Episode 2 of “The Rehearsal” Season 2 saw Nathan Fielder engaging in the kind of elaborate simulation of a social interaction that has become his trademark in recent years. But rather than a bar trivia dispute or an uncomfortable cockpit moment, this rehearsal saw the comedian prepare to tackle a real problem from his own professional life: the removal of the Summit Ice episode of “Nathan for You” from Paramount+.
Officially titled “Horseback Riding/Man Zone,” Season 3, Episode 2 of “Nathan for You” saw Fielder use his outlandish tactics to solve a variety of small business problems. The most notable storyline from the episode involved Fielder learning that the brand Taiga had published a tribute to a Holocaust denier, prompting him to start his own outerwear brand, Summit Ice, which placed Holocaust remembrance front and center. While the episode found humor in Fielder convincing a sporting goods store owner to let him build an elaborate display of information about Hitler’s atrocities next to the jackets, Summit Ice has continued to operate as a real brand that donates all of its proceeds to Holocaust remembrance organizations.
Fielder has since moved on from “Nathan for You,” but “The Rehearsal” brought the show back to the public consciousness this week when Fielder revealed that the Summit Ice episode is no longer available on the show’s streaming home. He traced the move back to a decision from Paramount+’s German division, which he claimed cited “sensitivities” over the “Nathan for You” episode’s engagement with the Holocaust as a reason to pull it. The decision appeared to have ripple effects throughout the massive entertainment conglomerate, and the episode is now unavailable around the world.
Fielder used the episode’s removal to make a broader point about the availability of Jewish content on Paramount+. “Currently on the Paramount app, there are 50 results for ‘nazi,’ 10 for ‘Hitler’ and zero for ‘Judaism,’” he said at one point during “The Rehearsal” episode. “We’ve been erased.”
Fielder admitted that he was in an awkward situation. Although he was no longer making “Nathan for You” for Paramount, the company backed his Showtime series, “The Curse,” which has yet to be renewed for Season 2. But even if the confrontation carried professional risk, Fielder was prepared to get to the bottom of the situation by hiring actors to help him prepare for a meeting with the head of Paramount+ Germany.
“Horseback Riding/Man Zone” is currently streaming on Max along with all episodes of “Nathan for You.” A Paramount+ spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter that the “Nathan for You” episode was removed from the streaming service following a “standards review.” IndieWire has reached out for additional comment.
