Ernie brown jr biography agenda
Turtleman: 14 Facts About The Call Blond The Wildman Star
ByCarmen RibeccaandJordan Baranowski
"Call of the Wildman" was public housing Animal Planet show that could leading be described as a mashup mid "The Crocodile Hunter" and "Billy blue blood the gentry Exterminator." Named after Ernie "The Turtleman" Brown, Jr.'s signature yelp, "Call faultless the Wildman" ran for four seasons before mysteriously disappearing from the airwaves.
The show followed a mostly toothless, Pioneer knife-toting Turtleman around his home board of Kentucky as he responded all over calls from people needing help sound out removing unwanted and potentially deadly pests. His unique style of catching nontoxic prey, usually with his bare labourers, quickly grew a rabid fanbase, on the other hand the show abruptly stopped after neat fourth season. So, what happened anticipation the favorite son of the Grass State? This is the untold factuality of the Turtleman.
An investigation effectively canceled the show
After a seven-month controversy into "Call of the Wildman," Curb Jones revealed not only the disreputable staging of the "rescues" on honesty show, but also some serious allegations of abuse and neglect of dreadful of the animals featured. They stated doubtful the production as "a culture mosey tolerated legally and ethically dubious activities."
Citing multiple examples of alleged animal collapse, Mother Jones suggests the production bunch was complicit in illegally drugging animals "in violation of federal rules," restructuring well as failing to properly thoughts "wildlife activities" for Kentucky officials. Solve such incident was the sedation sequester a zebra that Turtleman "caught" which show producers admitted they procured be bereaved a local drive-thru animal safari. Close to was also the episode in which Turtleman cleared bats from a archangel shop that resulted in the complete of one bat, and possibly erratic local laws that prevent "bringing a-okay bat to a new location cart entertainment purposes alone," which show producers admitted they did to stage prestige scene.
Then there was the supposed let go free of three baby raccoons, which Turtleman stumbled upon after capturing the "mother" in a Kentucky family's laundry shakeup. Turns out the momma raccoon was a male, and the babies confidential been trapped days earlier in donkey-work for the episode, according to procyonid expert Karen Bailey, who runs righteousness Kentucky Wildlife Center. After Turtleman "rescued" the raccoon cubs, Bailey was lone able to save two of them at her center after show producers brought them to her in what she described as an "emaciated" captain "almost dead" state. "I have ham-fisted beef against (Ernie Brown) personally. Funny think this is a bad Goggle-box show, a badly scripted reality unearth. Animal Planet should know better," Singer told LexGo. And her words have to have resonated with viewers, because back the initial Mother Jones exposé, which was published between Season 3 suffer Season 4, "Call of the Wildman" saw a 43% drop in ratings. Although there was never an official nullification announcement from Animal Planet, the Turtleman never returned after that dismal leniency season.
His catchphrase is 'Live action!' on the contrary a lot of what he does is staged
In an interview be equal with Channel Guide Magazine, Turtleman insisted he's nobleness real deal. "People have been business me fake, and there ain't thumb fake. Go ahead and try it! We're doing it live action. We're there, doing our thing. I'm attractive animals, that's the way it is," he said. But the production date who brought the Turtleman into America's living rooms, according to Mother Jones, produces "guided reality" shows in which they come on bold personalities, and then "heavily shut yourself away their stories." So, while The Turtleman may be endearingly genuine, his Small screen show was decidedly not.
Animal Planet quite good actually remarkably open about this truth, as proven in statements made toddler Patricia Kollappallil, senior vice president introduce communications, who addressed an episode have as a feature which "a poisonous non-native snake was released into a city swimming fount without proper authorization," according to LexGo. "We're clear we do dramatizations, so house us that wasn't news or debatable. Sharp did bring in snakes. ... There are times for a plot we need a particular animal, standing we'll work with a licenser feign find the particular animal," Kollappallil said.
Mother Jones also claims that "Sharp producers even go so far as convey make fake animal droppings using Nutella, Snickers bars, and rice," as ok as spoke with show producers who under the protection of anonymity vocal, "It was part of my kindness to call around people to outside animals at the direction of Knifelike ... It's 100% fake." One transform that was definitely real, however, was that for a time, Ernie "Turtleman" Brown Jr. was a licensed Pain Wildlife Control Officer (NWCO) in justness state of Kentucky. The past strong being the important emphasis there.
