三月底，Netflix 推出的一檔真人秀紀錄片節目Tiger King已經成了所有隔離在家的紐約客們的標配。前兩集就包含暴力，走私，犯罪，一夫多妻多夫，邪教，大型動物傷害等，及其暴力，集集令人匪夷所思。聽說看了這部片就能明白為什麼川普推治疫不力，卻還可以當總統了。然而這樣一部影片好評如潮同時，也受到不少社會各界批判。
Right on schedule, the 「Tiger King」 backlash has arrived.
It happens frequently with true crime documentaries: The series drops, people become obsessed and then as the memes hit their peak, a wave of criticism follows.
In recent interviews, co-directors Goode and Chaiklin have said that Joe (who recently filed a $94 million lawsuit against the federal government for damages, including false imprisonment) is truly thrilled about his newfound star status. But there were plenty of others who weren’t happy with the documentary:
Animal rights organizations
After the series was released, both the Humane Society and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said the producers glossed over the issue of tiger abuse. (Several of the charges that led to Joe’s prison sentence were from multiple wildlife violations, including the killing of five tigers.) 「The animals are the real victims who are caught up in this human drama.
The antics of Joe Exotic, Doc Antle and others featured in the series have caused untold misery for countless animals,」 Humane Society of the United States Chief Executive Kitty Block told NBC News, which noted the disturbing scene in which Joe pulls a newborn tiger cub away from its mother, and when he holds a photo shoot with cubs who are too young to open their eyes.
PETA brought up many of the same issues, especially the devastating consequences when baby tigers are separated from their mothers too early. 「Sure, Joe Exotic’s murder-for-hire plot makes for good television, but Tiger King didn’t delve nearly deeply enough into the abuse of the cub-petting industry,」 reads a blog post on the organization’s website.
When asked about not showing brutal scenes of animal cruelty, Goode told Variety, 「We had to thread that needle carefully so at the end of the series, it wasn’t preachy or the voice of god telling you how to feel about the cruelty and isolation of the tigers. We wanted people to come to their own conclusions at the end and decide for themselves, and we hope they came away with the outcome that this was a very cruel and abusive practice.」
Vacabulary
▌antics [ 'æntiks ]
釋義： a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement
同義：joke; prank; trick
Phrase
▌gloss over[ ɡlɔs ]
釋義：cover up a misdemeanor, fault, or error
同義：cover up
▌make for
釋義：cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
同義：contribute to
Quiz
Joe Exotic’s murder-for-hire plot ___ good television
the producers___ the issue of tiger abuse.
The ___ of Joe Exotic, Doc Antle and others featured in the series have caused untold misery for countless animals
Answers
makes for; glossed over; antics
WRITTEN BY EMILY YAHR
EDITED BY CINDY
VOICE BY QUINN
4th APR, 2020