David Spade Is Obsessed With ‘Tiger King’ But Doesn’t Want to Play Joe Exotic
In a time where the world didn’t think self quarantining could be fun, Netflix released its newest docuseries Tiger King; Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, and changed our lives forever. Celebrities are cooped up in their 3,000 square feet mansions (which makes it harder to relate to their quarantine Snapchats, Instagram photos and well … pretty much anything they say about having cabin fever) and even they are flocking to Netflix to see what all of the fuss is about. The results? Celebrities love Tiger King just as much as we do, and David Spade might love it the most.
Tiger King recap (sort of)
For those of you who have not seen the docuseries, here is a short recap. The Tiger King (a.k.a Joe Exotic a.k.a Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage) was once a polygamist private zoo owner in Oklahoma, where he employed a diverse range of employees. Exotic gets tangled up in a messy battle with Carole Baskin, an animal rights activist and the owner of Big Cat Rescue. Baskin does not approve of keeping “big cats” as pets, and she does not support breeding them. Exotic has over 100 “big cats” and he breeds them for money, and allows the public to pay to pet the cubs. Currently, Baskin also refutes just about everything the Netflix docuseries portrayed about her and Big Cat Rescue.
Exotic alleges that Baskin is responsible for her late husband’s disappearance, too. His theory? She fed him to a tiger. Exotic makes what could be the best shade-throwing music video of all time, to a song he wrote about Baskin called Here Kitty Kitty. There is a lot more than this that happens in the docuseries, including a look at “big cats” that go onto Hollywood.
David Spade loves Tiger King but doesn’t want to play the role of Exotic
There has been a lot of talk about the upcoming series about some of the Tiger King characters, with Kate McKinnon slated to play Carol Baskin. Fans all over have made the hilarious comparison of Joe Dirt, one of Spade’s well-known roles, to Exotic. Both men sport mullets, cutoffs, and a passion for the redneck way of life.
Recently, Spade did an interview with Entertainment Tonight where he revealed that he “doesn’t know if he could” play the role of Exotic because “it just looks too fun.”
Spade was not shy about his obsession with the docuseries in his interview with ET. He let us in on the fact that before he had even finished the series, he wanted to find everyone on the show and talk to them. For the most part, he was able to do that.
Spade points out that the “saddest part” about doing interviews with the cast is that Exotic is the one who loves the fame the most, and he is unable to be interviewed while in prison.
Spades’ dream cast for ‘Tiger King’
For Exotic, Spade thinks Woody Harrelson would be a good fit. Harrelson has played numerous comical roles with his most recent being Tallahassee in Zombieland: Double Tap. Even though America thinks the Joe Dirt actor would be the best fit, Spade’s suggestion of Harrelson is spot on too.
Other characters, like zoo manager John Reinke and Exotic’s first husband John Finlay, Spade thinks should be played by Matthew McConaughey and (as per Finlay’s personal choice) Channing Tatum.
Spade even thinks that Friends co-stars Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, and Courteney Cox should play the wives of the notorious Doc Antle, who employs many young women at his zoo who often become another one of his wives.
