TV

"Tiger King" star Carole Baskin claims Netflix made her out to be a monster and an alleged spouse killer -- and while she still denies that, she is revealing new info about her late husband.

Carole bashed the Netflix producers Wednesday for what she characterizes as "lies and innuendos" from people she says are not credible whatsoever. She's especially miffed they suggested she's mixed up in her husband, Don Lewis' mysterious death.

In a post on her Big Cat Rescue website, she drops some alleged tea about Don's final months before he disappeared, and what she describes as erratic behavior.

Carole heavily implies Don had Alzheimer's disease, and even claims he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She says he was an avid dumpster diver in his final days, and would even bring random homeless people over to sleep at their home. She also claims he began defecating on their property grounds, adding he was a sex addict.

Yeah, she kinda went all scorched earth on him. She also claims Don was no millionaire when they met -- as suggested in "Tiger King." Sounds like he did have a vast portfolio when he disappeared though.

In her post, Carole also attempts to discredit almost everyone who spoke about her in the documentary -- and addresses concerns viewers had with how she and her current husband, Howard, run their business.

There's a bottom line though, and it's essentially this ... she says she did everything she could to help find Don when he disappeared, and even questions "Tiger King" director Eric Goode's intentions in allegedly attempting to vilify her.

O.J. Simpson -- who most people believe got away with murder -- is publicly accusing Carole Baskin of GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER!

WHAT. IS. HAPPENING!?!?!

Juice says he finally got around to watching "Tiger King" -- and one thing is clear to him ... he's convinced Carole Baskin fed Don Lewis to her animals.

"There's not a shred of doubt in my mind that that lady's husband is tiger sashimi right now," O.J. said ... "I'm just saying."

Of course, Carole has ADAMANTLY DENIED having any involvement in Don's disappearance -- but O.J. ain't buy-in' what she's sellin' based on what he saw in the Netflix documentary.

There's more ... Simpson -- who's interestingly wearing gloves that fit -- plays the race card.

"White people!! What's with you and wild animals?! Leave them animals alone!"

Joe Exotic's actually way more disturbing than the 'Tiger King' documentary makes him out to be, at least according to the guy who lived at the zoo for a year and helped make Joe a star.

Producer Rick Kirkham joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and said the wildly-popular Netflix series is frighteningly accurate -- but still only scratches the surface of Joe's crazy lifestyle.

Check out the video ... Rick recalled the time "a poor old woman drove in with a horse trailer" asking Joe to take over caring for the horse on the grounds of his zoo in Oklahoma. He claims Joe told her he'd offer the horse lots of green pasture -- but as soon as she left, he instead did something horrifying.

If you've seen the documentary, you'll recall Rick produced Joe's online reality series and even gave him the nickname Tiger King. He says Joe even wanted him to record the horse incident. As fans know, almost all of Rick's footage burned up in a mysterious fire at the zoo.

Rick also has some strong feelings about Carole Baskin ... and the allegations she was involved in her husband's unsolved murder.

Safe to say, after everything he saw firsthand, Rick's no fan of Joe or Carole.

Joe Exotic has bitched and moaned about lots of things but this rant may -- or may not -- shock you the most ... he was once pissed he couldn't use the n-word. Still love him, Cardi B?!

Some old footage from 2015 resurfaced showing the "Tiger King" star complaining ... "What's going on in this country? It's absolutely pathetic. I can't say the n-word but you can get on YouTube and watch any black man's video and they're calling each other the n-word. What the hell?"

Joe went on to theorize, "Is this discrimination? I'm white, I can't say the n-word and they can?" The footage appears to be from his old online reality series "Joe Exotic TV" but it's only now hitting the fan ... due to the popularity of the Netflix documentary.

Joe Exotic, of course, is the tiger breeder featured in the wildly popular Netflix docuseries "Tiger King." The former owner of a once-popular zoo in Oklahoma has been behind bars since he was found guilty in a 2019 murder-for-hire plot.

He recently filed a lawsuit claiming there's a huge conspiracy behind him getting locked up. Cardi B vowed to start a GoFundMe to help free Joe Exotic. She has since said she was just kidding about the GoFundMe but added she still loves him.

Awkward?

Tiffany Haddish has the cure for your self-quarantine blues -- laughter ... specifically, about penis size!!! Hey, she says it's working for her.

Tiff made a surprise appearance on UMC.tv's #LaughsOnLockdown -- yes, that's where we are now ... stand-up comedy shows on Instagram live. Comedians Aida Rodriguez and Gary "G. Thang" Johnson were hosting this weekend when Tiffany jumped on to reveal what she's been up to in isolation.

