Joe Exotic's fight for freedom, and the documentary's lasting shadow. Do you remember watching Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness during the COVID-19 pandemic? The documentary followed the life and career of Joe Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado, a former zookeeper and convicted felon. Exotic was the owner of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (known as the G.W. Zoo) in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, from 1999 to 2018, prior to his conviction.