What's New With Joe Exotic As We Head Into A New Season Of 'Tiger King'?

Joe Exotic, the subject of the documentary, "Tiger King" who rose to infamy during the pandemic, is his still up to his old tricks. 

Since the widely-popular Netflix docu-series premiered in 2020, audiences have followed the unfolding drama surrounding Joe Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic, and have long-anticipated a second season. Streaming on Nov. 17. “Tiger King 2” promises more murder, mayhem, and madness than ever before.

In 2019, Joe Exotic was convicted on federal charges of animal abuse and orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot against his arch-nemesis, animal rights activist Carole Baskin. But even from a Fort Worth, Texas prison, the former big cat breeder continues to create controversy. In March, he announced his upcoming book, “Tiger King: The Official Tell-All Memoir,” was due to hit shelves on Nov. 9, 2021.

“Written entirely while incarcerated, this no-holds-barred memoir is Joe Exotic’s first, and maybe only, chance to tell his side of the story – the full story,” according to Simon & Schuster. “A memoir unlike any other, it proves that they can cage the Tiger King, but they can’t silence his roar.”

A book isn’t the only news from the on-screen personality as he serves a 22-year sentence. On Nov. 3, Exotic announced on Instagram that he had an “aggressive cancer.”

“Everyone, it is with a sad face that I have to tell you the doctors called me in today to break the news that my prostate biopsy came back with an aggressive cancer,” he captioned with a picture of him holding a tiger. “I don’t want anyone’s pity, and I’m sure Carole will have her own party over this!”

The announcement came shortly after Exotic tweeted last May that his “PSA count came back very high for prostate cancer.” He appealed to US President Biden, Vice President Harris, and the Attorney General to “sign that pardon that Trump left behind so I can go home and get proper medical care and proper food.”

Exotic’s legal team was confident that Trump would pardon Exotic, going so far as to hire a pickup truck stretch limo and glam squad to be available upon his release, as previously reported. A spokesperson claimed Exotic was “too innocent and too GAY” for Trump to grant clemency.

Despite the defeat, Exotic’s legal team continued to fight for his freedom.

In July, a federal appeals court ruled Exotic should receive a shorter sentence for his crimes. Exotic was convicted on two counts of attempted murder-for-hire after engaging two separate men to kill Carole Baskin. The defense argued that Exotic should have only been tried with a single murder-for-hire conviction instead of two, as Carole was the sole target of both plots.

“With Joe Exotic behind bars and Carole Baskin closing in on ownership of his disreputable zoo, the Emmy-nominated saga continues its twisted course with Tiger King 2 as newfound revelations emerge on the motivations, backstories, and secrets of America’s most notorious big cat owners,” said Netflix of the sequel. “Old enemies and frenemies, including Jeff Lowe, Tim Stark, Allen Glover, and James Garretson return for another season of murder, mayhem, and madness.”

“Tiger King 2” begins streaming on Netflix at 12:01 a.m. PST on Nov. 17.