Eric Goode

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Eric Goode
Eric Goode.jpg
Born
Eric V. Goode

(1957-12-19) December 19, 1957 (age 66)
Occupation(s) Conservationist, philanthropist, businessman, filmmaker
Known forFounder of the Turtle Conservancy
Directing and producing Tiger King

Eric V. Goode (born December 19, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, conservationist, and Emmy nominated filmmaker. He is known as the creator of the art nightclub Area, numerous hotels and restaurants, including the Bowery Hotel, the Waverly Inn, and the Hotel El Roblar in Ojai, CA. Goode is also known for being the founder of the Turtle Conservancy and Goode Films, which produced Tiger King (Netflix) and Chimp Crazy (HBO).

Contents

Biography

Born in Rhode Island in 1957 and raised in New York City until the age of 8, Eric V. Goode [1] relocated with his family to California. He is the second of five children born to Marilyn Goode, a naturalist and conservationist, and Fredrick Goode, a painter and teacher. He has lived in New York City since 1977.

Eric began his career as an artist, educated at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and Parsons School of Design. Much of his early work was displayed in group shows with other upcoming artists of the day, the earliest in 1981 which was curated by Keith Haring. [2] [3] He continued to make and show his art throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s. [4]

In 1983, Goode formed the nightclub Area. Area was known for its constantly changing themes and collaboration with artists of the time (Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, David Hockney, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, and others). Area was Goode's first business venture where he merged art into the context of a nightclub.

In the early to mid-1990s, he directed several music videos for bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Robbie Robertson. He and Serge Becker earned a music video production award for their work on "Pinion".

Over the next two decades Goode transitioned into restaurants [5] and hotels, many of which in collaboration with his partners Serge Becker and more recently Sean MacPherson. [6] His most recent projects include the Ludlow Hotel and Hotel El Roblar.

During the 2010s, Eric became focused on filming various characters that lead to the creation of Tiger King, and Tiger King 2. The success of these docuseries lead to the creation of Eric's film studio, Goode Films.

Eric Goode currently lives in New York City and California.

Nightclubs, restaurants and hotels

Philanthropy and land preservation

After a career in the hospitality business, Goode shifted his focus to wildlife philanthropy after being approached by John Behler of the Wildlife Conservation Society in 2003. Goode first created a rescue and breeding center for endangered turtles and tortoises under Behler's guidance. In 2005, Goode formed his own public charity the Turtle Conservancy. The mission of the Turtle Conservancy is to protect threatened turtles and tortoises and their habitats worldwide. Goode's conservation philosophy centers around turtles as umbrella species, whereby thousands of species are saved by protecting land for turtles and tortoises.

Since its inception, Turtle Conservancy has helped to protect over 60,000 acres of wild land around the world. The organization works to protect turtles, tortoises and other animals on five continents. Guerilla documentaries and public service announcements directed by Goode and the Turtle Conservancy have amassed millions of views across various social media platforms. These documentaries raise awareness of wildlife trafficking, habitat destruction, and the pet trade. Goode has personally donated over 30 million dollars towards wildlife conservation and land protection. His conservation work has been featured on 60 Minutes, Charlie Rose, Racing Extinction, The New Yorker, NPR and CNN.

Goode was recognized by the wildlife community for his efforts, with a tortoise named after him in 2016. The Goode's thornscrub tortoise (Gopherus evgoodei) is a desert species from Northern Mexico described by a team of American and Mexican biologists. [1]

South Africa

In South Africa, the Turtle Conservancy, along with its partner organizations, has purchased over 1,000 acres of the last remaining habitat for the critically endangered geometric tortoise (Psammobates geometricus).

Sonora, Mexico

The Turtle Conservancy secured approximately 1,000 acres of tropical deciduous forest in southern Sonora, Mexico, for the protection of the Goode's thornscrub tortoise (Gopherus evgoodei).

Durango, Mexico

The Turtle Conservancy has purchased a significant portion (over 60,000 acres) of the last remaining habitat of the Bolson tortoise (Gopherus flavomarginatus). The largest of the North American terrestrial reptiles, this tortoise has been known to science only since 1959.

