Tiger King zookeeper Erik Cowie dies, Joe Exotic sends condolences

Big cat zookeeper Erik Cowie, aged 53, who rose to fame on the hit Netflix series 'Tiger King' has passed away. Cowie was found dead, facedown in a bed in an apartment in Brooklyn on Friday.

(Photo: screenshot from Tiger King on Netflix)

According to Dailymail.com, the NYPD told the news outlet that "police responded to a 911 call of an unconscious male inside 21 East 55th Street' near Remsen Avenue in East Flatbush at 5.30pm on September 3. "

Paramedics arrived at the scene and shortly after pronounced Cowie dead. The Medical Examiner has not yet determined the cause of Cowie's death; however, alcohol poisoning may be a possibility. Reportedly, a source in law enforcement told TMZ that a large bottle of vodka was found at the scene.

(Photo: screenshot from Tiger King on Netflix)

TMZ also reported that a source within law enforcement said that Cowie, who normally resides in Oklahoma, was in Brooklyn visiting a friend and staying at her place.

(Photo: screenshot from Tiger King on Netflix)

Joe Exotic has released a statement regarding the death of his former zoo co-worker and co-star. Exotic is currently in jail with a 22 year-long sentence for various animal cruelty crimes and plotting the murder of Carole Baskin.

(Photo: Instagram@joe_exotic/joeexoticusa.com)

In response to Erik Cowie's death, Joe Exotic wrote from prison, “I did everything I could to help him and save him from himself and he turned on me for fame. And money. There are a couple of others headed down the same path. RIP Erik. I will be making a donation in his name to a drug and alcohol treatment center.” It seems that Joe believes that substance abuse issues are what led to Cowie's tragic death.

It seems that Joe believes that substance abuse issues are what led to Cowie's tragic death. In another Tweet, Exotic wrote that he had "Erik had a horrible disease of alcohol" and wrote about putting his former co-star through rehab and helping.

Joe Exotic also seems hurt about some of the comments that Erik made in the past about Joe being in jail. Joe certainly has not been having a very nice time behind bars. Join us for a look at the latest update on Joe and the rest of the cast.

(Photo: Instagram@joe_exotic)

Joe has been desperate to get out of jail, having only completed 2 of his 22-year long sentence. He suffers from multiple illnesses and, in an interview with 'Entertainment Tonight,' said he might die in jail. After listing his numerous health problems, which include an immune disorder, Joe said: "Listen, if I live through this because my health is deteriorating by the day ... I'm gonna do nothing but go around the world and help the kids that have been born with cleft palates and fix their faces. OperationSmile.org is one of my favorite charities that I am going to get behind and we're going to turn this into something good..."

Joseph Maldonado-Passage, or “Joe Exotic” as he is known worldwide, did not receive a pardon as he’d expected from the now, ex-president Donald Trump. However, the big cat lover hasn’t given up hope. On Twitter, he shared that he now hopes that new president Joe Biden will grant him a pardon, claiming that he was “too innocent and too gay” for Trump to pardon him and that the ex-president only used him to receive more media attention. Perhaps he will get lucky and with Carole Baskin's help it will happen!

Joe remains in jail, fulfilling his sentence of 22 years in federal prison for plotting to hire a hitman to take out his rival Carole Baskin. Joe’s lawyers were so confident that Trump would grant the pardon that they had a limo waiting outside of the Fort Worth center where he is being held. Reportedly, Exotic’s team also had a hairdresser waiting to make sure Joe’s mullet was in top form upon his release and had plans to hit up McDonald’s for one of his favorite meals – a McRib Sandwich.

(Photo: Instagram @joe_exotic)

It's amazing all that can be done from prison! Joe has been busy promoting his "tell-all" book, which will be released in November 2021. Exotic is encouraging fans to preorder his book, so they can finally hear the truth, at least from his point of view.

Joe Exotic and Jeff Lowe continue to have disagreements even though Joe is in prison. The latest scandal Lowe's promotion and auction of an "official" Tiger King NFT collection. Joe is understandably upset that Jeff and Lauren Lowe use his name and intellectual property for their own financial gain. Despite cease and desist orders being sent to the Lowe's from Joe's lawyers regarding the auction, the couple decided to go through with it anyways.

