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Joe Exotic's team has great timing -- or awful, depending on your perspective -- as they're handing his pardon request to President Trump on a day when there's A LOT going on in the Oval Office.

The Tiger Team leader, Eric Love, flew into D.C. Wednesday night with Joe's lawyers, packing a 257-page document he calls 4 months worth of hard work ... and he tells us it fully proves Joe's innocent.

As Eric says, this is the team's second major attempt to grab the President's attention ... but this time around they have more than a huge bus to persuade him to pardon Joe, and are even more optimistic about their pitch.

We asked him if going to the White House as the President's embroiled in controversy over his recorded convos with Bob Woodward was a good idea.  Eric thinks this timing could work in Joe's favor, and Trump's too.

As we first told you, Joe's 257-page case argues various reasons why he should be pardoned from his 22-year murder-for-hire sentence ... including a claim that he was sexually assaulted behind bars.

Love apparently has an in at the White House to deliver the goods, and he tells us Joe is so focused on the mission, he's even moved past hating on his rival Carole Baskin ... and wishes her well on "Dancing with the Stars."

Lily Allen and David Harbour did indeed get hitched in Las Vegas this weekend, and they did it right ... with an Elvis impersonator officiant and everything.

The couple tied the knot on Labor Day, according to their marriage certificate, and the singer-songwriter and the "Stranger Things" star shared a few pics of their ceremony from the Graceland Wedding Chapel. Classic!

The lovebirds look totally smitten and full of joy inside the chapel -- with Elvis singing away -- and outside on a Vegas street as Lily showed off her vintage white wedding dress and veil.

Apparently, a day full of love and marriage in Sin City works up your appetite ... Lily and the fam chowed down on some In-N-Out after the nuptials.

We broke the story ... David and Lily obtained a marriage license Sunday in Vegas, the first indication they were about to seal the deal.

Up until recently, they've been very private about being together -- with Lily revealing their engagement via a selfie back in May -- but they're letting it all out now.

David even pointed out that wildfires ravaging California and a pandemic affecting the whole world couldn't stop them from becoming husband and wife.

Joe Exotic says he's having a rough go in prison, but his fashion line is doing much better ... his underwear collection is selling like hotcakes, thanks in part to his nemesis, Carole Baskin.

The 'Tiger King' star had another successful fashion drop for his "REVENGE" collection with Odaingerous ... Joe's custom boxer briefs went on sale Labor Day and sold out within hours, raking in $50,000 in online sales!!!

The top seller, we're told, is the limited edition "Casket Baskin" boxer brief ... which depicts blood-red ice cream in a cone reminiscent of Baskin-Robbins.

While the first wave of underwear was cleaned out in a nanosecond, Odaingerous is updating its online store and restocking due to the extra traffic, as folks clamor for all things Exotic.

Joe's boxers are going international too -- the "REVENGE" collection just put up 3 billboards in Mexico, as 'Tiger King' continues to gain popularity beyond President Trump's favorite "wall."

Speaking of Trump, Joe's legal team is trekking back to D.C. to try to get him a Presidential pardon. Joe's laying out myriad reasons why Trump should pardon his 22-year murder-for-hire sentence ... including a claim he was sexually assaulted behind bars -- something the Federal Bureau of Prisons denies.

Joe Exotic has submitted a 257-page case to Donald Trump -- arguing various reasons why he should be pardoned from his 22-year murder-for-hire sentence -- claiming he was sexually assaulted behind bars.

Joe included a letter he sent to Donald Trump Jr. in his documents, in which he claims, "I have been sexually assaulted by jail staff, beat up and tied in a chair to the point the skin came off my arms." He goes on to say, "please be my hero ... my hands are damaged from the abuse in jail so I'm sorry for the soppy (sic) writing and spelling" and adding this ... "#TrumpJr.2024." We reached out to the prison for comment ... so far, no word back.

