Carole Baskin Thought She Was Going On The Tonight Show, But It Was All A Prank

By now, you've probably watched (and rewatched) Netflix's viral sensation Tiger King. If not, we seriously suggest you do. One of the most eclectic characters in the mix, exotic cat activist Carole Baskin, has since gone on to become the centre of viral memes and TikToks and is even the subject of a new series, investigating the disappearance of her second husband, Don Lewis.

Baskin, since the show aired, has largely steered clear of the media. However, the Tonight Show proved too strong a pull, and Baskin’s (extremely relatable) desire to chat with Jimmy Fallon allowed two YouTubers to prank her into a faux interview.

The pranksters? Josh Pieters and Archie Manner, who according to Variety, posed as late night talent bookers and reached out to Baskin to set up a Zoom interview with Fallon. The duo compiled audio snippets of questions Fallon had previously asked guests, specifically queries about cats. Explaining away the visual absence of Jimmy as just a necessary quirk of filming while in coronavirus quarantine, the pair fooled the big cat zookeeper into believing she was, in fact, speaking to Fallon.

Baskin discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on her volunteer staff, and also asked viewers to support the Big Cat Public Safety Act. Watch it all unfold below: