‘Joe Exotic’ Is A Changed Man: ‘Tiger King’ Star Opens Up About His Past In New Prison Interview

Joseph Maldonado-Passage (aka Joe Exotic) is currently serving time for a murder-for-hire plot against animal rights activist, Carole Baskin. Now, the “Tiger King” star is speaking out from his jail cell about the seven-part show as well as his past claiming he is a changed man.

He opened up with Netflix about his newly-found fame and regrets he has about his past behaviors. His answers may surprise even the most dedicated “Joe Exotic” fan.

“You know it would be nice if I could actually see me being famous out there, but I’ve seen these same four walls for a year and a half now,” he said. And those who’ve watched the docuseries know how important it was for him to become famous!

Today Maldonado-Passage says he understands how the animals were treated while under his care encouraging other zookeepers to develop empathy for the animals in cages.

“Go sit in a cage with your animals for a week,” he said. “I mean, when I left the zoo and I sent my chimpanzees to the sanctuary in Florida and imagined what my chimpanzees went through for 18 years, I — I’m ashamed of myself.”

He went on to thank his husband for standing by his side. Maldonado-Passage also claims he’s “done with the Carole Baskin saga.” He added, it’s now “time to turn the tables” and for “Joe to get out of jail so he can become a “free man,” and “exonerated from all these charges.”

Joe Exotic was interviewed from prison on March 22.

Here's what he told us pic.twitter.com/ueqTeWfKxh

— Netflix (@netflix) April 3, 2020