Nathan Fielder criticises Paramount+ for removing TV episode for antisemitism ‘sensitivities’
An episode of Fielder’s ‘Nathan For You’ series was deleted from the platform in the aftermath of the Israel/Hamas attacks
Comedian Nathan Fielder has addressed “sensitivities” around an episode of his docu-series Nathan For You, which was removed from the Paramount+ streaming service over fears of antisemitism.
In a 2015 episode of the comedy series, Fielder created a winter apparel brand called Summit Ice, which was been designed by a rabbi, with all proceeds from sales of the garments going towards the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. The idea was in response to Canadian label Taiga, who praised the Holocaust denier Doug Collins in one of their catalogues, calling him a “defender of free speech”.
As is the nature of the show, the hair-brained pitch to have the clothes sold in stores was intended to be over-the-top. The clothing included pictures of Auschwitz and other imagery associated with the Holocaust – the joke being that the advertising went so far in the wrong direction that it started being offensive again.
Although the pitch was predictably rejected from stores Summit Ice became an inside gag with fans and quickly generated $300,000 in sales. Fielder, who is Jewish, calls Summit Ice one of his “proudest achievement,” and shows how something “silly can actually have an impact in the world.”
In the new season of his current showThe Rehearsal, where Fiedler recreates elaborate scenarios ahead of time, the 41-year-old explained that, in late 2023, he discovered the episode had been removed from Paramount+ following a “standards review”.
After asking Paramount+ why the episode was removed, Fielder was told it was due to “sensitivities”. Fielder shared his correspondence with the streamer, revealing that he was told: “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.”
He then explained that this decision from Paramount+ Germany “triggered” other branches of the streaming platform in Europe, who also removed the episode.
Using a map of Europe, which mimics the spread of Nazi Germany in the 1930s, Fielder said: “Before long, the ideology of Paramount+ Germany had spread to the entire globe, eliminating all Jewish content that made them uncomfortable.”
Continuing his grievance, Fielder highlighted that Paramount+ has 50 search results on the platform for “Nazi,” 10 for “Hitler” and zero for “Judaism”.
In an attempt to bring himself closure on the removal of the episode, Fielder recreated the German branch of Paramount+ so he can confront the head of the organisation. However, the Canadian admitted that he has no idea what the offices of the company look like, so instead sets the conversation in a war room and dresses an actor like a Nazi to play the executive.
“Look, I know you guys probably feel a lot of shame about what you did in the past, and now you're trying to overcompensate by being the world leaders in fighting antisemitism, but 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,” Fielder told the fake boss.
In response, the actor, who has been given permission to improvise, told Fielder: “You designed this office to look like a war room, dressed me to look like a Nazi. You are pretending to want feedback, but you don't actually want to get the Paramount+ perspective or the German perspective. Look at you, pretending to be serious! This is not sincere, just a man with his grudge, using his television show to smear us instead of trying to understand us."
The Independent has contacted Paramount+ for comment.
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