Joe Exotic, Gay Star of Tiger King, Is Running for President

Joe Exotic, the controversial gay star of the hit Netflix series Tiger King, has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2024 presidential race.

Earlier this month, Exotic took to Twitter to reveal that he had filed paperwork to run for president as a Libertarian candidate in 2024. On the FEC website, the so-called “Tiger King” is listed as a presidential candidate under Joseph A. Maldonado, his legal name.

If you’ve been following Exotic’s story, you may be wondering how he plans to run for president from behind bars. The out reality TV star is currently serving a 21-year sentence in a federal prison in Atlanta for his part in a murder-for-hire plot aimed at his rival, Carole Baskin.

Not to be dissuaded, Exotic has insisted that he can exercise his Constitutional rights from his prison cell.

“Yes, I know I am in Federal Prison and you might think this is a joke but it's not. It is my Constitutional right to do this even from here," Exotic shared with fans on his campaign website.

The star went on to urge readers to “put aside that I am gay, that I am in prison for now, that I used drugs in the past, that I had more than one boyfriend at once, and that Carole hates my guts.”

“This all has not a thing to do with me being able to be your voice,” he added.

He's listed his fiancé and 90 Day Fiancé star Jesse Meester as those who have endorsed him. Exotic has also been promoting new merch fans can buy that reads "Joe Exotic for President."

Angela McArdle, chair and spokesperson for the Libertarian Party, slammed Exotic's announcement. She told TMZ that, although anyone can run for office as a Libertarian, “we are not a landing pad for former reality stars and D-list celebrities."