New surprise twist for ‘Tiger King’ enthusiasts

Spoiler alert for those who haven’t jumped on the latest Netflix binge-watch bandwagon.

Lions and tigers and polygamy and sequins cowboy shirts, private zoo rivalries, televised death threats, country music videos, wild animals, leopard spandex, and — but wait, there’s more?

Enthusiasts of Netflix’s “Tiger King” docuseries now have one more surprise twist in the plot not a part of the original seven-part show that’s taking quarantined communities by storm: star and Oklahoma zoo owner — and country music singer, magician, and YouTube show host — Joe Exotic, born Joseph Schreibvogel, is now suing the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Federal Wildlife Service. From his prison cell.

According to his lawsuit, accessed by celebrity news site TMZ.com, Mr. Exotic is going after the federal government for placing the "generic tiger" on the endangered species list. Mr. Exotic claims in his lawsuit that this was “only” to put private zoos out of business, and he wants $78,840,000 for the loss of his personal property and loss of 18 years of work with tigers, TMZ reports.

As Mr. Exotic claims, from federal prison where he is serving a 22-year sentence after he was found guilty in 2019 of a murder-for-hire plot, the move amounted to "stealing my property and promoting an animal rights agenda."