Palawan, Philippines

1,890 acres was secured for the protection of the critically endangered Palawan forest turtle ( Siebenrockiella leytensis ) in the Philippines.

Other conservation projects

Other conservation projects that Eric Goode has spearheaded include:

Boards and councils

Publications

The Tortoise

The Tortoise is an annual magazine publication of the Turtle Conservancy dedicated to the conservation of turtles and tortoises. The wide scope of the magazine reaches readers from all over the world. Its audience includes everyone from world-renowned scientists and biologists, to travelers, naturalists, ecologists and conservationists, as well as a general audience interested in wildlife preservation and environmental protection. It is not a scientific journal. It is a publication about the wonder of turtles and tortoises and about the conservation challenges they face, and it is about the people who are devoted to saving these creatures from extinction.

Area: 1983–1987

In 2013, Abrams published a 360-page coffee table book on the seminal nightclub AREA, authored by Eric and Jennifer Goode. Drawing from a rich archive of material, Eric and Jennifer tell the behind-the-scenes story of the club and its people, creating an illustrated memoir of an exciting time and place in the history of New York nightlife. To accompany the launch of the book Eric collaborated with Jeffrey Deitch to curate an exhibition at The Hole gallery. [8] [9] The show consisted of original installations as well as pieces from many of the artists that participated or were influenced by the club. [10]

Film and videos

Docuseries

In 2020, Netflix premiered Tiger King , a seven-episode docuseries directed and produced by Eric Goode about people who own and breed lions, tigers, and other big cats. The show quickly became one of the most watched shows on the Netflix platform. [11]

After the success of the first season, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness was followed up with a second season in 2021 called Tiger King 2 , and Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story for its third season.

In 2024, Goode directed and produced Chimp Crazy for HBO, revolving around animal broker Tonia Haddix, caught up with authorities and animal rights groups over her chimpanzee Tonka. [12] [13]

Natural history films

YearDocumentary
2005John L. Behler Chelonian Center
2006Galapagos Islands
2007Madagascar
2008The Argentine Tortoise
2009In Search of the Okinawa Leaf Turtle
2010The Great Tortoise Transect
2011In Search of the Impressed Tortoise

Music videos

YearArtistMusic video
1992 Nine Inch Nails "Help Me I Am in Hell"
1992Nine Inch Nails"Pinion"
1993 Digital Orgasm "Time to Believe"
1994 CeCe Peniston "Hit by Love"
1994 Terrorvision "Oblivion"
1998 Robbie Robertson "Unbound"

Art

Most of Goode's art is created as a vitrine, or display case, with three-dimensional artwork inside. Similar to Joseph Cornell, his work incorporates many aspects of assemblage. Goode's work also has notable similarities to Damien Hirst and Jeff Vaughan, especially his tendency to represent elements of the natural world in his mixed-media installations.[ citation needed ]

Exhibitions

Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tortoise</span> Family of turtles

Tortoises are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines. Like other turtles, tortoises have a shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, and like other members of the suborder Cryptodira, they retract their necks and heads directly backward into the shell to protect them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolson tortoise</span> Species of reptile

The Bolson tortoise, also called the Mexican giant tortoise, Mexican gopher tortoise, yellow-bordered tortoise or yellow-margined tortoise, is a species of tortoise from North America. Of the six North American tortoise species, it is the largest, having a carapace length of about 46 cm (18 in). It lives in a region of the Chihuahuan Desert known as the Bolsón de Mapimí, which is located in north-central Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas tortoise</span> Species of tortoise

The Texas tortoise is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species G. berlandieri is one of six species of tortoises that are native to North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desert tortoise</span> Species of tortoise

The desert tortoise is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, and to the Sinaloan thornscrub of northwestern Mexico. G. agassizii is distributed in western Arizona, southeastern California, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah. The specific name agassizii is in honor of Swiss-American zoologist Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz. The desert tortoise is the official state reptile in California and Nevada.

