Carole Baskin

Carole Ann Baskin (née Stairs; born June 6, 1961) is an American animal rights activist and the CEO of Big Cat Rescue, a non-profit animal sanctuary. She advocates for the plight of captive big cats. Baskin was featured in the 2020 Netflix true crime documentary series Tiger King, which follows Baskin's escalating feud with Oklahoma-based private zoo owner Joe Exotic. Following the release of the series, many suspected Baskin was involved in the disappearance of Don Lewis, her second husband. Baskin denied these claims in a post on Big Cat Rescue's website. Her catchphrase, "Hey all you cool cats and kittens!", also became a meme as a result of Tiger King. Baskin has also appeared on Dancing with the Stars, featuring her dancing to a cover of the song "Eye of the Tiger". She and her husband Howard also appeared in the 2021 Louis Theroux documentary Shooting Joe Exotic.