Joe Exotic Is Selling His Infamous Fringe Jacket as an NFT
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Joe Exotic Is Selling His Infamous Fringe Jacket as an NFT

If there's one thing Joe Exotic is good at, it's cashing in his celebrity status to capitalize on cultural timing. And the latest way he's trying to do this? By using all that Netflix notoriety to sell NFTs, of course.

Proof that he's not letting a 22-year federal prison sentence get in the way of his hustle, the Tiger King star has now partnered up with cryptocurrency members club, More, to auction off everything from Joe-themed artwork to digital trading cards to audio recordings from jail. And like all NFTs (a.k.a. non-fungible tokens), the appeal lies within knowing that, no matter what, these exclusive items will be yours and yours alone, as guaranteed by the authentication of your purchase via non-duplicable blockchain technology.

Granted, what's likely to garner the most interest from fans is an assortment of real-life collectibles that come with accompanying 3D models of said items, including Joe's Smith & Wesson pistol, his infamous fringed jacket that spawned a thousand knock-offs and an entire outfit set featuring his black leather jacket and pants. So while there may be some uncertainty surrounding the future of the NFT market right now, hopping on this particular auction means that you'll still be able to say you own a physical piece of viral history — even if it's not quite the underwear with his face on the crotch.

That said, while the bidding for each collectible item starts at a pretty penny, Joe clarified to PAPER that the auction isn't motivated by financial gain. Rather, it's more about "giving back" to his supporters and the big cats he holds so dear, and if that also means some of his favorite belongings can go to "a well-deserved home," then all the better.

Photo courtesy of More

"It's not really about the money, it's about connecting with my fans," as he explained via his lawyer. "My funds will go to my trust and I hope to give back to the wildlife community as soon as I have access to the money made from this auction."

After all, Joe told us that connection has been at the forefront of his mind in jail, where he's spent the past two years serving time for animal abuse, as well as his role in an attempted murder plot against Tiger King nemesis and Big Cat Rescue founder, Carole Baskin. But while "being stuck in prison has been rough on me," he also went on to add that what's kept him looking on the bright side is all "the support I've received" ever since the docuseries' premiere last March.

Photo courtesy of More

"Launching an NFT seemed like the most effective way to reach my loyal fans," Joe continued, before restating that this was his way of making sure they "feel the love from me even while I'm locked up."

But as for his thoughts on his archrival's own NFT — which allows fans to enter a "big cat metaverse for virtual visits with cats" — Joe kept relatively mum, though he did go on to address the recent launch of Carole's $CAT cryptocurrency by saying that "anyone getting involved in the space right now is making smart choices."

Photo courtesy of More

"I'm a huge supporter of what crypto can do," Joe insisted. However, he then went on to emphasize that his foray into the NFT game is markedly different from any other auction since "you can actually own my personal belongings."

"I want someone to see my jacket or gun and say, 'Wow, I can have a piece of Joe Exotic?,'" as Joe reiterated. "One day when I get out of here, I hope I see my jacket on some wall of fame because a fan was able to put it on display."

Joe Exotic's NFT Auction runs until this Monday. Check out what items are still on offer, here.

Welcome to "Internet Explorer," a column by Sandra Song about everything Internet. From meme histories to joke format explainers to collections of some of Twitter's finest roasts, "Internet Explorer" is here to keep you up-to-date with the web's current obsessions — no matter how nonsensical or nihilistic.

Photos courtesy of More