Nathan Fielder brutally takes aim at Paramount+ over removal of 'Nathan For You' episode
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Nathan Fielder is biting the hand that feeds him.
In the latest episode of his HBO series "The Rehearsal," the comedian, 41, called out Paramount+ at length for allegedly removing an episode of his previous Comedy Central show "Nathan For You" from streaming due to sensitivity issues related to the Holocaust.
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Paramount+ for comment.
During the "Rehearsal" episode that aired April 27, Fielder recounted his discovery in 2023 that an old episode of his show "Nathan For You," which depicted his launch of an apparel line dedicated to raising Holocaust awareness, "mysteriously went missing" from Paramount+.
Fielder, whose shows blur the line between reality and fiction, told viewers that he wrote an email to Paramount asking why the episode was removed. He claimed the company "confirmed in their response that it was taken down intentionally and gave me a one-word explanation as to why: sensitivities." Fielder went on to say he later received a more detailed explanation.
"In late 2023, a decision was made by Paramount+ Germany to remove the episode in their region after they became uncomfortable with what they called 'anything that touches on antisemitism' in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas attacks," said Fielder, who is Jewish.
'The Rehearsal' season 2 release date, how to watch with Max on Sling
Fielder plays a heightened and socially unaware version of himself on both "Nathan For You" and "The Rehearsal." In the 2015 episode of "Nathan For You" in question, the comedian founded the apparel brand Summit Ice, which aimed to be a jacket company that also helped promote "the true story of the Holocaust." He started the apparel line after discovering the company that made the jacket he was wearing published a tribute to a Holocaust denier in its winter catalog.
The episode mined comedy out of Fielder's misguided attempts to evoke the Holocaust in Summit Ice marketing materials, including with an over-the-top store display filled with swastikas. Fielder's business ideas on "Nathan For You" are typically meant to be ill-conceived in order to provoke a reaction from those around him. But despite originating from a comedy show, Summit Ice became a real apparel line that donates profits to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, a Holocaust museum in Canada.
Comedy Central's 'Nathan For You' is back with more marketing tips that go hilariously awry
On "The Rehearsal," Fielder drew an intentionally absurd comparison between the removal of his episode from Paramount+ and World War II, showing the streamer's logo spreading across a world map.
Fielder then visited a fictional version of the Paramount+ Germany office, where the streaming service's logo was displayed on large banners on a set meant to look like a Nazi war room.
In this scene, the comedian made the case against removing the "Nathan For You" episode, saying that "when it comes to art, I think you have to know your place, and you have to let us Jews express ourselves because honestly, the way you're approaching this whole thing, people might get the wrong idea about what you actually stand for." It was unclear whether Fielder actually made this argument to Paramount+.
Fielder noted that his confrontation with Paramount put him in a tough position because around the same time he made the discovery about "Nathan For You," Paramount was airing another one of his shows, the scripted Showtime series "The Curse." "The Curse," which also starred Emma Stone and Benny Safdie, has not been renewed for a second season. "How I spoke to them could have career repercussions," Fielder deadpanned as he recalled emailing the company.
The "Nathan For You" episode, the second episode of Season 3, remains unavailable on Paramount+ in the United States as of Monday afternoon, although it is streaming on Max.
The "Rehearsal" episode aired on the same night that "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley called out Paramount on the air for its alleged heavy-handed oversight. "60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens resigned from the show last week, saying he had lost journalistic independence.
"Our parent company, Paramount, is trying to complete a merger. The Trump administration must approve it. Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways," Pelley told viewers. "None of our stories has been blocked, but Bill felt he lost the independence that honest journalism requires."
Contributing: Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY
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