Joe says he fears he'll die in prison before his scheduled 2037 release, because his health is compromised because of various medical issues, including anemia and common variable immune deficiency.

Joe submitted various character references, including one from Kerri Walker, whose cousin worked at the zoo. She makes an appeal to Trump, saying Joe got a raw deal, just like Trump did with the "grab-'em-by-the-p***y" tape.

Joe goes on to say he never tried to kill Carole Baskin, and that all the so-called threats he made against her were just "hyperbole." His lawyers say in the docs, obtained by TMZ, the "threats" were "simply another aspect of his showmanship ... Joe's jokes, at most, in bad taste, were merely jokes."

Joe also insists he's been "railroaded and betrayed, repeatedly" ... blaming Jeff Lowe, the judge and others. He says the $3k he forked over to the alleged hitman was not to pay for a hit ... it was to get the guy out of his hair.

Joe also believes one of the reasons he was convicted was because of anti-gay sentiments.

He admits to shooting some tigers that were ill, saying that was the humane way of euthanizing them.

And Joe's husband, Dillon Passage, wrote a letter saying Joe saved him from addiction. Passage wrote ... "I see a sweet, big heart man, with good intentions, who took a few steps down a dark road, and he's just waiting to be pulled out of it."

Joe makes his plea to President Trump, saying, "Allow me to make you proud, to make America proud, to make the world proud. Be my hero please."

TMZ broke the story ... Joe's team is flying to D.C. Wednesday where Eric Love, who's leading the charge for Joe, will present the pardon application to someone he knows in The White House.

Carole Baskin studied hard, and cheaply, before "Dancing With the Stars" ... picking up her ballroom basics by watching video tutorials online.

Sources close to Carole tell TMZ ... she immediately turned to YouTube for help after finding out she was going to be on the upcoming season of 'DWTS' -- and she started with the biggies: salsa, cha-cha and the Venezuelan waltz.

We're told she also enlisted the help of a cool cat ... or kitten -- one of her Big Cat Rescue members teaches dance, and gave Carole some tips.

Let's be real, she needs all the help she can get ... other than her infamous dance clip submission for the Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande music video, we're told Carole has zero dance experience.

Our sources say Carole also signed up for a virtual training app in June, with the music-based training helping her get used to being on tempo. Turns out that's important for dancing.

Carole's looking slim at 'DWTS' rehearsals ... our sources say she lost 20 lbs since shooting 'Tiger King' and is down to 165.

We're told Carole has been on a vegan diet and only eats 2 meals a day. She's also riding her bike 10 miles a day, 7 days a week, and doing a lot of squats, lunges and leaps ... and seeing results.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have their new calling after quitting their British royal day jobs -- and it's similar to her old one ... they're big-time Hollywood producers!!!

Harry and Meghan announced their new careers Wednesday, 6 months after leaving the royal fam and settling in California, they're going to make content for Netflix.

The Duke and Duchess inked a multiyear deal with the streaming service, and the still-unnamed production company they founded will get a bunch of Netflix dough to make movies, scripted shows, documentaries, docu-series and children's programming.

Forget the royal family, Harry and Meghan have found their own global platform in Tinseltown. Netflix has tons of reach, with 193 million subscribers across the globe.

Harry and Meghan will mostly be working behind the cameras, but they might appear on screen in documentaries. Meghan's also open to voice-over work -- as we know from her Disney project last year -- but she's made it clear she doesn't plan to get back into acting. At least, that's her plan for now.

Joe Exotic is launching an underwear collection from behind bars ... and the 'Tiger King' has his mug plastered across the fly!!!

The boxer briefs are part of Joe's "REVENGE" collection with streetwear brand Odaingerous ... and this fashion drop is pretty damn bold.

As you can see, there are some fun options ... one's got Joe's face on the crotch of some leopard print, another's a bright orange tiger print and there's also a mix of tiger print and baby blue, not to mention red tiger print. Pretty much what you would expect from Joe the fashionista.