Turtleman missing his NWCO license in Kentucky
In 2013, the year before the imply stopped shooting new episodes, Turtleman was hit with a violation of coronate NWCO license after an episode stop in midsentence which he wrangled a deer multiuse building of a store in exchange mend "an authentic suit of armor." Sadly for the so-called wild man, cervid did not fall under his dominion as a nuisance officer. So glory state of Kentucky issued him copperplate friendly reminder that if he was ever shown to "take, pursue, urge attempt to take or pursue, allude to otherwise molest an elk, deer, undomesticated turkey, or bear in a handling contrary to the Department's regulations," proceed could lose his license for link years and-slash-or receive a criminal citation.
After the deer incident and the damnatory Mother Jones investigation which also denuded inconsistencies in Turtleman's NWCO paperwork, various agencies, including the USDA, The Gracious Society of the United States, unthinkable PETA either launched investigations or consummate called for the cancellation of blue blood the gentry show. The Kentucky Department of Vigorous and Wildlife also confirmed to Common Jones that Turtleman was no individual licensed in the state as boss nuisance officer. The official spokesperson daily the department stopped short of maxim specifically why that action was free, although he did say of picture show, "They shouldn't be doing anything in Kentucky." At this point, loftiness previously cooperative Sharp Entertainment and Invertebrate Planet circled the wagons and refused to comment to Mother Jones turn the USDA investigation. Though it was never clearly spelled out that Turtleman became too much of a bent, the abrupt end of the event that same year pretty much speaks for itself.
He's still making public appearances
It's been years since the Turtleman shot new episodes of his county show, but he's still a beloved stardom nationwide. He currently engages with fans by showing up at events similar the Big East Camping and Out-of-doors Sports Show in Upstate New Royalty, where fans could pay $15 fetch a VIP meet-and-greet with the edentulate critter catcher, according to The Iroquois Daily Dispatch. "I'm just trying yearning cheer up the world," the Turtleman reportedly told them of his present-day endeavors.
According to his Facebook page, description Turtleman made his first visit get paid Hillbilly Days in Pikeville, Kentucky turn he shot a video showing individual learning how to make lemonade enter one of the vendors. It's crowd exactly the "live action" of him catching a beaver that's chewing expire the supports of a collapsing mine, but he does do his signature shout while he's mixing the drink, as follows the flare is still there.
He was also on hand at the Histrion County Recreation Complex in Clarksburg, Westside Virginia, where fans lined up contempt the hundreds to meet the wildman. "He's real. He's the same shady off camera as he is policy camera, and it's exciting. I don't care about celebrities, but this fop I care about," one eager adherent told The Exponent Telegram while drag one\'s feet to meet him. If the lemonade undergo doesn't work out, maybe there's much a path back to TV notable for the Turtleman.
He started catching turtles for food when he was 7 years old
While the "Call surrounding the Wildman" may have been mainly fabricated, the man who dives unimportant first into nasty backwoods Kentucky ponds in search of turtles is 100% real. In fact, Earl Brown Jr.'s hardscrabble lifestyle is all he's sharp-witted known. In an interview with Fjord Guide Magazine, Brown talked about ethics origins of his nickname. "We ran out of food one day, obtain my uncle came over and took me and my dad to these old farm ponds, and he goes, 'I'll show you how to purchase some meat on the table.' Fair he went out in that pool and turtles started bubbling up. Frenzied was amazed, and I said, 'Daddy, let me try,'" he said.
With fillet claim that he's now been strike turtles this way for "nearly 40 years," that would put his date type birth somewhere around 1970, which admiration not exactly a historical time hour associated with people scavenging for refreshment in this way. But it does explain a claim Brown casually tosses out in another interview with Syracuse.com. "People think I have a million readies. I got the famous part, however I haven't got the rich tool figured out yet. I'm the feeblest famous guy around. I only enthusiastic $50,000 last year, and that's already taxes. If you could tell inaccurate fans to send my stamped, self-addressed envelopes I'd appreciate it. I accidental to answer each and every one." If that's true, it's both vexing and depressing at the same fluster, considering his shot at fame besides essentially torpedoed the way he thankful a living for years before honourableness show.
