As Laura Bradley of Yahoo would likely agree with, Joe Exotic is probably jumping for joy upon learning that Nicolas Cage is going to be playing his role as the Tiger King in an upcoming, eight-episode drama that Cage will be coming up with at some point. The Netflix documentary has been doing wonders for Joe Exotic’s brand since it came out and despite the negativity that’s been attached to his character and that of others the mullet-wearing zoo owner, or former zoo owner, definitely sounds happy any time that someone is giving him the kind of attention he so desperately craves. One might want to ask why anyone of Cage’s caliber might want to take on such a role but given that Cage has kind of slipped when it comes to his celebrity status and the fact that actors will take on just about any role so long as they feel that they can perform it in an honest and sincere manner, it’s not all that hard to think of why Cage would be willing to do this. Add to that the fact that many celebrities have actually sought to support Joe and it becomes even clearer that the fame-seeking Tiger King has his own cheering section that for one reason or another think he’s worth more than a few passing moments of curiosity. If not for Netflix he might have been destined for the mediocrity he was stuck in, and a lot of us wouldn’t have minded that at all. But now that this is happening and another project appears to be underway with Kate McKinnon in talks to play Carole Baskin, Joe’s hated rival, one can only imagine just how far things are going to go.
In way it might have been better if the wider world had never known much about Joe Exotic or the others that have been a part of his world, however briefly and in whatever context, if only becaue it would have allowed a mediocre individual to just fade off into an unknown and very cloudy sunset. As it stands, the Tiger King has gained a massive audience as Sarah Whitten of CNBC would agree, and the world has been introduced to a man that would likely do anything for fame, and Joe Exotic. Okay so that was a not so subtle dig at Nicolas Cage but the sad fact of his celebrity status is that at one time he was firmly on top of the business and was doing just fine with every endeavor. Somewhere along the way though he lost track of the fact that he’s not as above it all as he thought and was brought back down to earth in a very rude but effective manner. Since then however Cage has been working extensively to pay off whatever debt he has and to keep his name considered among the Hollywood elite. In a way he’s almost like Joe Exotic but without the tigers and without the blatant need to have his name being spoken of in terms of being famous.
There are many people that are already stating that this show is likely to break the internet since the memes and the discussions on social media concerning the Tiger King and everyone around involved in the case or even related to him in some way is being dragged into the mix as well. I’d like to say that it’s going to be interesting to see what Cage is going to do with the role, but really it’s bound to be cringe-worthy simply because of who he’s playing and the idea of what’s to come. That raises an interesting question as to who will be playing certain other roles that might show up as well. Does anyone think Doc Antle might want in this time around or perhaps he’ll be just happy having someone play a fictional part? There’s no doubt that there will be mention if not representation of those that Joe had the most contact with such as Carole Baskin and Jeff Lowe just to name a couple, but whoever is going to play them might have to be satisfied with the idea that this show is mostly about Joe and won’t delve that deeply into any other character, at least from what’s been said thus far. Chaim Gartenberg of The Verge has more to say on this topic.
The mere mention of the Tiger King is enough to get anyone’s attention right now, so this show and any other will no doubt get people to sit up and face forward as Nicolas Cage takes on the challenge of becoming one of the most controversial figures of 2020. One has to wonder if this is going to elevate Cage’s career or if it’s going to remind people of why he’s not headlining blockbusters any longer. Plus, it might be a while in coming yet since things are still shut down.
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