Will Dog the Bounty Hunter return to TV? Offers pour in with Brian Laundrie hunt
Since Dog the Bounty Hunter joined the manhunt for Brian Laundrie, he has been making headlines on social media and has been featured on multiple news media outlets. His sudden boost in popularity has not gone unnoticed by TV networks who are flooding him with show offers. But the question remains whether Dog will choose to return to the television medium.
Dog, whose real name is Duane Chapman, has been contacted by multiple networks over the past several days, TMZ reported. According to the outlet, the networks have talked about developing a television show with Dog as the star. The TV networks sat up and took notice when Dog joined the search for murdered Florida vlogger Gabby Petito's fiance and instantly began trending on social media. While Chapman was once known for being an entertainer and a money-maker for the networks, his fame had waned in the recent past. But now that he is once again the talk of the town, the networks are not wasting any time in trying to get him back on the small screen to do what he does best.
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Brian Laundrie hiding in Florida Everglades and isn't suicidal: Dog the Bounty Hunter
The search has continued throughout the weekend on the islands off the west coast of Florida. #justiceforgabby #brianlaundrie pic.twitter.com/j6AozoP6UL
— Duane Dog Chapman (@DogBountyHunter) October 3, 2021
Laundrie has reportedly not been seen since September 14 and was confirmed 'missing' on September 17. This led police to search the nearby Carlton Reserve for Laundrie, but with zero luck so far. Laundrie, who allegedly hit his girlfriend last month according to a 911 call, returned home to Florida on September 1 without her after a cross-country road trip. Since then, Petito's body has been discovered in a Wyoming park by the authorities. Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed the vlogger's death was a homicide but the immediate cause of death is still unclear as police are still waiting for the final autopsy results.
Dog will consider a TV gig as he still enjoys it
Sources told TMZ that Dog has not had any form of a camera crew involved in filming his every move ever since he began his manhunt for Laundrie. Only his wife, Francie, has been documenting some of it on her cell phone. If Dog's show gets launched in the near future and the subject revolves around the death of Petito, Francie's footage may be used. There is also the chance that she'll be involved in the series with him.
UPDATE: Video is from this morning — earlier today we launched an active and specific search in a key area based on the intelligence we are receiving and researching. Boat crews and ground teams have been called in and we have search and rescue dogs deployed. More to follow... pic.twitter.com/g2tq85JTZX
— Duane Dog Chapman (@DogBountyHunter) September 29, 2021
Dog has been accused of milking the death of Petito and the disappearance of Laundrie for fame. However, he told TMZ that he didn't have an ulterior motive when he decided to launch his own hunt for the 23-year-old. In fact, he said that he was in the middle of his honeymoon when he came across the news of Laundrie missing. He said that he only got involved "because of my unique skill set and the fact I was only an hour away from where he was last seen." In the process, he says he got close to the Petito family and truly wants to help them get closure.
However, he said that if his actions lead to a fruitful TV gig, he will be willing to consider it because he still enjoys it.
"Laundrie is hiding in the Florida Everglades"
Dog is adamant Laundrie is alive — but probably not healthy. He also added that Laundrie was probably using his survival skills to evade capture in the Florida Everglades. Dog does not believe he might have escaped to Mexico or Costa Rica, as opposed to what's been reported about his location in the media and he is not suicidal.
Speaking to TMZ, Chapman said, "I would assume he is alive. Not doing well. But he's alive. There's no evidence of him being suicidal like that anywhere, and he didn't say that to anyone. And if you go to his Instagram pages and look at what kind of person he really is — and the books that he reads, and especially his very favorite book — that's not books for suicidal people." Explaining why he believes Laundrie is hiding in the Florida Everglades, Chapman said, "he's a survivalist, he's been on the Appalachian mountains for two months at a time by himself. Is he there right now? I'm not sure. Was he here a few days ago? Absolutely."