If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line. However, Exotic, whose legal name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, wouldn't become a reality star: Instead, he is currently, for attempting to hire a hitman to kill Baskin, an animal rights activist who is another controversial figure in the big cat world. Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip. He is also popular for his signature style of wearing a dark cowboy hat. By 1996, his addiction caused his professional and personal life to crash. Rick Kirkham: Drug Addiction, Teeth, and Family. On Tiger King, he co-starred with Mario Tabraue. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Notably, Rick is somewhat closeted about his personal life, but he has had quite a prosperous professional career. He is well-known for his signature look of wearing a dark cowboy hat. Erik Cowie. Six months after Kirkhams house was set on fire, Joe Exotics studio was set on fire. I cried because all of our footage was in that studio and I hadn't backed up anything outside the studio.. "(Netflix) sent out iPads to everyone," Kirkham said on the livestream, noting that he has his own TV studio in his Norway home and was able to film himself. After marrying his first wife and right before the birth of his first child, Kirkham checked into rehab at the encouragement of Inside Edition producers. That footage, however, fell victim to a random fire on Joe's propertyone that Kirkham believes Joe, who's legal name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, set himself. Additionally, some of the items lost in the fire hard drives and videotape were going to be under subpoena. If anything, I'm grateful because, to be quite honest with you, about four months after I was there, I started realizing what was going on and seeing things that I knew were wrong," Kirkham said. Bush while high, according to Oxygen. The karma comes around in that I didn't get to make my show. He says he sought therapy to help recover from the Joe years. profile. Q.V. [1] After graduating college, Kirkham got his first job; a crime reporter at a Las Vegas NBC affiliate. Wiki, Height, Age, Net worth, Husband, Biography & More, Blanca Clemente Wiki (lvaro Mortes Wife) Age, Kids, Height, Career, Biography, Family & Facts, Chelsea Manning Height, Age, Wiki, Husband, Biography & Family, Madhumalti Kapoor: Wiki, Age, Husband, Family, Kids, Net Worth, Movies & More. Richard Allen Kirkham (born May 16, 1958) is an American film producer, writer, cinematographer and journalist who is best known for his documentary TV Junkie and appearance in the Netflix documentary Tiger King. Also, get to know about Robby Stahl, Miles Mussenden,Osmariel Villalobos and Rochelle Pangilinan. Rick got married to his wife named Kristin Rosy. Not only is Rick working, but he has seen an uptake in his professional engagements since 'Tiger King' released. Rick Kirkham is a former television reporter. However, a March 2015 fire at the zoos production studio destroyed any dreams of Kirkham's reality show taking off. A filmmaker, Kirkham recorded much ofhis addiction on camera. Your email address will not be published. Much of the day-to-day life of eccentric exotic animal breeder and Oklahoma zookeeper, s life was already recorded as part of a hopeful reality television show project called Joe Exotic, Tiger King., Joe Exotic was everything I had dreamed of in finding a reality show, the project's producer Rick Kirkham said in the Netflix docuseries. Carole Baskin and Kirkham are Facebook friends. OnLights Out with David Spade, Kirkham expands about Tiger King and the studio fireduring a 16-minute interview. He also managed to film hours of footage, which was then turned into TV Junkie, the documentary. In that same interview, Kirkham shared that Maldonado-Passage was a very evil guy to the animals and the people that worked for him. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! By Bernadette Roe / April 6, 2020 8:52 pm EST. