Making people smile. Miranda Lambert tweeted multiple throwback photos on Monday, April 13, when she visited some of the cast of Netflix’s Tiger King.
“Here’s a little Monday memory for y’all. #TigerKing #WayTooPrettyForPrison,” she captioned the three photos. In the pics, the singer, 36, poses with the “Tiger King” himself, Joe Exotic, along with former Greater Wynnewood zoo keeper Kelci “Saff” Saffery and Joe’s ex John Finlay.
Shortly after sharing the photos, Lambert tweeted a statement.
“Backstory: During Hurricane Harvey, the MuttNation Team went to Houston to help relocate existing shelter dogs to free up shelter space for animals separated by their owners,” the “Mama’s Broken Heart” songstress began. “MuttNation asked for volunteers who could transport some dogs from Houston to shelters in Oklahoma, where there was more room and they could be treated and adopted. Some guy named Joe volunteered his trailer and stuff.”
The two-time Grammy winner then explained she didn’t know he was “Joe Exotic” and has never been to the G.W. zoo. “I didn’t even know he had tigers,” Lambert added. “OBVIOUSLY I’d never condone animals being treated badly.”
Joe, whose real name is Joseph Allen Maldonado, is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence after being charged with 17 counts of animal abuse and two counts of murder for hire after allegedly plotting to kill Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin.
“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,” Maldonado-Passage said, speaking from prison in an interview with Netflix that was conducted on March 22.
“I’m ashamed of myself,” Maldonado-Passage, 57, told Netflix in his first interview. “I’m done with the Carole Baskin saga. It’s now time to turn the tables and … get [Joe] out of a jail a free man and exonerated from all these charges.”
On Sunday, April 12, Netflix dropped a reunion special with some of the cast members speaking to host Joel McHale over video chat. While everyone on the cast agreed that Maldonado-Passage should be in jail, Saff revealed that he hopes Joe doesn’t die behind bars.
“I’ve seen him give the jacket off his back,” he said in the special, noting that the series showed so much of the negative sides of the zoo operator but not enough of the positive.
The docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is now streaming on Netflix.