Until further notice, Joe will be spending the next 21 years in prison. Joe also has an active webpage called 'joeexoticpardon.com,' where he continues to proclaim his innocence with the help and the support of his legal team. However, after being together physically with his husband Dillon Passage, for just nine months, the couple had to face the stress of being separated due to Joe's incarceration. Dillon patiently stood by Joe while he was in jail for two and half years, but alas, the stress of being in the public eye and maintaining a long-distance relationship resulted in the pair seeking a divorce.

(Photo: Instagram @joe_exotic)

Joe Exotic has yet to make a statement himself regarding his divorce from Dillon. However, Joe's lawyer, John M. Phillips, made a statement on the Tiger King's behalf on Twitter. "...regarding separation and divorce...we have no comment at this time and request privacy." The statement indicated that Joe is going through a very rough time both mentally and physically due to his incarceration.

Despite being upset with how Netflix depicted her on the show, Carole Baskin has really taken advantage of her new-found fame. She continues to run “Big Cat Rescue,” but she has also appeared on the 29th season of ‘Dancing with the Stars’, impressing fans with her moves alongside dancing partner Pasha Pashkov.

(Photo: Instagram @carolebaskincat)

‘Cameo’ has been another successful venture for the cat lover. The money has been rolling in with Carole selling personalized videos to fans for up to $350. Although many of the videos have gone viral, some made her look bad, for example, when she was tricked into giving a shout-out to two criminals.

(Photo: Instagram @carolebaskincat)

Carole won her lawsuit against Joe Exotic, Baskin, and ‘Big Cat Rescue’ were granted ownership over Joe’s zoo. Jeff Lowe was the zoo operator at that time and was informed he had 120 days to vacate the property and the animals housed there.

(Photo: Instagram @carolebaskincat)

It has been reported that Baskin and her current husband Howard will be the stars of their own show. The program will focus on the Big Cat Rescue owners and how they go after different organizations that they consider to be committing animal abuse and exploitation.

(Photo: Instagram @carolebaskincat)

Carole and Howard Baskin recently got the 'Big Cat Public Safety Act' passed in December by the House of Representatives. The act aims to prevent private ownership of big cats and hopefully end mistreatments of the animals in the United States.

(Photo: Instagram @carolebaskincat)

Carole and Howard have spoken about extending an offer to Joe Exotic to aide with an early release from prison. The couple said they would campaign for an early release for Joe if he supported the Big Cat Public Safety Act.

Joe plans on accepting their offer but only if they meet his conditions. In an interview he gave with Entertainment Tonight, Joe said, "It is time for Carole and Howard to put up or shut the hell up because I'm accepting their offer. And I'm gonna take it one step further than that, OK? It is time to get on the phone to President Biden or whoever they need to that they've got in their little financial pocket and say, 'Hey, Joe is willing to support a big cat bill to help protect cats in America from being exploited. But we need to keep our end of the deal and get Joe a pardon because this wasn't really about murder for hire or shooting five tigers -- this was about exploiting Joe to support Carole's agenda.' So, there's the offer on the table, all right?"

The Big Cat Rescue sanctuary owner confirmed over the summer that she had sold the Oklahoma animal park previously owned by Joe Exotic to a local Wynnewood couple. Baskin plans on making sure that the new owners cannot use the reality show make money off the property in any way.

(Photo: Instagram@carolebaskincat)

Baskin told Yahoo Entertainment, "When we sold the property in June, we required that it never be used as a zoo, or for anything related to Tiger King or anything like that." Baskin's husband, Howard, added, "If it became an RV park or storage unit, we don't want it named the Tiger King RV Park. We would like the 20 years of mistreatment of animals there to be forgotten and be history."

(Photo: Instagram@carolebaskincat)

Jeff Lowe bought Joe Exotic’s zoo, ‘Gw Exotic Zoo,’ and renamed ‘Greater Wynnewood Animal Park.’ However, after Carole Baskin won her lawsuit, Lowe was given 120 days to remove himself and his animals from the property. These issues aside, Jeff also had problems with the USDA Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service. After inspections, his license was suspended due to the poor treatment of the animals in his care.

