Comedian Marc Maron picks NC big-cat rescue as his charity on ABC game show
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- Marc Maron will compete on ABC’s 'Celebrity Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'.
- Maron chose Carolina Tiger Rescue in Pittsboro as his charity for the show.
- The sanctuary, founded in 1973, shelters rescued big cats and educates the public.
Comedian and podcaster Marc Maron has a long-established love for felines, so much so that the 61-year-old humorist jokingly identifies as a “childless cat lady man.”
That fondness for furry friends could soon bring a $1 million windfall to Carolina Tiger Rescue in Pittsboro, depending on the comic’s trivia chops.
Maron will compete on Sept. 25 in “Celebrity Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”, a spinoff of the long-running quiz show that has famous contestants playing for their charity of choice. The show is hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.
Paired on the upcoming show with comic Sarah Silverman, Maron chose the tiger rescue to take the big prize.
“We are incredibly grateful,” the Pittsboro rescue posted on Facebook. “Marc’s generous support of our work means the world to us and will make a real impact for the tigers, big cats, and other rescues in our care.”
What is Carolina Tiger Rescue?
Starting in 1973, the 55-acre site outside Pittsboro began as a captive breeding shelter for endangered and threatened animals, but shifted its mission in the 1990s to become a sanctuary for abandoned and rescued animals. Big cats who come to Carolina Tiger Rescue have often been taken by law enforcement out of abusive environments, and they spend their lives at the shelter.
The nonprofit tiger rescue puts much of its effort toward educating the public about big cats in captivity and the wild, giving tours and speaking about the impact of the wild pet trade and using animals for entertainment.
Maron will wrap up his long-running WTF podcast this fall. The comic has visited Carolina Tiger Rescue several times while on tour, said shelter spokesman Nick Keller, and “he’s always been kind of a big fan.” Maron also donated a chunk of his earnings from 2017 gigs in North Carolina, which he announced on the podcast at the time.
“He’s been engaging with us for almost 10 years,” Keller added. “He gives us a shout-out at local shows.”
How to watch “Celebrity Who Wants to be a Millionaire”
The show airs at 8 p.m. Sept. 25 on ABC, and the tiger group invites the public to a watch party at Havoc Brewing Company in Pittsboro.
Fingers and paws will stay crossed until then, hoping for a round of cat-themed questions.
This story was originally published September 8, 2025 at 11:37 AM.