Hey all you cool cats and kittens! By now I’m sincerely hoping you’ve seen Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, the zeitgeist-shaping docuseries that chronicles America’s exotic animal industry. Even if you haven’t, I bet the name Joe Exotic still rings a bell. The ex-zoo owner/fashion icon/incarcerated felon has the most overstuffed personality of anyone I’ve ever seen. I mean, owning hundreds of tigers is only like the fifth or sixth craziest thing about him. And since Joe Exotic is a true Renaissance Man, mastery of just a couple disciplines isn’t enough.
Enter Joe Exotic, genuine certified Country Music Artist. We get a few glimpses of Joe’s music career in Tiger King, but as with many of the story threads in the series, there’s only time to see the tip of the iceberg. So as a music writer, I felt I had to dig deeper. And let me tell you: if Country Music Artist Joe Exotic was the iceberg, then my musical sensibilities were the Titanic. Don’t get the wrong idea though— Everything the Tiger King touches turns into a trainwreck you can’t look away from, and his music career is no exception. Here are a few of my favorite moments in Country Music Artist Joe Exotic’s discography.
“My First Love”
Wait, is this song a landmark moment for LGBT representation in country music? Probably not, since the relationship between Joe and the song’s subject John Finlay was based more on drug addiction and power imbalance than love or sexuality. However, the (relatively) sincere lyrics make this one of the more tolerable songs in Joe Exotic’s repertoire. I just hope he’s not expecting a GLAAD Award for it.
“Pretty Woman Lover”
I hope Joe Exotic’s not expecting any awards for feminist advocacy either. Feigning heterosexuality so you can go all-in on a misogynist song concept is a questionable decision to say the least. But Joe Exotic isn’t in the business of making good decisions. He’s actually not in any business right now. He’s in jail. For attempted murder-for-hire.
“You Cant Believe - Joe Exotic Country Music Artist ‘Tribute to Terry Thompson’”
Oh, HERE’S the insane conspiracy theory! In this “tribute” to deceased exotic animal collector Terry Thompson, who released his entire collection before taking his own life, Joe Exotic suggests that Thompson was actually assassinated by the government. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Tiger King production if that assassination wasn’t gratuitously reenacted. You’re right, Joe. I “cant” believe.
Also, I’m a relatively green writer. I don’t always get punctuation right. That being said, I’m pretty sure this is not how you properly employ quotation marks. Clearly proper employment is not Joe Exotic’s strong suit.
“Joe Exotic’s Country Music (This Is My Life)”
All things must come to an end, including the Tiger King himself. Except… this video was uploaded in 2014, and as we know, Joe Exotic is very much alive and kicking. Clearly whatever disease Joe had (or didn’t have, if this video is referencing his cancer scam) couldn’t keep the Tiger King down.
By the way, Joe: if you’re going to dedicate a heartfelt goodbye to your husband, you might want to spell his last name correctly in the description. Helps the point land.
“I Saw A Tiger”
The separation of art vs. artist is one of the fiercest debates in music. But with lines as profound as “I saw a tiger, and the tiger saw a man,” how could you ever condemn Joe Exotic’s music for the man’s crimes? Oh, because he didn’t write or perform any of these songs? Fair enough.
“Here Kitty Kitty”
Ah yes, the one you’ve been waiting for. Joe Exotic’s magnum opus. Like “You Cant Believe,” this music video is a reenactment of a conspiracy theory. This theory, however, is the breakout storyline of the documentary; did Carole Baskin murder her husband and feed him to the tigers? I don’t know, but I do know this video is sheer genius: the Baskin doppelgänger, the lingering shots of the tiger chowing down, the completely off-theme pastor outfit. If you’re going to sit through any of these videos from start to finish, make sure it’s this one.
It’s too bad Joe Exotic can’t make music as well as he can incriminate himself for conspiring to commit murder. Fortunately, Joe’s misfires are equally as entertaining as his successes. So Joe: when you win that lawsuit and your freedom, consider putting your songs up for streaming. It’s about time music had a new King.
Lyle B.