Saff In ‘Tiger King’ Is the Real Hero

If you haven’t already watched Tiger King on Netflix, you’re probably a doctor or asleep because you have coronavirus. Pretty much everyone in the world (literally because we’re all homebound) is talking about the docu-series about an “exotic animal park” in Wynnewood, Oklahoma — mostly because it’s chockfull of absolute freaks, and I’m in love with all of them. While a lot of people (including King Princess) are obsessed with the park owner, Joe Exotic, there’s one character who I feel isn’t getting the attention they deserve: Kelci “Saff” Saffery. (Tons of spoilers ahead.)

Saff (who is trans and uses he/him pronouns) is the Andy King of this series. King, of course, is the guy who offered to suck dick for water bottles in the Fyre Festival documentary. As an employee at the exotic animal park, Saff forges close relationships with the tigers he takes care of. One day, he accidentally puts his arm in one of the tiger’s cages (instead of using a stick) and the tiger bites his arm almost completely off. Instead of losing his shit and running far away from this illegal meth-laden zoo, he tells the doctors to amputate his arm so he can get back to work sooner.

He’s back at the park within a few days, not weeks, DAYS. Even before he leaves the hospital, he releases a statement that Joe reads at a press conference, explaining that the incident was his fault…