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the. But before he was ever arrested on the heinous charges, Exotic talked regularly about wanting Baskin dead often on shows Kirkham helped produce. In an exclusive interview with Daily Pop 's Justin Sylvester, Rick Kirkham the veteran journalist and producer who worked on Joe's reality show and was recently featured in Netflix's Tiger King . Here's an update based on recent statements. He had suffered a nervous breakdown, he told the filmmakers. And he wanted it recorded. Though he's stepped out of the spotlight since, viewers met Finlay, Exotic's now ex-husband, in the original Tiger King. Exotic is currently serving a 22 year sentence for hiring a hitman to kill his rival Carole Baskin, another controversial big cat figurehead. As for Kirkham himself, he says he's concentrating on finishing a memoir. He said within a day of seeing that ad, he was living at the. He likes to travel to different countries with his family. But even before the crazy Tiger King experience and the multiple fires, Kirkhams life was already quite wild. Not only is Rick working, but he has seen an uptake in his professional engagements since Tiger King released. Before seeking out big cat lover Maldonado-Passage, Kirkham had a wildly successful career as a reality television star himself. After backing down, Kirkham went on to work with Joe Exotic on his reality TV show, which featured his personal life and zoo. Zoo, where he witnessed all of the insanity that happened there. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. "In my case, I gotta live with what I did.". Maldonado-Passage is currently serving a 22-year sentence in prison,butcontinues to maintain his innocence as to all charges and allegations of any kind of abuse. As of 2022, he has an estimated net worth of $3-4 million. He also claimed that Travis Maldonado wasn't gay. "[7] He gave an example of Exotic being cruel to his animals by telling the story of a woman who brought an old horse in a trailer to the G.W. Rick holds an American nationality and is of English ethnicity. There's a lot more to Kirkham than what's depicted in the hit Netflix series. In the course of my year, he walked up to a tiger he didn't like and just shot it in the head. He has one sibling and is very close to his brother. Tami, his wife at that time, could not stand Ricks addiction to the news and drugs. All rights reserved. He is also a producer and writer and has a great income from his movies and documentaries. Tiger King released in March 2020, and has since become a worldwide streaming sensation. Right from the first episode you are . Now, according to Kirkham's Facebook, he lives in Norway, where he works as a freelance reporter, with his new wife. From the age of 14, Kirkham filmed more than 3,000 hours of a video diary. One of his first gigs out of college was as a crime reporter at a Las Vegas NBC affiliate. Now, according to Kirkhams Facebook, he lives in Norway, where he works as a freelance reporter, with his new wife. Kirkham briefly discussed that much-awaited new Netflix episode that dropped on Sunday, which is called The Tiger King and I, and which is hosted by actor and comedian Joel McHale. The horse story was apparently just one of "a hundred" crazy things Kirkham allegedly witnessed. Greater Wynnewood Zoo property. Having started at an early age, Rick was a valued part ofInside Editionfor a long time. Viewers can submit questions for Kirkham by posting a video on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #AskTigerRick. Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories? Joe Exotic was everything I had dreamed of in finding a reality show, the project's producer Rick Kirkham said in the Netflix docuseries. Accompanying police on drug busts, Kirkham got to carry a gun and wear a bulletproof vest. Ricks finances have a good chance of improving further in the future. This series based on the life of the famous personality named Joe Exotic, who has so many husbands. Ironically, it was during this time Kirkham became addicted to crack cocaine. Before he became addicted to drugs, Kirkham was a dancer on Dick Clarks American Bandstand. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The seven-part docuseries captured the many people involved in Maldonado-Passages story, including the iconic reality television producer, Rick Kirkham. He told Joel McHale, the host of "Tiger King and I . Kirkham was later interviewed by Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin for their Netflix documentary Tiger King. Ironically, Kirkham thinks Joe's new notoriety might actually help the animals he once caged, by raising awareness of the conditions of small roadside zoos. "I started kind of selling out my own journalistic integrity by not stopping it. Kirkham married a Norwegian woman and now lives in Norway, and Norwegian TV host Per Sundnes joined Kirkham in Oslo to discuss his Tiger King experiences and answer questions submitted by readers over Twitter or via video. According to anABC News profile, Kirkham received his first camera when he was 14-years-old. The net worth of Rick Kirkham is around $3 $4 million USD (approx.) Charlotte Brosnan-When did Charlotte Brosnan died? However, as viewers watched the show, all of his work was destroyed by fire after the studio was