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"Tiger King" Joe Exotic

Source: YouTube / Netflix

The docu-series “Tiger King” has been captivating audiences ever since it made its debut on Netflix on March 20. One can argue, it was even a “cross-over” hit, considering Black Twitter couldn’t stop talking about the show. However, unearthed footage of the show’s main star, Joe Exotic, might change how people feel about the T.V. phenomenon or it might meet people’s already held expectations.

Joe Exotic (born Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage) is the main subject followed throughout the docu-series and he’s the “Tiger King” leading his personal zoo in Oklahoma of wild animals and big cats. Joe is also in a polyamorous relationship with two other men, which is explored a bit throughout the series.

The most intense aspect of Joe’s life is his rivalry with a woman named Carole Baskin, who believes he’s exploiting animals, although her collection of big cats in a caged park also makes her a questionable moral pillar. Joe hates this woman so much that he’s currently locked up after being found guilty for a 2019 murder-for-hire plot against Baskin.

Initially, many Black people seemed to side with Joe on social media with tweets like, “FREE MY NI**A JOE” surfacing online.

 

However, old footage surfaced online that might give people a change of heart.

According to TMZ, footage from 2015 surfaced where Joe is complaining that he can’t use the N-word. “What’s going on in this country,” he asked in the clip which appears to be from his old online reality show “Joe Exotic TV”.

“It’s absolutely pathetic. I can’t say the N-word but you can get on YouTube and watch any black man’s video and they’re calling each other the N-word. What the hell?”

Joe then questioned, “Is this discrimination? I’m white, I can’t say the N-word and they can?” 

Joe recently filed a lawsuit saying that there’s a big conspiracy behind him getting locked up. Even Cardi B said she would start a GoFundMe campaign to help free Joe Exotic. However, she would later say that she was kidding about the GoFundMe page but she still loves Joe.

Considering the recent clip of Joe complaining about the N-word, some Black people might not support him as much anymore. “THIS who y’all wanna Free?” tweeted comedian Roy Wood, Jr.

 

Some Black people weren’t surprised by Joe Exotic’s words even considering the lack of Black people on the show.

Check out some of the most hilarious and pointed commentary below.

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