Hawking outrageous underwear is kinda Joe's thing ... back in 2013, long before his Netflix fame, he started selling 'Tiger King' undies ... but they didn't have his face on them.

If Joe's previous "REVENGE" capsules are an indication, these boxer briefs are gonna sell like hotcakes ... remember, his soft launch in May sold out in a matter of hours and raked in over $20,000 in online sales.

Odaingerous says the boxer briefs are 100% cotton to keep "your unmentionables fashionably stylish and secure."

Consider this a very hard launch, with a very significant date ... the boxer briefs go on sale Sept. 7 -- the 2-year anniversary of Joe's arrest.

This is what it's like when reality dating show worlds collide -- a lot of scandal over nothing ... according to sources close to "Love is Blind" couple Damian Powers and Giannina Gibelli.

Fans of the show, along with fans of "Too Hot to Handle" star Francesca Farago, were a bit stunned when a scantily clad Francesca left a trendy L.A. restaurant Tuesday night while holding onto Damian's arm ... lots of folks thought he and Giannina were dunzo.

Turns out ... it's all still status quo. We're told Damian and Giannina are still together and still in love ... he and Francesca are just friends, and Giannina's cool with that.

Our sources say Damian and Francesca share the same lawyer and management team, and their Tuesday outing was actually with the lawyer ... along with a couple of Francesca's friends.

Fact is, it's pretty common for these reality TV stars to run in the same circles and mingle ... which is what went down Tuesday night.

As "Love is Blind" followers know, Damian and Giannina were fan favorites but didn't end up getting hitched after D got cold feet. However, they reconciled right after the show and have been solid ever since.

David Arquette's professional wrestling career has been both mocked and admired, but above all else, it's been bloody hard work ... and he says it's coming to an end soon.

The actor's journey as a pro wrestler began way back in 2000, but as he points out on "TMZ Live" ... he didn't have a clue then about what it actually took to be successful.

Fast forward a couple decades, and a battle-worn David is flying higher above the wrestling ring than ever before -- even at 48 -- thanks to a commitment to various types of training and a devotion to the sport he's loved for a long time.

David says he's still an actor, though, and despite his remarkable comeback -- which is the subject of his new documentary -- he claims he's calling it quits soon.

That's probably a good thing, because as you may recall ... David was badly injured in a bloody match in 2018, and damn near died in 2019 after continuing to dish out and take beatings in the ring.

Arquette's daughter Coco wasn't too pleased with all of this, but he tells us she's come to accept and understand it more after seeing the documentary ... which he calls a "love letter to wrestling."

Jeff Lowe's animals at the 'Tiger King' zoo have not been getting proper veterinary care for years ... according to the feds who've suspended his license to run the zoo.

As we reported ... the U.S. Department of Agriculture yanked Jeff's exhibitor's license for Joe Exotic's old GW Exotic Animal Park for 21 days, and now we know why the USDA finally made the call to punish him.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... the USDA cites Lowe for numerous failures in providing vet care for his animals dating back to November 2017.

The USDA points out that the number of animals at Lowe's zoo has exploded from 29 in 2017 up to 212 in 2020, and alleges he's simply incapable of taking care of all the lions, tigers, lemurs, monkeys and other animals he's accumulated.

Jeff's also accused of submitting false documents related to veterinary care and records. Specifically, the USDA claims he submitted reports from its attending vet in 2019 and 2020 ... even though that vet claims she resigned from the zoo in June 2018.

According to the docs ... Jeff and his wife, Lauren, have also violated regulations in exhibiting animals without sufficient distance and barriers between them and the public.

And of course, the USDA cites countless examples of allegedly mistreated animals from its recent investigation -- as we first told you -- like the 16-week-old lion cub that was too weak to stand, geriatric wolves in pain and a 17-year-old dead tigon that was not properly cared for or disposed of.

Finally, the USDA claims Lowe does not possess the required paperwork -- acquisition records and disposition records -- for a bunch of the zoo animals.

