Hit Netflix series “Tiger King” has won fans the world over for its gripping examination of the feud between exotic animal keeper Joe Exotic and animal rights activist Carole Baskin. However, the series never mentions that Joe Exotic has an adult son.
In the early 1980s, Joe lived with his girlfriend Kim in Eastvale, Texas, where he worked as a police chief. The pair had a son, Brandon Chappell, who is now 38 and has three children of his own.
Speaking to the “Daily Mail”, Exotic’s niece Chealsi Putman said: “Joe was in and out of Brandon’s life when he was growing up, at one point just a few years ago Brandon and his then-wife, both worked at the zoo with Joe”. She also added that Joe was always very open about Brandon being his son.
The big fallout between father and son happened after Joe tried to push Brandon’s wife to commit fraudulent activities by doctoring the zoo’s books and checking accounts. A clash over this ultimately saw Brandon leave Exotic and the zoo with his wife and children.
Putman added: “If it would up to me, I would have sentenced him to life behind bars, he wouldn’t have ever seen the light of day”.
