Is Joe Exotic, the Tiger King, still a thing that we, as Oklahomans, are somewhat proud of?
While we haven’t heard from him or his inbred ilk for the past few weeks, that hasn’t stopped straight-to-video impresario Charles Band and the exploitation engineers at Full Moon Features from cashing in on the cult status of Exotic before his fifteen minutes of national fame are finally up by producing the first feature film based on his legend. Sort of.
Titled Barbie and Kendra Save the Tiger King, titular trailer-park dwellers Kendra (Robin Sydney) and Barbie (Cody Renee Cameron)—fresh from the recent film Corona Zombies—are under self-quarantine and stuck in front of the television, obsessed with the Tiger King series on Netflix the Big Pussy Network—hey, that’s a clever as it gets, folks.
Recycling and redubbing an old B-movie about a small child lost in the jungle and made into a tiger king, I think, by offensive native caricatures, the film-within-a-film purports to tell the “true” story of Exotic’s past, albeit one filled with dick puns and fart jokes; it’s something I’m sure Exotic would have loved screening with his crew, grilled garbage-burgers all around.
Speaking of Exotic’s ex-workforce, there is a special guest appearance (via Zoom) by John Reinke—Exotic’s former manager with those bitchin’ metal legs—talking about Exotic and his new found stardom, if one can call it that. At least he’s getting a paycheck this time…I hope he’s getting a paycheck this time.
Band, known for producing such flicks as The Gingerdead Man, Evil Bong and, of course, The Gingerdead Man vs. Evil Bong, should be championed, however, for cobbling together this cinematic quickie, a full year or so before the far bigger-budgeted Nicolas Cage comedy(?) hits the big screen or, more than likely, the Redbox at Walmart.
And while the Tiger King is never truly rescued, Barbie and Kendra Save the Tiger King is available from FullMoonFeatures.com, if you’re desperate for entertainment.
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Follow Louis on Twitter at @LouisFowler and Instagram at @louisfowler78.
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