‘The Rehearsal’ Unveils Paramount+ Removal of ‘Nathan for You’ Episode Touching on Holocaust Education
LOS ANGELES (Archyde.com) — A controversial episode of Nathan Fielder’s now-canceled “Nathan for You,” which featured the comedian’s efforts to combat Holocaust denial,has been quietly removed from paramount+,sparking a debate about censorship and sensitivity in the streaming age. The revelation unfolded in the latest episode of Fielder’s HBO comedy series, “The Rehearsal,” where he dubbed his Holocaust awareness efforts his “proudest achievement.”
The “Nathan for You” episode in question, originally aired in 2015, showcased Fielder launching Summit Ice, an outdoor apparel brand. Fielder,who is Jewish,created Summit Ice in response to learning that Taiga,the Canadian label behind his favourite winter jacket,had published a tribute to Holocaust denier Doug Collins. All proceeds from Summit Ice were earmarked for Holocaust education.
In one memorable segment, Fielder enlisted a rabbi to help design a retail display that would highlight the brand’s mission. The resulting pitch, characteristic of “Nathan for You’s” absurdist humor, involved presenting the clothing behind a replica of the Auschwitz gate, swastika pennants and a fake skeleton in an oven. While the store owner rejected the display, telling Fielder to “find something else to do with your life, because you are not good at this,” Summit Ice unexpectedly took off, generating $300,000 in sales in its first eight weeks, with profits donated to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre.
But the episode’s legacy has taken a intricate turn.
According to Fielder’s portrayal on “The Rehearsal,” the episode was removed from Paramount+ in late 2023. A source confirmed that the episode is no longer available on the streaming platform following what was described as a “standards review.” The episode remains available on Max.
Presenting a recreation of his email correspondence with Paramount+, Fielder says the streamer clarified that “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.”
Fielder further claims that Paramount+ Germany’s decision “triggered the attention of other European Paramount branches and they, in turn, pulled the episode too. Before long, the ideology of Paramount+ Germany had spread to the entire globe, eliminating all Jewish content that made them uncomfortable.”
To illustrate his point, Fielder showed a map of the ripple effect, “likening the Paramount+ brand to the spread of Nazism.” He also pointed out that a search on the platform yielded 50 results for “Nazi,” 10 for “Hitler,” and zero for “Judaism.” A search confirmed the presence of numerous results for “Nazi” and “Hitler,” often connected to World War II documentaries, as well as unexpected titles like march madness games and the A24 film “Minari.” A single short film series from Showtime called “Spotlights” appeared for “Judaism.”
In a surreal twist, Fielder, known for his elaborate and hyperrealistic simulations, constructed a replica of the Paramount+ Germany offices. He then hired an actor to portray a streaming executive, seeking a second chance at confrontation. He saeid that, in his original correspondence with Paramount+, he felt he was too deferential.In the simulation, Fielder walks into his “replica,” a grandiose building with massive Paramount+ banners hanging from the ceiling. (Look familiar?) To understand why the Summit Ice episode was deleted, he sits down with the thick-accented “executive,” who explains, in dialog written by Fielder, “In germany today, we have no tolerance for any images that may evoke hate or incite violence toward any group of people.”
the actor, improvising, then criticized Fielder for letting his preconceptions elicit an “insincere” approach to conflict resolution, saying, “You designed this office to look like a war room, dressed me to look like a Nazi. Pretending to want feedback, but you don’t actually want to get the paramount+ viewpoint, or the German perspective.”
The actor also accused Fielder of being “a man with a grudge using his television show to smear us.”
While Fielder’s portrayal might potentially be seen as hyperbolic, the incident raises questions about the line between cultural sensitivity and censorship, particularly in the context of comedy. Some might argue that Paramount+’s decision was a responsible measure to prevent the spread of potentially offensive content, especially given the heightened sensitivities surrounding antisemitism and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. However, others contend that removing the episode amounts to erasing a valuable contribution to Holocaust education and stifling artistic expression.
Paramount+ did not comment when contacted by Archyde.com. A spokesperson for the company declined to address any further questions, including Fielder’s depiction of Paramount+ as Nazi Germany, why the episode failed to meet its standards or whether it will ever be put back on the platform.
FAQ: The ‘Nathan for You’ Controversy on Paramount+
Why was the ‘Nathan for You’ episode featuring summit Ice removed from Paramount+? Paramount+ reportedly removed the episode due to “sensitivities” surrounding its content related to Holocaust education and perceived antisemitism in the aftermath of the Israel/Hamas attacks.
Is the episode still available on other streaming services? Yes, the episode is currently available for streaming on Max.
What was the purpose of Summit Ice, the brand featured in the episode? Summit Ice was created by Nathan Fielder as a direct response to a Canadian clothing company’s tribute to a holocaust denier. All profits from Summit Ice were donated to Holocaust education.
How did nathan Fielder address the removal of the episode on his show ‘The Rehearsal’?* Fielder dedicated a segment of “The Rehearsal” to recreating the Paramount+ Germany offices and staging a simulated confrontation with a streaming executive to understand the rationale behind the removal and its implications.
