A new love
Joe and J.C. had ended their relationship on bad terms, to say the least – they didn’t see eye to eye about Joe’s business and the way he was running the park, and it ended with J.C. being escorted from the park by police officers, never to return. Along came John Finlay, a young guy of 19 who came to the park looking for employment.

Joe took Finlay with him on road shows, and the two became close. Within a month, they had developed a romantic relationship – Joe’s first romance with one of the zoo’s employees, and his first boyfriend to appear in the docuseries.