Country music star Miranda Lambert has found herself in hot water today after she posted photos of herself with “Tiger King” star Joe Exotic on social media. The backlash has gotten so bad that Lambert has since been force to issue a clarification of the images.
On Monday morning, Lambert posted three photos to Twitter of herself with Exotic, his ex-husband John Finlay and an employee.
“Here’s a little Monday memory for y’all. #TigerKing #WayTooPrettyForPrison 😂😂🙋️,” she captioned the images.
“Way Too Pretty for Prison” is both a reference to Lambert’s new song and to the fact that Exotic is currently serving a 22 year prison sentence for a murder-for-hire-plot to kill his arch-nemesis, Carole Baskin, according to Fox News.
Here’s a little Monday memory for y’all. #TigerKing #WayTooPrettyForPrison 😂😂🙋♀️ pic.twitter.com/MB07JvmsDT
— Miranda Lambert (@mirandalambert) April 13, 2020
This immediately backfired on Lambert when social media users slammed her for associating with someone who is in prison for a violent crime as well as animal cruelty charges.
“That’s not a pic I would be proud of let alone post on social media. Very disappointed,” one user commented, with another adding, “Surprised that you would post this considering you [sic] love of animals???? Odd!”
“Yikes. This is embarrassing,” another user wrote.
Things got so heated that Lambert had to issue the following clarification three hours after she posted the initial tweet:
“Backstory: During Hurricane Harvey, the MuttNation Team went to Houston to help relocate existing shelter dogs to free up shelter space for animals separated by their owners. MuttNation asked for volunteers who could transport some dogs from Houston to shelters in Oklahoma, where there was more room and they could be treated and adopted.”
Some guy named Joe volunteered his trailer and staff. Now I know it’s ‘Joe Exotic.’ I’ve never been to his zoo and I didn’t even know he had tigers. OBVIOUSLY I’d never condone animals being treated badly.”
— Miranda Lambert (@mirandalambert) April 13, 2020
“Tiger King” was a smash hit for Netflix, as the documentary series began airing right when the coronavirus quarantine began. A FOX special is set to air on TMZ on Monday that will include “exclusive interviews and never-before-seen footage” and will explore “outstanding questions about whether or not Joe Exotic is guilty,” a press release stated.
The level of vitriol Lambert experienced just for being photographed with Exotic captures just how transfixed Americans everywhere were by “Tiger King.” If you have yet to check it out yourself, you might want to consider doing so now!
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