Well, as if there was any doubt, even writing a letter about suffering in prison, Joe Exotic remains a character.
The subject of Netflix‘s hit true crime doc Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is currently serving hard time after being convicted on two charges of murder for hire and 17 charges of animal cruelty. (And according to several folks who know him, that may have been the tip of the iceberg when it comes to criminal activity…)
Despite the disturbing nature of his crimes, he apparently expects Donald Trump, Cardi B, or Kim Kardashian West to work on getting him out. Well, one of those people might relate to his narcissistic ramblings and lack of accountability…
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On Monday, Joe reached out for help in an emotional letter, obtained by TMZ, about the toll prison was taking on him and his health. (Reminder, he is on just the second year of a 22-year sentence.)
He wrote:
“Dear Supporters, Fans, Loved Ones,
Just would like to be my own voice for a change. Thank you all so very much for the support and love from all around the world. The pandemic is over, and now I ask you to ask President Trump to keep his word and look into making this wrong a right and grant me a miracle.”
OK, first off, the pandemic is not over. We dearly wish it was, but it isn’t. Second, will Trump actually grant him a pardon? Hey, he’s pardoned some other awful people… Plus Donald Trump Jr. said he thinks it will piss people off, which does seem to be their third priority behind profit and power. Exotic — real name Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage — continued:
“My soul is dead, I struggle every day to hold on to what little hope I can find, they keep me licked down 24/7 with no phone, email or comissary and you will never understand the mental abuse this does to a person. I don’t even know if I’m married anymore, seems everyone is so busy making money and being famous. I don’t get even a letter from [husband] Dillon, everyone sends pictures of him having fun and all but as a person screaming for help I am asking you to stop. Please stop sending me pictures of him having a party while I live this hell.”
He does post a lot…
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA1UfhuBx-U/
He wrote:
“Everything has failed me, people raising money for lawyers and until last week I had to use public defenders and these lawyers are pro bono so please stop giving money to anyone raising money for me except on my private FB.”
He then got more topical, discussing the nationwide protests against police brutality — and quickly found a way to make Black Lives Matter about himself:
“The country has came apart over bad cops and crooked justice. Don’t forget I have the proof the US attorneys and agents lied under oath with all their witnesses and we the people have to put a stop to it. They abuse people in jail and prison because they can.”
Joe then spoke of his health, warning he would be “dead in 2-3 months” the way he was being treated:
“As most people know I was born with CVID not COVID-19 and hemoglobin anemia and require blood infusions every 4 weeks. I have not had one since end of January. I’m loosing weight, sores wont heal, I’ll be dead in 2-3 months, it’s like I have been sent to death row, they stopped all of my medication except one, this place is hell on earth and the mental torture of being locked in this room alone and not even hearing Dillon’s voice or a letter I wish I could just have ended things with [former husband] Travis died.”
He then once again claimed his innocence, writing:
“So again I’ve done nothing to you. All so those who sense screen shots of him with his buds, it’s not cool, not funny and is not healthy for me if he has moved on he should tell me, if he hasn’t I am begging to support me, sad to be dumped like a dog in a shelter but that’s how ti feels.”
Yeah, no one should treat animals that way, throwing them into cages and such…
He went on:
“The kid that was in Grady County that killed himself by hanging didn’t have to die, the cops beat him up. The screams for help will never go away, I was stripped naked, tied to a chair until the skin came off my arms in that very jail. Where is our voice from abuse? Are we the wrong color? This is about people not colors.”
Um… what?? Did he just play the race card when talking about his own abuse??
Then he went right back to his typical woe-is-me blaming everyone around him for being obsessed with fame. The guy who tried to turn himself into a pop star AND ran for President.
“People have made enough money from me living hell. The fame everyone thinks they have coming is from what’s them stealing my life, them getting me locked up, and not ONE of my old staff of 20 years has wrote in support, but they all want to be famous. F**k that, my own husband can’t take 10 mins and write. Am I stupid? Do I deserve this somehow?”
Don’t answer that, don’t answer that, don’t answer that…
“What did I ever do to anyone but take people in and give them a home, a job, and a paycheck and when that wasn’t enough I went out and done it for people all over, of every color, age and sex, and look now, we are all riding the white horse of fame at my expense again. Anyone doing films, signing contracts with any of these people should be ashamed of yourselves. This was my life, it was my parents lives and I’m not even dead yet.”
Man, he is not happy about Nicolas Cage being cast to play him. (Seems reasonable to us.)
https://giphy.com/gifs/win-nicolas-zimbio-P2FxX8KZ1eAko
Then Joe got even more controversial, comparing himself to George Floyd! Seriously!
“It’s like George Floyd. His message got lost in the riots, my message got abandon for money and fame. Shame on everyone making a buck, and you people that think their cool, famous, remember how that knife went in my back, it will go in yours also.”
Yeesh. He then used his fans to try to get a very special message to Dillon:
“Do me a favor and since I can’t get a response, play the Michael Jackson song Will You Be There to Dillon and ask him, ‘Will he?’ Or not? My heart must know!”
Finally, he included a shout out/plea for help directly to two politically active celebs, writing:
“Cardi ‘B’ – Kim ‘K’, Please ladies I’ve done nothing wrong but act a fool to protect my zoo from arson and people hurting my animals. Hear my scream for help.”
Right, nothing wrong. Except for the aforementioned criminal convictions and those many other accusations. Something tells us Kim, who has made prison reform her crusade, has a lot of cases to get to before a fame-seeking, animal abusing, murderous zookeeper. Like people who have been incarcerated unjustly for decades, not those at the beginning of sentences which seem to fit their many, many crimes.
https://giphy.com/gifs/eonline-keeping-up-with-the-kardashians-kuwtk-kHagkl8rHPEdqvMXHI
He then signed off:
“I love you all. Joe Exotic.”
We in no way want to make light of abuses suffered by prisoners. But it’s hard to take anything this man says at face value. What do YOU think of Joe’s pleas for help??
[Image via Netflix/WENN/Avalon/Instar.]