5 Of The Strangest Things Joe Exotic Offered For Sale On His Now Defunct Online Store
From official mousepads to porn star-endorsed condoms, Joe Exotic's online shop had it all.
A new Netflix docu-series on a bombastic zookeeper who goes by the name Joe Exotic may leave audiences wondering more about what kind of person the Oklahoma man, who ended up in prison on murder-for-hire charges, is.
Well, one way to get another peek into Exotic's life is to check out the various merchandising opportunities Exotic —whose birth name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — dreamed up alongside running his big cat-centric zoo documented in "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness." In addition to the exotic animal park, Exotic was also a restauranteur, opening up an establishment known as the Safari Bar & Restaurant near his park. The place has since closed.
Another revenue stream for Exotic was his online merchandise store, ShopTigerKing.com. In fact, the Oklahoma-focused blog The Lost Ogle captured a number of pictures from the site and offered up mocking commentary when the store was still live and Exotic was more of a regional eccentricity than the national figure he is now.
Although the store has since gone defunct, Oxygen.com was able to view an archived version of the site via the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. The online shop was a veritable general store, offering everything from bags of nuts to candy all branded with "Tiger King" Joe Exotic.
Here are some of the more interesting items that had been offered on the site for sale.
1. Tiger King Condoms
The condoms branded with the image of Joe Exotic and a tiger are probably the strangest item available on the site, given that they don't seem to correspond with zoos or animals in any way.
"Of course we know you would rather have nothing in between, therefore we made sure our condoms are as pleasant as possible," the product's description reads. "Silky soft, extra lubricated, clear, classic shape, latex condoms packaged in a plastic butter cup with a silicone-based lubricant and a hard foil hermetically sealed cover. Harder to damage yet easier to open than traditionally packaged condoms."
The description goes on to claim that the condoms are endorsed by "America's Adult entertainer 'Rachel Star'" and that ".75 cents of the sale of each condom goes to help protect tigers in captivity and in the wild."
2. Bonedigger Plushie/Bobblehead
Bonedigger was one of the more famous animals at Exotic's zoo, having been the subject of a number of feel-good news stories about the lion's friendship with a small dog named Milo, as TODAY.com reported in 2013.
"The Bonedigger Bobble Head, is very realistic. It is made of a high quality poly resin material. Perfect gift for the person who LOVES Lions," the product's description reads.
3. Official Joe Exotic Moisturizer
The Tiger King store offered a surprisingly large selection of moisturizers and facial creams — all with Joe Exotic branding, of course.
"Pamper your skin with our aloe-based Refining Face Wash. Perfect for troubled or blemished skin, Refining Face Wash helps to balance oil production and enhances the appearance of dry or damaged skin. Best for combination and oily skin types," the description for the Tiger King brand Refining Face Wash reads.
The product page also warns the moisturizer is "for external use only. Avoid direct contact with eyes. Rinse with water if direct eye contact occurs. Do not use on broken skin. For adult use only. Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, get medical help right away."
4. Tiger King Mini Short Black Snakeskin Underwear
No useable pictures of this product currently exist on the archived site, but the description of the underwear is something to behold.
"The cool look of black snakeskin using soft and stretchy nylon/spandex topped with a comfortable elastic waist. Show off your inner snake with these snake skin patterned mini-shorts. The light weight nylon spandex fabric stretches to conform to your every curve," the description reads on the archived site.
The underwear is composed of a mix of nylon and polyester.
5. A Signed Copy Of An Issue of "Hollywood Weekly" That Profiled Joe Exotic
A number of items offered on the store apparently used Exotic's autograph as the key selling point, with many autographed photos available.
The site also offered signed copies of an issue of Hollywood Weekly, which profiled Joe Exotic on multiple occasions.
Prather Jackson, the publisher of the magazine, told Oxygen.com that the magazine "published 3 cover stories over the years working directly with Joe." He confirmed the article being advertised was legitimate.
BONUS: Bottled Water for $45.00 a case
A package of Aquafina-brand bottled water currently retails for about $4.40, according to wholesale store Sam's Club. This means that Joe Exotic-brand water costs nearly 10 times as much as store brand water. But, hey, with the Exotic name attached, it must be worth it, right?