‘Tiger King’: Jeff Lowe Claims Joe Exotic ‘Stole Money From Animals for a Facelift’
The “Tiger King” himself” — Joseph Maldonado-Passage (aka Joe Exotic) — is sitting behind bars on a 22-year sentence. Other stars of the Netflix hit docuseries are speaking out. Jeff and Lauren Lowe have been labeled “villains” in Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. Now, they’re setting the record straight about a few things such as Maldonado-Passage’s claims that he had a medical condition.
The feud between Jeff Lowe and ‘Joe Exotic’ never ends
Tiger King is in Netflix’s top spot and for good reason. The seven-part docuseries is the gift that keeps on giving. Its follows a former Oklahoma zookeeper (Maldonado-Passage), his big cat rivalry with Big Cat Rescue owner, Carole Baskin, and the new owners of the zoo, Jeff and Lauren Lowe.
The Lowes have been on the defense. They’re clarifying different pieces of Tiger King they feel aren’t accurate representations of themselves, the zoo, or Maldonado-Passage.
In a recent interview with RADIO.COM’s Channel Q, [Jeff] Lowe said there was a time when Maldonado-Passage claimed he was HIV+. However, there was more to the story and the Lowe’s weren’t the only ones to unravel it.
Journalist, Robert Moor, tweeted about ‘Joe Exotic’s Facebook post
Shortly after the release of Tiger King, journalist and podcaster of Over My Dead Body: Joe Exotic, Robert Moor, offered a plethora of information not included in the Netflix series.
Some tweets mentioned what happened to Maldonado-Passage’s big cats after they died, which of Maldonado-Passage’s former flames is serving life in prison, and who of Baskin’s exes filed a protection order against her.
All the tweets are juicy enough to dive back into Tiger King with a fresh lens, but there’s one that the Lowe’s can corroborate.
Here’s what Jeff Lowe said about ‘Joe Exotic’s’ Apparent ‘Medical Condition’
As mentioned by Moor via a March 24 tweet, “For a long time, Joe told everyone he was dying from prostate & bone marrow cancer. He raised $$$ from his Facebook fans for his expenses. He showed me this horrifying photo as proof. I later learned he just had an infected prostate, dehydration, & a bad outbreak of herpes.”
Viewers could’ve taken that with a grain of salt. However, when the Lowe’s were asked about the same incident, Jeff had a few things to say about it, too. It all started when Maldonado-Passage revealed he was HIV+ and “needed someone to take over the zoo when he passed,” according to [Jeff] Lowe.
When asked if Maldonado-Passage offered proof of his HIV+ status, they mentioned knowing about his first husband, Brian Rhyne, who did in fact die from complications from HIV. After coming across the same photo Moor did, [Jeff] said he later found out it’d been taken after two facelift procedures.
“He actually stole the money from the animals for the facelift,” Lauren added.
It’s unclear if the two have proof this is the case. Regardless, it doesn’t look like Tiger King news — or any related feuds —will slow down anytime soon.
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness is available on Netflix now.