(Photo: Instagram @jeffloweofficial)

The couple moved their establishment to Thackerville, building a new zoo called ‘Tiger King Park.’ The pair claimed they were no longer “exhibitors” per the Animal Welfare Act, as they were undergoing the zoo’s construction. However, they have been seen using their animals on online platforms and on television programs to make money. Apparently, the plan is to use the new property in Thackerville not as a zoo but as a production zone for ‘Tiger King’ content for cable television and streaming videos on the internet.
Lowe is also reported to be making a fair amount of money selling ‘Tiger King’ merchandise online, with no qualms about selling items with Joe Exotic’s face all over them.

(Photo: Instagram @tigerkingpark)

Lowe and wife Lauren continue together as a happy couple, alongside their baby girl, Sarah. Their “hot nanny,” which we saw on ‘Tiger King’ reportedly actually works for them.

(Photo: Instagram @jeffloweofficial)

Jeff Lowe has been having some health issues as of late; on March 18th he had a stroke and was transported by air to the hospital. According to 'TMZ,' Jeff's wife Lauren found him unconscious at a casino in Oklahoma. The experience was quite scary, and Lauren told 'TMZ,' "I thought he was dying in my arms."

(Photo: Instagram @jeffloweofficial)

Jeff and Lauren Lowe seem to live in a pretty paranoid world. In an interview with 'TMZ,' the couple said they think that someone poisoned Jeff's drink while they were at a restaurant when a "strange man" approached them. Despite all the tests done to Lowe's blood and urine coming back negative for common culprits of poisoning, the pair still believe this to be true and that it was probably done with a less well-known poison.

(Photo: Instagram @laurenloweofficial)

Since his appearance on ‘Tiger King’ not much appears to have changed in Doc Antle’s life. Doc appears to be enjoying life surrounded by his animals…and beautiful women too! He is very active on Instagram, posting daily pictures and videos of his animals. Antle’s Youtube channel is also quite popular and is probably a nice boost to his income. Currently, ‘Doc Antle’s 'Myrtle Beach Safari' is not open to the public due to COVID-19; however, on the zoo’s website, it states that they are accepting reservations for when they open again to the public on March 5th, 2021.

(Photo: Instagram @docantle)

We saw John Finlay and Joe Exotic’s marriage end on the program due to John’s attraction to women. Finlay is working as a welder, is married to his wife Stormey, and has a daughter. John also had his teeth replaced and now has a million-dollar smile. Finlay has a Facebook page called ‘The Truth About John Finlay’, where he updates his fans and answers their questions. He is also listed as a motivational speaker, although we aren’t sure how much work Finlay is getting in that area. Despite being listed on ‘Cameo,’ he doesn’t appear to be active on the platform at the moment.

(Photo: Instagram @johngatorfinlay)

Unfortunately, Rick Kirkham, Joe Exotic’s Producer, had his home burn down. Rick has since moved on and is currently living in Norway with his Norwegian wife. He appears to really enjoy his life abroad and has even found a job as an English reporter. Kirkham claims he is famous even in Norway and that the country has ‘Tiger King’ fever, with people shouting out “Tiger King” to him when he is out and about.
Rick hasn’t given up on producing documentaries, and there are rumors that he is working on a new production about a man with an exciting double life.

(Photo: Instagram @rickkirkham)

On March 26, 2021, Dillon Passage shared a post on Instagram about the status of his relationship with his husband, Joe Exotic. After plenty of speculation from fans, Passage wrote, "To answer the main question the public wants to know, yes, Joe and I are seeking a divorce." Dillon went on to say that the pair are still on good terms and will continue to support each other.

Dillon Passage, Joe Exotic's hot, young soon to be ex-husband, appears to be doing very well. If there is a second season to 'Tiger King,' Dillon mostly likely won't be on it, and from his divorce announcement post on Instagram, it sounds like that is what he wants, and he is looking forward to a little less attention from the media.

(Photo: Instagram @dillert_lclm)

Passage’s Instagram account shows plenty of pictures of a young man out in the world having fun. He has even been seen with some other Netflix reality stars, hanging out with some of the cast members from ‘Too Hot To Handle’ and ‘Love is Blind.’ He shared this photo of him and Canadian Francesca from ‘Too Hot To Handle’ on his Instagram.

