A Train Wreck, But…

Here we were, a quarantined America more than ready for some form of entertainment. Then, boom! Blindsided by Tiger King — or perhaps it was Joe Exotic’s eyebrow ring in our field of vision.

Boy, did I ever dive in. I watched and re-watched every single episode.

Tiger King bills itself as a serialized documentary. I view it as more as one of those “loosely-based-on-actual-events” types of shows. Is it sensationalized? In the words of Exotic, “fuck yes” it is.

Yet if there was a time for sensationalism, that time is now.

Tiger King is a train wreck, but in the best sort of way. The plot circles generally around the small community of roadside exotic zoos and, specifically, a longstanding feud between Exotic and Carol Baskin.

Exotic is all about bringing attention to himself, the gay, gun toting, sequin wearing, mullet sporting owner of the G.W. Zoo in Oklahoma. Baskin rocks head-to-toe animal prints paired with flower crowns, runs the Big Cat Rescue sanctuary located in Florida and is suspected of killing her husband and feeding him to a tiger.

As each episode ended, I told myself this could not get any further out there. Each time, I was proven wrong.

You know it’s a strange sub-world you have found yourself in when the most normal person is a former drug kingpin who nonchalantly mentions his involvement in the murder of a federal agent.

In no way do I condone any of the behavior in the show. I vehemently disagree with several things, especially the misgendering of the zoo employee, Saff, who lost his arm to a tiger. But I can appreciate the entertainment value of the show. Since finishing all of the episodes, I have spent no less than four hours in Tiger King meme world, which I totally recommend. The memes are just as good as the show, if not better.

Most of Tiger King has brought me relief. It’s the most amount of time I have spent not feeling on the verge of a panic attack in weeks. It wiped COVID-19 from the forefront of my thinking, and brought laughter that is still going on. For that, I am thankful.

And, yes, Carole Baskin certainly killed her husband.

Tiger King is available streaming on Netflix.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!