A new Netflix stand-up special will feature an interactive button enabling viewers to skip gags making fun of U.S. president Donald Trump.
The new ‘Lobby Baby’ special from U.S. late night TV host Seth Myers – a highly-vocal Trump critic –can be sanitised to ensure its palatable for MAGA hat-wearers, or those simply looking to get away from the omni-president in order to enjoy a little comic relief.
The button will work similarly to the existing ‘Skip Intro’ and ‘Skip Credits’ buttons at the beginning and end of existing Netflix content. Although it could raise some eyebrows over censorship, it appears the opportunity to ‘Skip Trump’ is just another part of the joke.
“It dawned on me that because it was on Netflix, there would be this opportunity to put in technology that would allow people to skip it,” the comic told CNN. “It was a way to build in the response to anyone who would say, ‘Oh, let me guess there’s going to be jokes about the President.'”
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Netflix’s director of original standup comedy, Robbie Praw, told the news network he was “thrilled he was able to take advantage of the Netflix experience in such a funny and innovative way.”
Netflix already uses some in-video buttons, with its interactive, choose-you-own-adventure style original’s like the Black Mirror special Bandersnatch. While Myers’ use of the tech is strictly for laughs, there are few limits to what the company could do with the in-content options.
If watching with family members for example, Netflix could offer the opportunity to skip sex scenes and violence, in order to spare the eyes of younger viewers. That wouldn’t be met well by filmmakers and is unlikely to happen, but the potential does raise questions about what the company is choosing to do here with the Myers stand-up special.
Lobby Baby arrives on Netflix on Tuesday. We’ll probably skip it.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.