Lowe tells us the allegations of improper veterinary care have never been an issue until the most recent USDA inspection, which he previously dismissed as the government being "overzealous."

Uncle Sam is shutting down Jeff Lowe ... suspending his license to show off wild animals at Joe Exotic's old zoo ... at least for now.

A rep for The U.S. Department of Agriculture tells TMZ ... the 'Tiger King' star's exhibitor license for the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park -- formerly known as the G.W. Zoo under Joe's command -- was suspended this week for 21 days.

We're told the suspension is the result of "recent inspections" at the zoo that were less than favorable. As we reported, investigators said several of Jeff's animals appeared to be weak and neglected. There was also a 16-week-old lion cub who was so thin, she could barely stand ... and was immediately taken to a vet.

Jeff called BS on the inspection, but clearly, USDA officials felt strong enough about their findings to pull his license. An exhibitor's license essentially allows a zookeeper to display everything from big cats, bears, primates and other USDA-regulated species. Without it, Lowe can't really run the zoo.

As for his suspension, Jeff says he and his team are confident they will be able to produce evidence to prove his animals are healthy. He also tells us that once he's back up and running, he's putting together a virtual zoo that visitors can access from home to check on the animals.

Joe Exotic still has Carole Baskin on his mind, even from behind bars ... and wants to get involved in the renewed search to find her missing millionaire husband.

TMZ's learned the 'Tiger King' star wants to jump right into the newly launched push to find out what the hell happened to Don Lewis when he went missing way back in 1997 ... and Don's family is welcoming his assistance.

The day after Don's 3 daughters held their news conference announcing a new lawsuit against Baskin and a fresh investigation, Joe reached out offering info from his prior investigations into Carole ... according to John Phillips, the lawyer for Don’s family.

We're told Don's daughters were down to work with Joe, and right now the plan is for him to speak to their lawyer to figure out what, if any, useful info he has for the investigation.

The family announced a $100,000 reward for info that leads them to Don, and as 'Tiger King' fans know ... Joe dedicated years of his life trying to dig up dirt on Carole, as he thinks she played a role in Don's disappearance.

Don disappeared on August 18, 1997, after leaving his Tampa home ... and some folks allege Carole fed him to her tigers. She's denied all the allegations.

The case of Carole Baskin's disappeared husband, Don Lewis, is going the route of 'Don't F**k with Cats' -- with an online group claiming it's dug up a massive, and crappy, clue about where his body might be.

Jack Smith -- the spokesman now repping Don's family -- tells us he and a group of internet sleuths joined forces earlier this year after the premiere of 'Tiger King' and formed a Facebook group to search for the truth about Don's still-unsolved disappearance in 1997.

Welp, we're told the group believes it discovered a new lead, tied to an existing theory about Don -- namely, that he was allegedly buried on his and Carole's animal sanctuary property under a septic tank system.

According to Jack ... the research team has obtained the actual receipts and permit paperwork for the septic tank's installation. Carole has publicly acknowledged two septic tanks -- one that she claims was installed well before Don's disappearance, and another installed well afterward.

BUT, if you believe what Jack and co. claim these receipts show ... a septic tank system was, in fact, worked on and installed right around the time of Don's disappearance ... 23 years ago this month.

They claim the receipts show a permit to install the septic tank was pulled on August 4, 1997, and that work on such a system was completed by or before the 15th later that same month, with a mound of dirt delivered to Carole's address the day prior.

So, what does that all mean??? According to Don's family and this crack Facebook team of investigators, it points to the possibility that Carole wasn't truthful with her timeline ... and that Don may very well be under the ground, like Joe Exotic himself suggested in the docuseries.

We're told the group will turn this finding and others they claim to have over to the cops, in hopes of cracking the case wide open again.

We've reached out to Carole about the group's new findings ... so far, no word back.

