Raphael Bob-Waksberg was still in his 20s when he convinced Netflix to produce his audacious Hollywood satire about a washed-up, alcoholic former TV star who also happens to be a horse. Now, as a 41-year-old father of two, the creator of ‘Bojack Horseman’ is back with another animated Netflix series that is just as boldly funny and devastatingly emotional, but without the crutch of constant animal puns. In this episode, Bob-Waksberg opens up about his “vulnerable” new show, ‘Long Story Short,’ which depicts a Jewish family in the Bay Area that is not unlike his own. He breaks down how the show’s unique time-jumping format cleverly tricks viewers into feeling like they have known the characters for years and reflects on how the essential Jewishness of the story has been interpreted—or perhaps, misinterpreted—by critics. Bob-Waksberg also looks back on the legacy of ‘Bojack,’ including what it did or not predict about the state of “Hollywoo” in 2025 and what it would take for him to revive those characters after saying goodbye to them five years ago. Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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