Ntangki National Park is a national park located in Peren District of Nagaland, India. It was first designated as a national park in 1993. Among the species that inhabit the park are the rare hoolock gibbon, golden langur, hornbill, Asian palm civet, black stork, tiger, white-breasted kingfisher, monitor lizard, python and sloth bear. The name "Ntangki" is derived from the Zeme dialect of the Zeliangrong Nagas.

<i>Gopherus</i> Genus of tortoises

Gopherus is a genus of fossorial tortoises commonly referred to as gopher tortoises. The gopher tortoise is grouped with land tortoises that originated 60 million years ago, in North America. A genetic study has shown that their closest relatives are in the Asian genus Manouria. The gopher tortoises live in the southern United States from California's Mojave Desert across to Florida, and in parts of northern Mexico. Gopher tortoises are so named because of some species' habit of digging large, deep burrows. Most notably, Gopherus polyphemus digs burrows which can be up to 40 feet (12 m) in length and 10 feet (3.0 m) in depth. These burrows are used by a variety of other species, including mammals, other reptiles, amphibians, and birds. Gopher tortoises are 20–50 cm (7.9–19.7 in) in length, depending on the species. All six species are found in xeric habitats. Numerous extinct species are known, the oldest dating to the Priabonian stage of the Late Eocene of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gopher tortoise</span> Species of reptile

The gopher tortoise is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to the southeastern United States. The gopher tortoise is seen as a keystone species because it digs burrows that provide shelter for at least 360 other animal species. G. polyphemus is threatened by predation and habitat destruction. Habitat degradation is the primary reason that the gopher tortoise is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, but they are considered threatened in some states while they are endangered in others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radiated tortoise</span> Species of tortoise

The radiated tortoise is a tortoise species in the family Testudinidae. Although this species is native to and most abundant in southern Madagascar, it can also be found in the rest of this island, and has been introduced to the islands of Réunion and Mauritius. It is a very long-lived species, with recorded lifespans of up to 188 years. These tortoises are classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, mainly because of the destruction of their habitat and because of poaching.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Painted terrapin</span> Species of turtle

The painted terrapin, painted batagur, or saw-jawed turtle is a species of turtles in the family Geoemydidae. It was formerly in its own genus, Callagur, but has been reclassified to the genus, Batagur.

The variable mud turtle, also known as Rhodesian mud turtle, Mashona hinged terrapin or variable hinged terrapin, is a species of turtle in the family Pelomedusidae. It is widely distributed in Central, East, and Southern Africa. The species was officially described by John Hewitt in 1927 and had to be broken into subspecies due to color variations on the heads of the turtles acrost the regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoge's side-necked turtle</span> Species of side necked turtle

Hoge's sideneck turtle(Ranacephala hogei) is a species of turtle in the family Chelidae. It is the only member of the genus Ranacephala. The species is endemic to the eastern Atlantic Forest of Brazil, primarily in the Carangola River of Minas Gerais and Paraíba do Sul River, Rio de Janeiro. The most documented population resides in the midsection of the Carangola River with an estimated population of less than 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamaulipan mezquital</span> Xeric shrublands ecoregion in Mexico and the United States

The Tamaulipan mezquital, also known as the Brush Country, is a deserts and xeric shrublands ecoregion in the Southern United States and northeastern Mexico. It covers an area of 141,500 km2 (54,600 sq mi), encompassing a portion of the Gulf Coastal Plain in southern Texas, northern Tamaulipas, northeastern Coahuila, and part of Nuevo León.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern river terrapin</span> Species of turtle

The southern river terrapin is a riverine turtle of the family Geoemydidae found in Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angonoka tortoise</span> Species of tortoise

The angonoka tortoise is a critically endangered species of tortoise severely threatened by poaching for the illegal pet trade. It is endemic to Madagascar. It is also known as the angonoka, ploughshare tortoise, Madagascar tortoise, or Madagascar angulated tortoise. There may be fewer than 400 of these tortoises left in the wild. It is found only in the dry forests of the Baly Bay area of northwestern Madagascar, near the town of Soalala. A captive-breeding facility was established in 1986 by the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust in collaboration with the Water and Forests Department. In 1996, 75 tortoises were stolen, which later appeared for sale in the Netherlands. The project was ultimately successful, achieving 224 captive-bred juveniles out of 17 adults in 2004. Project Angonoka developed conservation plans that involved local communities making firebreaks, along with the creation of a park to protect the tortoise and the forests. Monitoring of the angonoka tortoise in the global pet trade has also continued to be advocated.