In ‘Tiger King’ Joshua Dial appears on the show as Joe Exotic’s campaign manager when Exotic decided to run for office. Since then, Dial appears to be milking his fame from the show. He has been using ‘Cameo’ to make some cash on the side, although he reportedly doesn’t charge much, around $50 for a video. He also has appeared in ‘Uncaged: The Untold Stories from the Cast of the ‘Tiger King’, a show featuring some of the minor characters from the Netflix documentary. According to the show’s website, the group will tour and appear in at least two more shows in March and June of 2021.

(Photo: Instagram @joshua_b_dial)

Joshua has also really gotten into growing some “special” tomatoes, which he has shared photos of on Instagram. He collaborated with ‘Pleasant Plants Farms’ on a pot strain called ‘F-the-Feds-Tiger King.’

(Photo: Instagram @joshua_b_dial)

Unfortunately, in the documentary, Kelci Saffery was misgendered and referred to as “she/her” when Saff prefers to use “he/him.” In the documentary, we saw how Saff lost his hand to one of the tigers, but that isn’t holding him back in life. Saff appears to be living a pretty decent, everyday life. On Instagram, we can see how he enjoys life with his family and even challenges himself to perform stunts such as a one-handed cartwheel.

(Photo: Instagram @kaiulanisaffery)

Saff hasn’t milked his fame as much as others; however, he does make the occasional 'Cameo' video to make some extra cash. He also appeared on the ‘Uncaged’ show and most likely will tour with the group starting this spring.

(Photo: https://uncagedtigerking.com/)

John Reinke appeared on Tiger King as Joe Exotic’s right-hand man when it came to running the zoo. Reinke worked at the zoo for 14 years and fans loved his calm personality and tattooed artificial legs. Since the show ended, John has divorced his wife and found a new girlfriend. He has also spoken up about Joe Exotic, defending him, claiming he wasn’t a bad guy, and that the zoo’s animals were not mistreated.

(Photo: Instagram @johnreinketigerking)

Reinke always has time for fans, as we can see from this selfie he took with one of his followers on Instagram. John has complained to the media about not making any money from the Netflix hit and is broke, only make money from the occasional interview and some mechanic work. However, like Saff and Joshua, he appeared on the ‘Uncaged’ show in November, which also will be touring starting in the spring.

In ‘Tiger King’ Barbara Fischer speaks about her time at ‘Myrtle Beach Safari’ and what it was like working with Doc Antle. She spoke out about animal mistreatment and claimed that Antle took advantage of the young girls who worked as “full-time volunteers.” Barbara continues to use Twitter and media interviews to expose Doc Antle’s ways. However, she has moved on with life. Fischer is married and has three children. She is a preschool teacher and claims that apart from her two dogs and a cat, she no longer has anything to do with the animal world. That being said, she did agree to appear in the ‘Uncaged’ show along with some of her fellow castmates.

(Photo: Twitter @beecrockfish)

Jack Donald Lewis was married to Carole Baskin, his second wife, until he disappeared in August 1997. He ran ‘Wildlife on Easy Street’ with Carole, and she later renamed it ‘Big Cat Rescue.’ In ‘Tiger King’ Joe Exotic accuses Carole of having killed her husband and fed him to the tigers. The criminal case of Don Lewis is still open; however, no arrests or charges have been made. However, during Carole Baskin’s appearance on ‘Dancing With The Stars’, Lewis’ family paid to have a commercial aired regarding Don’s disappearance, asking for tips. Apparently, the ad led to many call-ins with useful information.

(Photo: Wiki commons)

For viewers out there who haven't had enough of the 'Tiger King', Louis Theroux has recently released a new documentary about his experience filming Joe Exotic titled, 'Shooting Joe Exotic.' The BBC documentary revisits the 'Tiger King' subjects, and Theroux reflects on his experience filming Joe and if there was anything he could have done differently.

(Photo: BBC2)

The motivation to create this new documentary supposedly came from a letter Joe Exotic sent from prison asking a British journalist to contact Louis Theroux and pass on Joe's message: "I need to tell the real story, but they keep me silenced."