The creator of BoJack Horseman has revealed a joke that Netflix asked him to cut to avoid offending director David FincherBoJack Horseman is an animated series starring Will Arnett as the title character which premiered on the service in 2014. It follows an anthropomorphic horse who is attempting to stay afloat in Hollywood after his fifteen minutes of fame in the '90s. The satire of the entertainment industry features many references to real-life Hollywood celebrities and creators. The show also stars Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, and Aaron Paul.

Yesterday, BoJack Horseman creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg spoke out about Netflix's approach to controversial jokes. He ruminated over the fact that "apparently Dave Chapelle’s [sic] deal is that he says whatever he wants and Netflix just has to air it, unedited," referencing the transphobic jokes in the comedian's recent special, which have caused turmoil within the ranks of the company including walkouts and the company firing several employees who spoke out against Chappelle. In contrast, he revealed that he was once asked to cut a Bojack Horseman season 1 joke about director David Fincher because they "were worried it might upset [him]." He agreed to reveal the joke in question if 100 of his followers donated to Trans Lifeline.

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In just 7 hours, fans had donated over $2,000 to Trans Lifeline and Raphael Bob-Waksberg posted the scene on his Twitter. He acknowledges that "Netflix was right to note, it's a dumb scene," reiterating that "my point was it's silly for a network to pretend their hands are tied when it comes to the content they put on their network." The scene involves Princess Carolyn running into David Fincher at a baby shower and calling him a "skinny b**ch." He goes on to reveal that the host of the baby shower told the studio he was a "crack addict" so he would be free to come to the shower, and the scene culminates in a "What's in the box?" joke referencing Fincher's 1995 film Se7en. Check out Bob-Waksberg's full thread, including the cut scene, below:

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David Fincher is a pioneer of the current Netflix model, having created their first-ever original streaming series, the hit political thriller House of Cards, in early 2013. The director still has a solid working relationship with the streaming service, creating the serial killer psychological drama Mindhunter in 2017 and the animated anthology series Love, Death, and Robots in 2019. He also directed 2020's classic Hollywood biopic Mank, which was nominated for 10 Oscars, winning Best Production Design and Best Cinematography.

BoJack Horseman is a show that pushes the boundaries both in terms of edgy humor and its own structure and stylization. While it's true that the show was still finding its voice in its first season, as Bob-Waksberg himself acknowledges, it's curious how a joke this ultimately toothless failed to make it past the studio brass. Hopefully, this revelation can help the studio open a more constructive dialogue with its top creators.

Next: BoJack Horseman: Why Rami Malek's Flip Is Always Eating Blue Popsicles

Source: Raphael Bob-Waksberg