Joe Exotic is offering his fans a strange way to connect with him this holiday season. He’s selling phone calls directly from federal prison as a Christmas gift. The star of Netflix’s Tiger King is turning his time behind bars into an unusual seasonal business.
According to Dexerto, the 62-year-old promoted this odd offer on Instagram with a photo of himself wearing a Santa hat. He’s telling followers they can contact him directly to schedule the personal calls. Exotic is making it clear that he desperately needs the money.
He wrote, “Help a broke man out. Remember I didn’t get a dime from Netflix. They stole my footage from YouTube and my computer after they had me kidnapped by the corrupt system.” Exotic didn’t list a specific price for these holiday calls, but fans seem ready to sign up.
Exotic’s fanbase remains incredibly loyal despite his serious crimes
The comments on his Instagram post quickly filled with people asking how to register for a call. Some fans mentioned they already have accounts set up to send him money in prison, showing how dedicated his supporters are. Even international fans asked if the calls could work across borders.
Exotic, whose legal name is Joseph Allen Maldonado, is serving time for wildlife violations and murder for hire. Prosecutors proved he tried to hire two different people to kill his rival, Carole Baskin. One person he tried to hire was actually an undercover FBI agent. Fans continue to speculate about Baskin’s connection to other Tiger King stars, with some theories getting pretty wild.
He was also convicted under the Endangered Species Act for killing tigers, illegally breeding and selling big cats, and falsifying records. He originally received a 22-year sentence, but that term was later reduced. Meanwhile, many people wonder what Carole Baskin is doing today after all the Tiger King drama.
This isn’t the first time Exotic has tried using his fame to gain freedom or money. In 2024, Joe Rogan revealed that Exotic began constantly messaging him after the Tiger King filmmakers appeared on Rogan’s podcast. Exotic was hoping the podcaster would help him get released from prison.
Now, it appears Exotic is trying to make money by selling his story directly to the public through phone calls this holiday season.
