’You Want To Have A Real Show?’ David Spade Shared His Take On Tiger King’s Joe Exotic Saying He Should Play Him

Try as the 2025 TV schedule might, there’s no guarantee that we’ll see something as meteoric as Netflix’s insane documentary Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. That’s not a knock on what’s coming down the pipe, but rather a comment on how you really can’t tell what’ll hit as hard as the true story of intrigue, potential murder, and big cats.

At the same time, if Joe Exotic’s wishes to have David Spade play him in one of the three movie deals he’s got floating in the open ever comes true, that could be the closest we get to rekindling that magic. And sure enough, the Joe Dirt legend shared some exciting feelings on whether or not he’d take the gig.

Joe Exotic Thinks David Spade’s Joe Dirt Is A Closer Representation Than Joe Vs. Carole’s

I have to admit, when I saw the title “TIGER KING calls From Prison” on the latest episode of Fly on the Wall’s “Superfly” sub-series, I thought it was a joke. But apparently it was not, as there’s clearly a YouTube video of Spade, along with co-host/fellow SNL vet Dana Carvey, talking with the man himself.

Calling out Joe vs. Carole’s version as “way over the top,” Exotic actually suggested that the Joe Dirt star would have been a much better option than series star John Cameron Mitchell. Though if you’re curious about how the man also known as Joseph Allen Maldonado felt about Nicholas Cage almost being cast in the role, you can learn more about that in his remarks below:

[The show] made me out to be a whole lot gayer than I am, you know? … Before they actually came out with that, they were going to cast Nicolas Cage. And I was like, ‘No, no, Nicolas Cage is too dry. I said, ‘Come on!’ You want to have a real show? You got to cast David Spade to play Joe Dirt,’ you know?

Coincidentally that Peacock subscription driver co-stars another Saturday Night Live alum, as Joe vs. Carole’s trailer put Kate McKinnon front and center as holding up the other end of that series’ dynamic. So maybe that’s another part of why Joe Exotic thinks David Spade would be such a good pick.

Placing David Spade in the middle of the Exotic spectrum is a rather interesting choice I’d have never thought of. That only compliments the fact that I also never thought I’d hear someone calling Mr. Cage “too dry” to play someone as wild as . Then again, after hearing Spade’s eager impression of Joe Exotic, I will admit that I’m totally on board.

David Spade stands outside at night with a look of concern in Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser.

(Image credit: Crackle)

David Spade Seems Super Up To The Task, And I Think This Should Happen

Later on in Joe Exotic’s interview with David Spade and Dana Carvey, our Joe Dirt icon provided a little bit of his take on how he’d play the man at the heart of the Tiger King mythos. As you’ll read in the further excerpt below, Spade is already taking notes and putting his metaphorical resume on the table:

Listen, I can do super-gay. Just give me some notes. … Here’s my audition [takes on Exotic’s accent], ‘Fuck you, Carole Baskin, you bitch!’

With David Spade’s recent SNL cameo still fresh in everyone’s mind, we clearly know that the comedy pro still has his edge. So why not roll the dice and do a Joe Exotic film with him in the lead? Or, even better, how about a Joe Dirt three-quel that reveals Joe Exotic is his actual dad? Why not both?

There’s clearly no wrong answers here, and if Mr. Exotic’s claim that he’ll be out of jail soon is valid, this could be a more pressing concern than anyone could have ever imagined. Well, anyone who doesn’t happen to be named Joe Exotic.

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