Joe Exotic was recently the recipient of some good and bad news. Because the trial court had miscalculated two of the charges against Exotic when he was sentenced to 22 years in prison, in regard to an alleged murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin along with animal cruelty charges, a judge ruled that the sentence was erroneous. It was possible that the 22-year sentence could have been dropped to 17, but the federal appeals court instead reduced the sentence by just one year with a new 21-year sentence.
I think it's fair to say that there was some disappointment in our discussion with Joe, this show is not over," Exotic's attorney, J. Blake Patton, tells TMZ. "Joe is hopeful that he will find justice in post-conviction relief ... Joe is looking forward to next steps."
In November, it was reported that Exotic had been battling an "aggressive cancer." He was reportedly transferred from FMC Fort Worth, Texas to FMC Butner in North Carolina to be treated with "extensive medical services." The "Tiger King" has requested a release from prison to further fight his illness but as of now, a judge has not acquiesced.
While in prison, Exotic has also called upon the presidents of the United States to give him a pardon. He had publicly pleaded with former President Donald Trump for this to happen and was disappointed to learn that his name was not included in Trump's list of pardons on his way out the door. Exotic's team had expressed their disappointment in Trump while suggesting that Joe Biden could still give him the pardon, but that's not something that's come to fruition either.
The Tiger King Saga Continues On the Small Screen
Tiger King: Murder, Madness and Mayhem was a tremendous hit for Netflix when it premiered on the streaming service in 2020. Netflix followed this up with the sequel docuseries Tiger King 2, which dropped in 2021, picking up with Exotic in prison and updating viewers on what's happened since. The continued fame has also kept Exotic in the public eye despite his long incarceration.
Peacock will next take a lens to the drama with a scripted series based on the feud between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. A new series dubbed Joe vs. Carole features John Cameron Mitchell and Kate McKinnon as the Tiger King personalities. It debuts on Peacock on March 3, 2022, and you can check out the teaser and synopsis below.
"Joe vs Carole is a scripted adaptation of the 2020 Wondery podcast Joe Exotic: Tiger King, hosted and reported by Robert Moor. The limited series will center on Carole Baskin, a big cat enthusiast, who learns that fellow exotic animal lover Joe 'Exotic' Schreibvogel is breeding and using his big cats for profit. She sets out to shut down his venture, inciting a quickly escalating rivalry. But Carole has a checkered past of her own and when the claws come out, Joe will stop at nothing to expose what he sees as her hypocrisy. The results prove dangerous."