Tiger King’s Carole Baskin wants people to see the real her on DWTS rather than a ‘husband killer’

Tiger King star Carole Baskin wants people to see the real her on Dancing with the Stars rather than the alleged ‘husband killer’ that she was portrayed as in the Netflix documentary series.

The 59-year-old Big Cat Rescue CEO became one of the most famous faces across the globe in 2020 due to the streaming TV hit which focused on her feud with former G.W. Zoo owner Joe Exotic.

The 57-year-old convict – real name Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage – is currently serving 22 years in jail on two counts of hiring someone to murder Carole and multiple violations of animal welfare laws, including nine counts of breaking the Endangered Species Act by killing five tigers and for selling tigers across state lines.

Despite Joe’s criminal actions viewers considered him an anti-hero, whilst Carole was branded a villain due to Joe losing his animal park as well as his freedom and the rumours that were given screen time by the filmmakers about the mysterious disappearance of her second husband Don Lewis.

Back in 1997, the 59-year-old Wildlife on Easy Street owner mysteriously disappeared shortly before his second wife Carole took control of his will and reported $5M estate. 

Carole hopes she gets a long run on the dancefloor so people can see that she is far from the nasty individual that she has been painted to be.

During an appearance on Good Morning America, she said: ‘Tiger King really glamorized animal abusers and villainized me for trying to stop animal abuse, and so I felt really betrayed by that. But what amazed me was how many people believed that false portrayal of me without doing anything to find out who I really am. It’s been a nightmare since Tiger King aired.’ 

Carole also wants to use her appearance in the ballroom competition to promote animal welfare and conservation, as well as raise awareness of the good work that her big cat sanctuary in Florida is doing.

She added: ‘The longer my partner and I can stay in the running and in the competition it will keep the cats forefront in the viewer’s eye and to me that was where Tiger King missed the ball – it really should have been focused on the animals.

‘I am competitive, but I am competitive with myself. I want to do the very best that I can possibly do.’

Carole will be joined on the new season of Dancing with the Stars by rapper Nelly, Backstreet Boys star AJ McLean, former Desperate Housewives actor Jesse Metcalfe, Disney Channel star Skai Jackson, and Volcano actress Anne Heche.