The family of Don Lewis -- Carole Baskin's millionaire husband who went missing in 1997, whose story was featured on 'Tiger King' -- is going all out to find out what happened to him ... including putting up billboards and offering a $100k reward.

Don's 3 daughters, alongside attorney John Phillips and family spokesperson Jack Smith, announced a series of steps currently in place to get more info on his disappearance ... which occurred on August 18, 1997, after Don left his Tampa home.

Don's daughters say a team is in place, led by Smith, that has restored their hope of finding out what happened to their father ... and they believe Phillips is the lawyer they've been waiting for to handle the case.

Along with erecting 4 billboards across Tampa reading, "Who Murdered Don Lewis?" -- which also highlights the reward for info -- Don's family spokesperson says a cold case group on Facebook was started to hunt for clues ... which he says has already yielded results.

For instance, they looked into details about a septic tank installation allegedly connected to the case, and claim they found a discrepancy with what Carole had previously stated about it.

Other revelations from the Monday press conference include Phillips' plan to sue Baskin -- presumably for wrongful death -- and that the $100k reward money was made possible by an anonymous donor. BTW ... Carole has denied any involvement in Don's disappearance.

The team said it would not discuss further evidence at this time, but TMZ's learned an anonymous letter was sent to Jeff Lowe at the GW Zoo allegedly detailing where Don's body is buried ... so the letter writer claimed. We're told Jeff turned the letter over to authorities.

The family hopes the money and heightened interest in the case will lead to someone finally coming forward with a helpful tip that breaks the cold case open ... and results in justice for Don.

As you may know ... rumors over the cause of Don's death were fueled on 'Tiger King' by Joe Exotic, who made it clear he believes Baskin killed him. Although Carole's not a suspect, the Sheriff has said he's suspicious.

Carole Baskin is picking a catfight with Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion over their new music video, which she says sends a terrible message and is harmful to the future of big cats.

Carole tells TMZ ... the worst part of Cardi B's new music video is the way it glamorizes rich folk keeping tigers as pets, and she thinks it makes "every ignorant follower want to imitate by doing the same."

As we reported ... Cardi and Megan dropped the video to "WAP" Friday, and it's loaded with sexually suggestive imagery and lyrics, a Kylie Jenner cameo and tons of exotic cats, which is upsetting Carole.

While Carole is glad the cats likely weren't really in the room with Cardi and Megan -- only photoshopped in -- she says posing wild animals in front of green screens and using them in productions is unnatural and confusing.

Carole claims everything about the project points to producers working with one of the "big cat pimps" like Doc Antle or Mario Tabraue, who she believes mistreat cats ... something they strongly deny.

Bottom line for Carole ... nothing about "WAP" is good for big cats.

Daisy Coleman's mother was gravely concerned about her daughter's state of mind shortly before her suicide, but tragically ... even a wellness check couldn't prevent it.

TMZ broke the story ... Daisy -- one of the teenage girls featured in the Netflix documentary "Audrie & Daisy" about multiple rape cases -- took her own life Tuesday night. We've since learned that she died in Lakewood, Colorado.

John Romero, spokesperson for the Lakewood PD, tells us Daisy was at an apartment around 4 PM that day when officers were called to make a wellness check for a "possible suicidal party" at the residence.

As we told you, the person who called this in was Daisy's mom, Melinda. Romero says the police department responded by sending paramedics and agents trained in crisis intervention.

We're told Daisy talked to the agents for over an hour, but she never said anything or gave any indication she wanted to harm herself ... so she was medically cleared, and there was no legal reason to hold her for mental health issues.

Sadly, we’re told police received another call around 8:30 PM from a female friend of Daisy's, reporting that she had shot herself inside the same apartment. Cops say Daisy used a pistol to fire the fatal shot.

Daisy was one of the subjects of the 2016 Netflix doc, which followed her and members of her family as they dealt with the trauma of her alleged sexual assault in January 2012 when she was just 14 years old ... as well as the hostile reaction of her Missouri community.

Daisy was 23.