeth Taylor, are unknown. Tiger King is now available to watch on Netflix.

About The Author

Kayleigh Donaldson
(473 Articles Published)

Kayleigh Donaldson is a full-time pop culture and film writer from Scotland. A features contributor to Screen Rant, her work can also be found regularly on Pajiba and SYFY FANGRRLS. She also co-hosts The Hollywood Read podcast. Her favorite topics include star studies, classic Hollywood, box office analysis, industry gossip, and caring way too much about the Oscars. She can mostly be found on Twitter at @Ceilidhann.

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