Nathan Fielder Compares Paramount+ to Nazis After Controversial Episode Removal Due to Antisemitism Concerns

In a memorable episode of “Nathan for You,” Nathan Fielder launched a brand called Summit Ice. His motivation? A Canadian clothing company, Taiga, had honored Holocaust denier Doug Collins, which Fielder found deeply offensive as a Jewish individual. To counteract this, he created a winter jacket line, pledging all earnings to Holocaust education.

Fielder aimed to display Summit Ice jackets in stores. He enlisted a rabbi to craft an eye-catching retail setup that emphasized his brand’s mission. Their idea? A display featuring a replica of the Auschwitz gate accompanied by striking props like swastika pennants and a fake skeleton in an oven.

Not surprisingly, the store owner rejected this audacious proposal, bluntly advising Fielder to pursue different interests. Yet, Summit Ice thrived, quickly turning into a popular inside joke among fans, raking in $300,000 in just eight weeks. These funds significantly contributed to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. Fast-forward ten years, and Fielder has likely raised millions for Holocaust awareness.

Recently, in his HBO series “The Rehearsal,” Fielder called Summit Ice his “proudest achievement.” He emphasized how something seemingly “silly” could create real impact.

However, not everyone appreciates his approach. In a 2023 episode of “The Rehearsal,” Fielder disclosed that the Paramount+ streaming service had removed the episode featuring Summit Ice from its library. This was confirmed by Variety, which cited a “standards review” as the reason. While the episode is still available on Max, its absence on Paramount+ raised eyebrows.

Fielder reached out to Paramount+ for answers, learning that the removal was intentional due to “sensitivities.” A representative mentioned that the decision originated from Paramount+ Germany, which grew uncomfortable with any content that could be linked to antisemitism, especially in the current climate around the Israel-Hamas situation.

The decision caught fire, prompting other Paramount branches to follow suit, essentially wiping out any Jewish-related content that might cause discomfort. Fielder depicted this decision as a global ideological shift, comparing it to the spread of Nazism—a bold metaphor for an equally bold situation.

Adding to the conversation, Fielder shared that while searching for "Nazi" on Paramount+, results yielded 50 entries, with 10 for "Hitler." Strikingly, a search for "Judaism" returned only one option, a 2022 Showtime series. In comparison, searches for other religions produced a variety of results, highlighting a glaring inconsistency.

In response to these challenges, Fielder replicated the Paramount+ Germany office in his show, complete with a fake executive to explore why the Summit Ice episode was removed. The recreated office mirrored his original concept, providing a humorous yet critical view of corporate sensibilities.

The actor portraying the executive critiqued Fielder’s approach, suggesting that his portrayal was misleading and insincere. This interaction served to spotlight the delicate balance between humor and sensitivity in media. The lack of comments from Paramount+ leaves many questions unanswered, especially regarding censorship and who decides what content can be shown.

Fielder’s unique blend of comedy and social commentary urges viewers to reflect on the impact of media portrayal of sensitive subjects, leaving us wondering about the broader implications of such decisions.

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Nathan Fielder,The Rehearsal