Tiger King Ties the Knot Behind Bars—Meet Joe Exotic’s New Husband

Well, it finally happened – Tiger King’s Joe Exotic, zookeeper, internet icon, and murder-for-hire felon, just tied the knot from behind bars and his new husband? Fellow inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado. That’s right, Joe’s now rocking a prison romance plot twist Netflix probably wishes they had the rights to.

Joe, 62, confirmed the wedding in classic Joe fashion, via a proud post on X:

“Never been more proud of someone. Meet my husband Jorge Flores Maldonado.”
Cue the memes and conspiracy theories.

The couple got engaged last year, and now they’ve made it official, complete with tattooed wedding bands. Because when you can’t hit up Zales, prison ink will do just fine.

Of course, there’s a twist. Joe hinted that marriage might help Jorge’s immigration case.

“What it would do is, it would assure him, and it would show the court, that he has a little bit of financial stability to stay in America,” Joe said in an interview.

Subtle? Not exactly. Romantic? Surprisingly, maybe.

The two reportedly spend “every minute of the day together,” which is prison-speak for “we literally have no choice.” Joe Exotic even said he’s willing to move to Mexico if it means staying with his husband. That’s commitment, or at least, an excellent docuseries cliffhanger.

Now let’s not forget the ghost of marriages past. Joe’s been down the aisle before. His husband Travis Maldonado tragically died in 2017, and his messy divorce from Dillon Passage wrapped up in 2023.

“I buried two husbands, the third one ran off with $2.6 million from Netflix and left my a* here,”* Joe told Entertainment Weekly. Not bitter at all, clearly.

Still, Joe’s betting big on Jorge. “Jorge is a very amazing young man,” he said.
They’ve got their eyes on a happily-ever-after, and maybe, just maybe, a reality show spin-off in 2029.

So, what’s next? A double honeymoon in adjacent cells? A Tiger King wedding cake made of commissary snacks? Joe Exotic’s prison love story just added another wild chapter, and if he’s proved anything by now, it’s that normal rules simply don’t apply.

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Jamie Wells

Entertainment Correspondent at T.H.E - Music Essentials

Jamie Wells has a knack for getting the inside scoop on Hollywood’s biggest stars and up-and-coming talent. With a sharp eye for industry trends and an ear for viral moments, Jamie covers everything from red-carpet events to behind-the-scenes drama in movies, TV, and celebrity culture.

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