John L. Behler was an American naturalist, herpetologist, author, and activist known for his work in conserving endangered species of turtles, snakes, and other reptiles. He served as curator of herpetology at the Bronx Zoo, part of the Wildlife Conservation Society from 1976 to 2006. He co-chaired the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, and was a founding member of the Turtle Survival Alliance, which co-present the Behler Turtle Conservation Award with the Turtle Conservancy and Turtle Conservation Fund. The Behler Turtle Conservation Award is a major annual award to honor leadership in the field of freshwater turtle and tortoise conservation. The Turtle Conservancy named its captive breeding center, the Behler Chelonian Center, in his honor.

Pearl River Wildlife Management Area, also known as Pearl River WMA, is a 35,619 acres (14,414 ha) tract of protected area near Slidell in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, in the United States. The WMA is managed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)

Extinct or Alive is an American wildlife documentary television programme produced for Animal Planet by Hot Snakes Media of New York City, the United States. It is hosted by wildlife biologist and television personality Forrest Galante, who travels to different locations around the globe to learn about possibly extinct animals and whether or not there is a chance that they may still be extant. The series has been involved in the possible rediscovery of eleven animals, namely the Zanzibar leopard, the Pondicherry shark, the Fernandina Island Galápagos tortoise, the Miller's grizzled langur, the Cape lion, the Malagasy hippopotamus, the Yangtze giant softshell turtle, Rio Apaporis caiman, Whitetip weasel shark, Ornate sleeper-ray and the Flapnose houndshark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goode's thornscrub tortoise</span> Species of tortoise

The Goode's thornscrub tortoise, also known as the Sinaloan thornscrub tortoise, Sinaloan desert tortoise or Goode's desert tortoise, is a species of tortoise that is native to the Sinaloan desert region. First described in 2016, G. evgoodei inhabits Tropical Deciduous Forest and Sinaloan Desertscrub biomes in Mexico. Its range may overlap in the north with G. morafkai, the Morafka's or Sonoran desert tortoise.

Kalyar Platt is a Burmese herpetologist and turtle conservationist. She is the director of the Myanmar Program of the Turtle Survival Alliance and oversees conservation, breeding and reintroduction projects for some of Southeast Asia's rarest turtle species. She formerly worked for Wildlife Conservation Society and earned her PhD from Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University in 2007.

References

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  2. Kim, Levin (March 4, 1981). "Anarchy in the M.C.". Village Voice.
  3. Trebay, Guy (December 11, 1984). "Articles of Faith". Village Voice.
  4. Stephen, Saban (May 27, 1981). "The Night of the Iguana". The Soho News.
  5. Rubenstein, Hai. "Goode Old Days". New York Magazine.
  6. Verini, James (June 15, 2003). "Without reservation". Los Angeles Times.
  7. Davis, Peter (November 6, 2013). "A Look Back at AREA, the '80s Club That Turned Partying into an Art". PAPER. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  8. AREA: The Exhibition
  9. "THE HOLE X ABSOLUT AREA: THE EXHIBITION". Quiet Lunch. November 11, 2013.
  10. Lee, Denny (November 8, 2013). "Waking Area Nightclub from the Dead". New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  11. "'Tiger King' Ranks as TV's Most Popular Show Right Now, According to Rotten Tomatoes". Variety. March 29, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  12. "HBO Original Four-Part Documentary Series CHIMP CRAZY Debuts August 18". Warner Bros. Discovery . July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  13. Bender, Kelli (July 16, 2024). "The Self-Proclaimed 'Dolly Parton of Chimps' Is the Subject of Tiger King Director's New Series". People . Retrieved July 19, 2024.