Viewers of Seth Meyers’ new Netflix comedy special Lobby Baby will be able to skip jokes the late-night host tells about President Trump.
The comedian told CNN Business that he asked the streamer to allow people watching the special to skip his Trump bits just like they might skip the intro of a mid-season TV episode.
“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,” he said. “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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The “skip” feature isn’t new to Netflix. In 2017, the platform introduced its Skip Intro button, which allowed users to — you guessed it — bypass a show’s introduction credits and theme songs. It saved audiences precious minutes and became a crucial aspect of watching Netflix. Not all Netflix technology has been user-approved, however. Last year, Netflix debuted Instant Rewind which allowed users to rewatch a scene, but it was found to be distracting.
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Robbie Praw, Netflix’s director of original standup comedy programming, told CNNthat the company was “thrilled he was able to take advantage of the Netflix experience in such a funny and innovative way.”
It’s not likely many Meyers fans will skip the political comedy, as the host is known for taking shots at the President from behind the desk of Late Night. Meyers’ critique of Trump dates back to 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner when he wisecracked about the (at the time) reality star and real estate mogul.
Lobby Baby hits Netflix on Tuesday, and viewers will be able to enjoy the special in its entirety or as a Trump-free entertainment.
Brenden Gallagher is a politics reporter and cultural commentator. His work has been published by Motherboard, Complex, and VH1. He’s the co-founder of Beer Money Films, an indie production company. Based in Los Angeles, he works in television drama as a writers assistant.