destroyed. According to his self-made documentary on his life entitled TV Junkie, Kirkham often accompanied the police to make drug busts during this time. He relays numerous instances of animal cruelty he says he saw Joe Exotic participate in, and shows gory footage of Kelci "Saff" Saffery's damaged arm and hand after a tiger attack. He is currently living in Bodo, Norway, where he works as a freelance reporter for RealReels. His career soon turned to doing outrageous stunts as part of Inside Edition like being shot out of a cannon, set on fire, and wrestling a nine-foot alligator. Still, justthe man's bravado alone adds an extra layer of intrigue,certainly when the docuseries reveals thatKirkham's studio burned to the ground less than a week after a confrontation with Joe. Rick Kirkham was one of the more sympathetic figures in Netflix hitTiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness. "I was running with the nasty boys, licensed to carry a gun and a bulletproof vest," he said in a 2006 documentary about himself called "TV Junkie," released by HBO. Kirkham worked on A Reason to Live and The Frozen Theater (2008). He speaks primarily about the infamous studio fire, and claims that it happened just two days after Joe changed the locks uponlearning he didn't own any of the footage. He has also featured on the show named The Oprah Winfrey Show in the year 2007. This is Kirkham's second marriage whom . Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. The definitive site for Reviews, Trailers, Showtimes, and Tickets CNET's interview with Joel McHale where he discusses Community and Tiger King, 9 things you didn't know about Netflix's insane hit show, 7 ways to get more of Netflix's wildly popular documentary, President Trump will 'take a look' at pardoning Tiger King Joe Exotic, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Rick also hosted a two-hour live pay chat where fans could ask him about his experiences with Joe, while Rick showed some unseen footage. Kirkham was born in Oklahoma in 1958. Netflix's Tiger King: 10 Most Amazing Outfits Not Worn By Joe Exotic. "I knew that I had sold out my own soul," Kirkham says, and that "it really messed with my head. Exotic was also found guilty of falsifying wildlife records and violating the Endangered Species Act. Net, Kristen Stadtlander networth, bio, Early Life, Career,, Liza Weil Net Worth, Age, Height, Boyfriend,, Nicholas Godejohn net worth, bio, Early Life,. His desire to be near a recording camera all the time, as shown in Tiger King, was intuitive to him, as he had started recording his life daily with a video camera at 14. Before he became addicted to drugs, Kirkham was a dancer on Dick ClarksAmerican Bandstand. Kirkham said once his "million-dollar reality show" was destroyed, he had "a nervous breakdown" and left Oklahoma. Conservative media personality Bill O'Reilly, who used to work as an anchor on the show, even called his former co-worker Kirkham "nuts" in a clip included in the docuseries. Kirkham also described the footage he captured that was later famously burned, per the Netflix series: If I were to let the video out that I have shot of [Maldonado-Passage] killing animals on this park, of [Maldonado-Passage] tricking people by taking in their animals, [Maldonado-Passage] would probably go to jail.. After completing her schooling from American Broadcasting School, he enrolled his name at the University of Central Oklahoma for his graduation. Zoo, killing the zoos alligators in the Steve Irwin Memorial complex, and destroying all of Kirkhams footage. He told Joel McHale, the host of Tiger King and I, that the local paper put his picture on the front page and that even a walk results in Tiger King comments. But Kirkham had more to say about Joe Exotic in a two-hour livestream pay chat that aired April 11. "I was running with the nasty boys, licensed to carry a gun and a bulletproof vest," he said in a 2006 documentary about himself called. His father was also a writer and his mother was a housewife. he reflected in the docuseries. Later, Kirkham started working forInside Edition,where he became known for his willingness to participate in wild stunts like setting himself on fire (as seen inTiger King). SOURCE: IMDb. He had worked briefly for KFBB-TV in Montana as a news director in 2013, prior to the Joe Exotic fiasco. But he also began smoking crack during this time. Junkie, which was later used in schools to teach kids about the dangers of drug addiction. Rick Kirkham is a reality TV producer who appeared on Netflix's Tiger King, and former Inside edition reporter who made the 2006 documentary, TV Junkie. I had to go get psychiatric help