Joe Exotic, the disgraced star of Netflix’s hit series Tiger King and current prison inmate has made his Australian political debut, releasing a gushing endorsement for Anthony Albanese ahead of the fast approaching federal election.
The reality TV celebrity, who is currently in jail for a murder-for-hire plot, took to social media on Wednesday to encourage his Australian fans to vote for Anthony Albanese and to keep the country “safe and awesome”.
Taking to Instagram, the polarising figure, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage announced, “All of my friends in Australia vote for @albomp”.
The glowing caption was accompanied by an AI generated image of Exotic and Mr Albanese both in frame, with the words “Albanese for Prime Minister Australia” displayed in fluorescent colours.
During Mr Albanese’s address to the National Press Club a journalist questioned the Prime Minister if he was aware of the endorsement, prompting reporters to erupt into fits of laughter whilst others donned puzzled expressions.
The Prime Minister commented that it was “good to see some levity!”.
“I have a very passionate, support for one particular animal – Toto – and I’m looking forward to voting with her on Saturday” Mr Albanese said, referencing his dog Toto who has featured prominently throughout the election campaign.
The journalist pressed the PM further, questioning if Labor had made a “payment to the Tiger King”?
“He’s in jail. Isn’t that the question? I wasn’t even aware of I think the point of that question was to ask the question, rather than to get a serious answer, I hope,” Mr Albanese said, visibly confused about the topic matter.
Exotic is currently serving a 21-year prison sentence at Federal Medical Centre, Fort Worth after being found guilty for a murder-for-hire plot in an effort to assassinate industry rival and fellow Tiger King co-star Carole Baskin.
He was also found guilty of numerous violations of the Endangered Species Act after killing five tigers, in addition to falsifying wildlife records.
The posts comment section descended into chaos, with one user asking Exotic how much he was paid for the testimonial.
Exotic confirmed in a comment that “some of his people reached out” adding “the others could do the same” in an apparent reference to Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
However in a later post on Wednesday, Exotic updated his followers that Mr Albanese did not pay for the endorsement, though admitted to lodging a request with the Prime Minister to make an appeal to US President Donald Trump on his behalf.
“No Anthony Albanese did not pay me,” he clarified on Instagram.
“I made a public offer to work for their zoo for free for six months or any other wildlife conservation if he would call President Trump and ask for me to be released based on the American governments witnesses have admitted to perjury,” the post read.
“I will make the same offer to President Trump or the President of Mexico.”
The Courier Mail reported it had received a statement from a Labor campaign spokesperson, which stressed the party had “no role in an endorsement from Joe Exotic, nor has anyone from the Labor campaign ever had any contact with him”.
