The Joe Show

The most famous and controversial sheriff in America

Eight years in the making, The Joe Show is a revealing and highly entertaining documentary about Sheriff Joe Arpaio — one of the most famous and controversial figures in American law enforcement. The film offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how Arpaio, once an unknown police officer, transformed himself into a global media phenomenon and the self-proclaimed “toughest sheriff in America.”

Known for his implacable policies on illegal immigration and for establishing an improvised prison camp in the Arizona desert, Arpaio has been accused multiple times of violating basic human rights. Yet, he has been continuously re-elected as Sheriff of Maricopa County since 1992, proving how media power can sustain political success.

The Joe Show explores how Arpaio’s desire for fame shapes his approach to politics, law enforcement, and self-promotion. Through interviews with his media director, colleagues, opponents, and critics, the film exposes how screen time replaces response time, and how entertainment eclipses accountability.

Both wildly entertaining and deeply unsettling, The Joe Show stands as an essential case study on the increasingly dysfunctional relationship between media, politics, and law enforcement in America — raising a crucial question: Can democracy survive when persuading voters becomes more important than protecting them?