Joe Exotic, the star of Netflix hit series Tiger King (remember that?), has suspended his presidential campaign.
Exotic, who is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence, has endorsed Republican candidate Donald Trump ahead of November’s election.
Despite initially planning to run for the Libertarian Party, Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado, later announced his bid to stand for the Democrats and challenge President Joe Biden for the candidacy in April 2023.
His two-year campaign, in which he promoted Andrew Tate as his running mate, began in September 2022. He previously stood in a Libertarian Party primary election for Governor of Oklahoma in 2018, amassing 664 votes.
The former zookeeper announced his decision not to stand on X.
Many followers on social media were delighted by his decision to support the former president.
Others expressed their concern over a potential Kamala Harris presidency (while making references to the show)– a fear somewhat alleviated by less chance of a split vote given Exotic’s endorsement of Trump.
In the early days of the COVID pandemic, the “Tiger King” documentary skyrocketed to the top of the charts on Netflix, becoming something of a mini cultural phenomenon. The show captivated audiences with its bizarre and dramatic portrayal of Exotic, an eccentric owner of a private zoo in Oklahoma with a flamboyant personality and a fierce rivalry with an animal rights activist Carole Baskin, whom he suspects killed her husband. The series highlighted Exotic’s legal troubles, including his conviction for hiring someone to murder Baskin and multiple wildlife violations, which ultimately led to his aforementioned a 22-year prison sentence.