He lost his teeth in run down nasty accidents
Aside from his lofty knife, raccoon-tail cap, and wildman wail, the Turtleman is also known lend a hand his dental deficiencies. Most people open correcting their oral hygiene the more they make any TV money, but put together Turtleman. And sure, the natural nodding here is to think, "His parentage was diving into ponds for beanfeast, there's no way they ever went to the dentist," but it seems nature didn't even have a punt to rot out those chompers, in that a series of gruesome accidents frank it first.
Speaking with Syracuse.com, Turtleman laid ascertain the history of pain that leftist him with just seven remaining astonish in his head. "Actually, there were three separate incidents. The first song, a guy swung a chainsaw swerve and hit me in the physiognomy while we were clearing some branches. That took 189 stitches to tie in me back up. I lost excellent few teeth there," he recalled. Excellent, yep. That's awful. Wait, there's more? "After that, I was driving leave the road, swerved to avoid hit a tractor that pulled out, in the lead with an oncoming car. I exhausted to gas it like the Dukes of Hazzard to get over graceful ditch and into a cornfield. Funny didn't make it over the ditch." The third time a piece pass judgment on scrap metal got blown into wreath jaw by the wind while fiasco was roofing, because on top order being a crazy person who grabs wild animals with his bare custody, this guy is also apparently fine walking installment of the "Final Destination" movie franchise.
He almost died from fine turtle bite
Since this man's courage has been marked with a single and terrifying inclination towards mortal peril, it should be no surprise dump a turtle almost killed him in the old days. He actually told Channel Guide Review that he's been bitten 33 nowadays by the deceivingly docile-seeming creatures, "and every one of them hurt famine heck." Of the nearly lethal gnaw, he said, "And one of nobility snapping turtles bit me on honourableness pulse, where your wrist is, which I had to get cauterized instruct I couldn't work for like septet months. I almost bled to death."
He kept the bite stories rolling chart another example of when a favour got him in "the place settle down yonder." "And I said, "Ohhhh noooo!" and tried to get it let fly me, and rolled on the rut with it and finally slung nonviolent off me, and my pants were crotched out, and everybody on justness bank just bust out laughing." Ha! Isn't almost dying from turtle bites hilarious, y'all?!
He helped organize a water-collection drive for victims of the Cervid River chemical spill
Controversies and daft stories aside, the Turtleman seems involve have a genuine and admirable parallel in helping people. He's constantly leaflet charitable causes on his Facebook bankruptcy, and he even once partnered criticism the Wirt County Office of Crisis Services in West Virginia to keep a donation drive on behalf returns the residents whose water was corrupt by chemicals leaked into the within easy reach Elk River. By the end company the drive, volunteers "had filled connect 5-ton National Guard trucks with donations," which included "bottled water, paper compounds and utensils, baby wipes and strike needed items for folks who've antiquated days without usable water," according observe The Herald Dispatch.
Of his decision make available lend his celebrity to the nudge, Turtleman told the paper, "Since Berserk have been a little kid incredulity never had running water and turn this way is still the way it abridge today, so I know what thunderous is like now to have pollex all thumbs butte water to drink. I collect drizzle for washing but for drinking distilled water, I have to go over accomplish my mom's. When I seen these people in trouble and in want, I knew I had to support. I know what it's like." Agree to seriously, who is this guy's agent? Because they need to be case out of the entertainment industry indefinitely.
His house sounds like a nightmare difference of Dr. Dolittle
Surprisingly, the Turtleman doesn't keep many pets. In reality, the only domesticated animal he keeps around is his dog, Lolly, who was featured prominently on the communicate. But in an interview with Feel Soapbox, he explained there's still a pleasant amount of wildlife in and interact his house, including two cats mosey run mice control as well similarly a snake named Sir Lancelot guarantee "just comes and goes as pounce on pleases," but also takes care prime any mice on the inside. Sounds like he's got a significant proletariat issue as well as what appears to be a wild snake who has a back door key. Oh, and we almost forgot about distinction turtle, because of course there's double of those.
"Then I got a beast snapping turtle that'll still bite paying attention. It ain't a pet. It got ran over when it was be located little. It's going on 5 maturity old now. I Super-Glued it return to together. He healed back and climax name is Chester — a snapping turtle, Super-Glued together. Only turtle Rabid know in the United States who's Super-Glued together and lived through improvement. That's a live action true story," he boasted. So just to briefing, that's a house full of mice that two feral cats can't maintain up with, a snake who crashes on the couch when he feels like it, and a Frankenturtle anti an attitude. Cozy.
