Joe Exotic of ‘Smokey Joe’s Cafe’ fame has a heart attack, is moved to a medical facility

Legendary Nevada tracker Joe Exotic, known for his newsy visits to brothels as well as his knowledge of high-end moonshine, was moved to a federal medical facility on Thursday after a heart scare, reports Jack M Silverstein of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Silverstein said Exotic’s heart scare, diagnosed in late May, centered on a growth in his leg and required his hospitalization at University Medical Center.

Silverstein reported that Exotic was taken by a Navy helicopter to Naval Medical Center San Diego.

“To give everyone an idea of just how talented, skilled and resourceful this person is … he has more dogs or wild animals with his name on them than any human on the planet,” attorney John Fuller told Silverstein. “The alternative to Joe is a tragic consequence.”

Exotic’s previous life-long companion, Marlene Warren, died of natural causes last year, the Review-Journal reported.

One Nevada official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he’s not authorized to speak publicly about Exotic, told the Review-Journal Exotic needed to be treated because of his advanced prostate cancer, which was discovered while undergoing chemotherapy.

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