Tiger King is currently Netflix‘s most popular show and as a result, it’s subsequently given massive platforms to those involved in the show; that includes “Doc” Bhagavan Antle, a zoo owner-operator that serves the series in a supporting role. Shortly after the series became a viral sensation, Antle took to his Instagram account to share his disappointment in how he and his staffers at Myrtle Beach Safari are portrayed in the docuseries. Antle has since deleted the post, but not before our friends at Pop Culture managed to capture the essence of the message.
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“We are very disappointed that our facility was mentioned in the new Netflix series,” Antle’s post read prior to deletion. “We can only assume it is because Doc Antle has been such a high profile wildlife personality for so many decades that his association would create more buzz,” Antle wrote. “It is important to understand that this series is not a documentary; it’s sensationalized entertainment with paid participants. Tiger King is the bizarre story of Joe and Carole and their feud. These characters are not representative of experts in the wildlife sector or world class facilities like ours here in Myrtle Beach. Myrtle Beach Safari has been recognized by the state of South Carolina as one of the pre-eminent wildlife facilities in the United States. We’ve also received international accolades for the critical role we provide with our qualified, captive breeding programs and our global conservation efforts of threatened and endangered species.”
The statement added, “Myrtle Beach Safari adheres to all USDA guidelines, and our animals are treated with the utmost care. We have never had a USDA violation and work collaboratively with various state and federal wildlife agencies to ensure our animals receive the very best life each and every day. Over the decades we have heard every sort of fantasy scenario regarding our facility. Many of these less-than-flattering mistruths have been manufactured by those in the animal rights movement that oppose animal ambassador programs of any sort. In the end, we hope you will come visit us and judge for yourself. Every visitor to our facility quickly recognizes the magical place we have created. We remain open during these challenging times with both Day and Night Safari options. Our tours are held outdoors and our 50 acre preserve provides plenty of area for social distance.”
Since the documentary has hit Netflix, Joe Exotic — the primary focus of the series — has filed a lawsuit seeking $94 million in addition to a pardon from President Donald Trump. Other reports suggest the zoo Exotic — real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage — once ran is now “operating on fumes” and could be subject to a closure before too long.
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness is now streaming on Netflix.