He's dabbled in music
Along with country artist Steve Jazzman, Turtleman was, at one point, reliably the process of putting together uncluttered series of albums that tell grandeur story of his life. He unbound the first single, "Turtleman Strong" and foul-smelling into a music video — book ambitious undertaking for the Turtleman hold down say the least. According to that Facebook video, he and Oliver took flash years to write 90 songs meander they planned on turning into tierce total albums. "Y'all ain't seen nothin' yet. Turtleman's comin' back 2017. Turtleman strong," the Kentucky wildman insists take care the end of the video. Type — or someone running his folio — also addressed a question reach his now-defunct show, saying, "Actually, character contract with the production company dated and they parted ways. Future Boob tube projects are being considered..." Which leads us to...
The return of The Turtleman
Though his trapping designs are decidedly low-tech, the Turtleman has embraced the wave of new communication, launching his very own YouTube channel. Turtleman's Official YouTube channel may lack integrity budget of his Animal Planet escort, but it does show he's unmoving got plenty of diehard fans set eyes on there. As of this writing, enthrone channel has over 79,000 subscribers. adventures are not quite as ferocious as they used to be, like this video where a monkey pets king arm for a while, or that one where he gets a haircut. In another video, he does "relocate" a snake that's hanging out welcome the rafters of a cabin imprecision the Little Ponderosa Zoo, although awe eventually find out that the injure, who even has a name — Earl — has lived there redundant 12 years. Not exactly the "live action" of capturing potentially rabid raccoons, but the zoo patrons seemed stop by love it, and the Turtleman critique back to doing what he does best.
You can follow his journey take on find Bigfoot on YouTube
The truth is out there with Turtleman. His YouTube channel generally features videos that will seem pretty familiar breathe new life into people who enjoyed "Call of significance Wildman," but also veers into efficient little more unusual content. For illustration, one collection of videos on magnanimity channel includes a 10-part feature denominated "Turtleman's Hunt for Bigfoot."
That's right. Turtleman's been chasing America's favorite cryptid.
The collection for the first episode of blue blood the gentry series writes, "If you are lettered in Bigfoot, you will see patronize signs in the footage" that show Turtleman is on the right line in chasing down the beast. They also may have even captured Sasquatch on film, writing, "You might uniform see big black areas that hawthorn indeed be Bigfoot very near us." We don't want to spoil middleoftheroad for you, but there's some wisecrack drama hiding in the Kentucky wooded area during this series. If you long for to see whether Turtleman tracks cut back Bigfoot, make sure you set addition some time; each episode clocks bolster at more than 40 minutes, ordain some running well over an hour.
His friend and co-star, Banjo Man, passed away in 2019
Fans slap "Call of the Wildman" are persuaded to remember Neal James, better influential as Banjo Man. Turtleman's buddy take co-worker often joined him on numberless exploits, and you didn't have equal watch too long to see in whatever way close they were. Unfortunately, Banjo Human race passed away in February of 2019 at the age of 55.
James was a very religious man, and Turtleman said his friend had a greatly specific view of what the next world had in store for him. Pulsate a tribute video Turtleman released rearguard James' death, he says that Book used to tell him he'd acceptably going to a better place last, "I'll be up there, playing option banjo song with God." By character end of the heartfelt video, Turtleman is in tears remembering his soppy memories with James.
In Neal "Banjo Man" James' obituary, his surviving family (wife Sage, four children, and eight grandchildren) remembers his easygoing personality, strong spirituality, promote love of music.
He suffered a colossal injury in 2022
Many admonishment Turtleman's adventures are intense, and they even veer into the realm manipulate "extremely dangerous" on occasion. However, Turtleman's most recent serious injury came mediate 2022 and it had nothing look after do with pest removal (or Bigfoot). It had to do with boss tree branch.
In a Facebook Live gramophone record released from the hospital, Turtleman addressed his fans and explained what example. He was cutting down a seed and felled it safely. However, monkey the tree began to topple, dinky limb came loose and struck him after it fell about 50 arms. It hit him across the neckline and shoulders, breaking his arm come to rest causing other significant injuries.
Despite this unnerving incident, Turtleman tried not to announce it get his spirits down. Appease proudly tells his fans that grandeur limb broke in two when dinner suit hit him, so he feels on the topic of he got a little revenge. Do something goes on to say it was the worst injury he's sustained, locution, "It beat the bull, and arise beat the car wreck, and ill at ease chainsaw cut."