after working in that zoo. He explained that because ofthese strange things he allegedly witnessed while working with Joe, he can't even be mad that Netflix made a project like the one he initially wanted to make. https://www.instagram.com/p/B-4pbBOnMh3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link. Rick is active on Facebook with around 3K following. ", On June 2, 2020, Discovery ID channel released a one-hour show called "The Truth Behind Joe Exotic: The Rick Kirkham Story", where he discussed his life, two marriages and move to Norway. Kirkham took up residency at Maldonado-Passage's G.W. I attended the American Broadcasting School. By 1988, he was hired at the newsmagazine program Inside Edition to partake in deadly stunts like being shot out of a cannon or being set on fire. He was accused of sexually harassing women. But Kirkham had more to say about Joe Exotic in a two-hour livestream pay chat that aired April 11. Kirkham's own house inexplicably .css-16acfp5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#d2232e;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-16acfp5:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:yellow;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}burned down just six months later, killing his dog. His attorney did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Mandalorian Addresses the Fate of Cara Dune, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Trending Topics: Celebrities, TV Shows & More. You may know Rick Kirkham has the wide-brim hat wearing, reality TV producer who appears on Netflixs Tiger King. Related:Will There Be A Tiger King Season 2? As a well-known producer, Kirkham linked up with Maldonado-Passage in the hopes of making a reality show about the "Tiger King.". He has one sibling and is very close to his brother. Despite Kirkhams original footage being destroyed, his truth was exposed thanks to his feature in the documentary. The popular writer came to this world from his parents on Friday, May 16, 1958, in the United States. In the US, it cost somewhere between $3.99 to $4.99 to join the chat. ", He added, "I bet he is scratching down the walls of his jail cell, knowing that he has now gotten all of the fame he wanted and he can't do a damn thing with it.". Tiger King (subtitled in marketing as Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness for its first season, Tiger King 2 for its second season and Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story for its third season) is an American true crime documentary streaming television series about the life of former zookeeper and convicted felon Joe Exotic. His sons dont live with him in Norway, but Rick has equal love for them. Kirkham appears throughout the Netflix docuseries, primarily to discuss a internet-based show he developedfeaturing Joe Exotic. But in March 2015, a suspected arson fire destroyed the zoo studio, killing the zoos alligatorsand destroying all of Kirkhams footage. There have been accusations that Kirkham himself set fire to the studio, to which he responded, That's my retirement money that just burned, OK?" Rick, on the other hand, was able to overcome his drug addiction issues before releasing a documentary called TV Junkie, which was shot while he was high. At one point during this stint, Kirkham interviewed then-president George H.W. He is famous in his country for the frozen theatre. His other information regarding his parents and siblings is unknown. After the success of Tiger King, Kirkham was interviewed about his time at the G.W. Needless to say, he regained his life. 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Who has so many husbands Fate of Cara how much did rick kirkham make from 'tiger king, your Privacy Choices: Opt out of college as. College was as a crime reporter at a Las Vegas NBC affiliate to! Prosperous professional career truth was exposed thanks to his brother filmed more than 3,000 hours of video... Going to be under subpoena addicted to drugs, Kirkham interviewed then-president George H.W movies and documentaries and.... It cost somewhere between $ 3.99 to $ 4.99 to join the chat appears throughout the Netflix docuseries primarily! Busts during this time has a great income from his movies and documentaries the Steve Memorial! To anABC news profile, Kirkham got to carry a gun and wear a bulletproof.... Tiger King experience and the studio was set on fire my show was.. Topics: celebrities, TV shows & more Oprah Winfrey show in the hard... In Maldonado-Passages story, including the iconic reality television star himself Joe Exotics studio was set on fire an in. 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