We'll let her detail her, ummm ... activities, but let's just say it's all helped her appreciate male genitalia of all sizes.

By the way, Tiff and Aida go way back ... Rodriguez was featured on Haddish's 'They Ready' stand-up special on Netflix last year.

The folks at "American Idol" tried to make it work, but ultimately they had to jettison plans to produce the show in the studio, but TMZ has learned the show may still go on.

Producers sent an email to the crew, saying, "As we continue to monitor advice from federal and local agencies, it seems unlikely we are going to be able to make it back into the studio for this season of American Idol."

The email, obtained by TMZ, goes on ... "We will continue to monitor and provide updates should any changes occur."  BTW ... we're told the crew will not be paid.

Our production sources tell us the plan is still to produce the show ... but the judges will be at their respective homes and viewers will ultimately decide who wins and who ends up packing.

'Idol' joins an ever-growing list of productions that have had to pivot in the wake of the pandemic.

The email ends on a positive note ... "In the meantime, please stay safe and healthy. We are looking forward to the day we can all work together again."

Bob Barker's life is not in upheaval under the coronavirus quarantine -- like most of us -- because he's already skilled in the art of self-isolation.

Sources connected to Bob tell us the former 'Price is Right' host is doing okay at home as he quarantines in Los Angeles. Fact is, Bob was already steering clear of others for his own health, so the new normal for most folks is just another day for Barker.

Our sources say Bob's isolation is way more strict due to the outbreak though. His family was already barring people with colds from getting close to him -- his immune system is not what it once was -- and now, no one is allowed over to the house aside from those in quarantine with him.

We're told 96-year-old Bob's family is making sure he eats and tends to all his medical needs, but so far it's pretty much business as usual.

There is one major change ... our sources say Bob would normally watch sports at home, but now he's watching a lot of old movies, especially anything related to the military. Remember, Bob was in the Navy and is really into war flicks.

You'll recall ... Bob slipped and fell at his home last year, and was transported to the hospital twice in 2018 with back issues.

But, so far, Bob's doing just fine in quarantine.

John Callahan of 'All My Children' fame has died.

The longtime soap star passed away Saturday after suffering a massive stroke at his Palm Desert, CA home ... according to his rep. On Friday, paramedics were called to his home and he was transferred to a hospital in Rancho Mirage, where he was put on life support.

Callahan's rep says his death is NOT related to COVID-19 -- but notes that nonetheless, some of John's family members were only able to see him for a short while due to hospital restrictions currently in place all over the country because of the coronavirus.

His ex-wife and former 'AMC' co-star, Eva La Rue says ... " We are extremely saddened and distraught over the loss of John." She continued, "He was my great friend, co-parent and an amazing father to Kaya. The absence of his bigger than life, gregarious personality will leave a hole in our hearts forever. Words cannot express the shock and devastation we are feeling at this time. The Yankees just lost one of their greatest fans."

John played Edmund Grey on the hit show for years, starring in his role from 1992 all through 2005. He also acted on the daytime drama "Santa Barbara" for a couple years in the '80s as well as 'Falcon Crest' in the early '90s. He also had recurring roles on 'Days of Our Lives' dating back to the late '80s all the way up until 2010.

The guy had 34 acting credits to his name. He's survived by his daughter, Kaya.

"Game of Thrones" fans already reeling from the show ending have another heartbreaking loss -- the dog that played Bran's direwolf has died.

Odin, an Inuit dog who played Summer the direwolf in the very first 'GoT' episode back in 2011, died after being diagnosed with mouth cancer in November.

His owners announced the sad news on social media Thursday, saying they got him as a 7-week-old pup and he's been a member of the family the past decade.

Though they're very sad, they say ... "We can all take great comfort in knowing that he is forever immortalized in the great TV Show Game of Thrones as Summer Bran Starks' Direwolf Pup in Season 1 episode 1."

The HBO show even rallied behind Odin following his cancer diagnosis, helping raise funds for the family, so they could get the TV direwolf special treatment in Dublin on a weekly basis.

The family says Odin was treated to beach walks and his favorite foods during his final days, but succumbed to further illness this week and passed in his sleep.

He was 10.

RIP, good boy.

Palm Springs-native Alana Austin was only 19 years old when she landed the role of the girly cheerleader turned dirt bike bad boy, Andi Carson -- who poses as her brother and takes to the track while her brother is injured -- in the classic sibling-swapping 2001 Disney TV movie, "Motocrossed."

Alana Austin was helped out along the wild ride by her on-screen mom and confidant, Geneva, played by Mary-Margaret Humes, her biker brother, Andrew, played by Trever O'Brien ... and of course, the fierce French rival on two wheels, Rene Cartier, played by Michael Cunio.