Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Names and faces
■ Like all cool cats and kittens, Carole Baskin is going to “Dancing With the Stars.” The reality TV star who became a pop-culture sensation with Netflix’s docu-series “Tiger King” is joining the new crop of celebrity dancers that includes TV and film actress Anne Heche, former NBA star Charles Oakley and Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean. The new season premieres on ABC on Sept. 14. On the Netflix series “Tiger King,” Baskin, who owns a big-cat refuge, sought to shut down Joseph Maldonado-Passage’s for-profit breeding of big cats. His nickname is “Joe Exotic” and her signature line is “cool cats and kittens.” Maldonado-Passage is currently serving a 22-year federal prison term for killing five tigers and plotting to have Baskin killed. In June, a federal judge awarded Baskin ownership of the private Oklahoma zoo run by Maldonado-Passage. Others scheduled to appear on the dancing show are cheerleading team coach Monica Aldama; “Bachelorette” star Kaitlyn Bristowe; NFL star Vernon Davis; actress Skai Jackson; actress Justina Machado; TV host Jeannie Ma;, Jesse Metcalfe; rapper Nelly; TV host Nev Schulman; real estate agent Chrishell Stause; and Olympian Johnny Weir.
■ The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have a new home: Netflix. Six months after detangling their work lives from the British royal family, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, have signed a multiyear deal to produce nature series, documentaries and children’s programming for the streamer, according to a statement Wednesday. The couple, who recently moved to Santa Barbara, Calif., plan to focus on stories and concerns that elevate diverse voices and other issues close to their hearts. Several projects are already in development, including a nature docu-series and a series focused on women who inspire. “Our lives, both independent of each other and as a couple, have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit: of courage, resilience, and the need for connection,” the pair said in the statement. “Through our work with diverse communities and their environments, to shining a light on people and causes around the world, our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope.”