The Controversial Workaholics Episode Feat. Chris D'Elia: Why 'To Friend A Predator' Was Pulled From Streaming

As of today, December 17, 2025, the single episode of the hit Comedy Central series *Workaholics* featuring comedian Chris D’Elia remains conspicuously absent from all major streaming platforms. This isn't a simple licensing issue; it's a direct consequence of a major 2020 controversy involving the guest star. The episode in question, "To Friend a Predator," has become one of the most infamous and heavily discussed episodes of the stoner office comedy, not for its comedic content, but for the unsettling real-world irony and the subsequent decision by Comedy Central, Hulu, and Amazon Prime to completely scrub it from their libraries. The story of Chris D'Elia's appearance on *Workaholics* is a bizarre case of art imitating life, or perhaps, a role becoming tragically prophetic. The episode, which originally aired during the show’s first season in 2011, became a focal point of media scrutiny years later when serious allegations against D’Elia emerged, leading to a swift and decisive action by the platforms to remove the content entirely, making it virtually impossible to stream legally.

Chris D'Elia: A Brief Biography and Career Overview

Christopher William D'Elia, born on March 29, 1980, in New Jersey, is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and podcast host. Before the major controversy that derailed his career, he was a rapidly rising figure in the comedy world, known for his unique, often physical, and observational style of stand-up.

• Full Name: Christopher William D'Elia
• Born: March 29, 1980 (New Jersey, United States)
• Profession: Stand-up Comedian, Actor, Writer, Podcast Host
• Notable TV Roles: Alex Miller in the NBC sitcom Whitney (2011–2013), Danny Burton in the sitcom Undateable (2014–2016), and Jake in the Hulu series Dollface (2019–2022).
• Controversial Roles: Guest-starred as Topher in *Workaholics* and a similar character, Henderson, in the Netflix thriller You.
• Podcast: Host of the popular comedy podcast Congratulations with Chris D'Elia.
• Comedy Specials: Has released several stand-up specials, including Incorrigible (2015), Man on Fire (2017), and Follow the Leader (2019). His 2023 special, Grow Or Die, was released on YouTube.

The Dark Irony of 'To Friend a Predator' (Season 1, Episode 8)

The episode "To Friend a Predator" first premiered on Comedy Central on May 25, 2011. It quickly became a cult favorite for its dark, boundary-pushing humor, a hallmark of the *Workaholics* series, which stars creators Adam Devine, Anders Holm, and Blake Anderson.

The Plot Summary: Adam, Anders, Blake, and Topher

The episode follows the main trio—Adam, Anders, and Blake—as they attempt to emulate the investigative journalism style of the show *To Catch a Predator*. They set up a sting operation to catch a local child molester, but the plan goes wildly off the rails.

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Chris D'Elia plays the character Topher, the suspected predator. When the guys finally meet him, they are completely disarmed by his charm, cool demeanor, and seemingly laid-back attitude. Topher, far from the stereotypical villain, is presented as an incredibly charismatic and "cool" guy.

Instead of exposing him, the guys end up befriending him, drawn in by his effortless coolness and the promise of a life of leisure and fun. The central comedic premise is the moral compromise of the *Workaholics* characters, who are so easily distracted from their initial noble goal by a charismatic figure. The episode's humor relies entirely on the audience's discomfort with the subject matter and the characters' profound lack of judgment.

Why the Episode Was Removed from Streaming Services

The controversial episode was removed from all streaming platforms in June 2020, years after its original airing. This decision was a direct response to a wave of serious sexual misconduct allegations that surfaced against Chris D'Elia.

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The 2020 Allegations and the Ironic Connection

In mid-2020, multiple women came forward with accusations that D'Elia had sexually harassed them when they were underage. The allegations caused an immediate and massive fallout across the entertainment industry.

The immediate and striking irony was the nature of the allegations mirroring the very role D'Elia played in the *Workaholics* episode: a predator who targets minors. This unsettling connection made the episode, which was already dark comedy, unwatchable for many and a liability for streaming providers.

Within days of the allegations becoming public, Comedy Central, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video all moved to remove the episode "To Friend a Predator" from their respective libraries. This swift action demonstrated a clear effort to distance the popular show and their platforms from the guest star and the deeply unsettling parallel between the fictional character, Topher, and the real-world accusations.

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The Precedent of Other Removed Content

The removal of the *Workaholics* episode was not an isolated incident in D'Elia's career. The controversy also led to his firing from the Netflix horror series Army of the Dead, where he was replaced by Tig Notaro in reshoots. Furthermore, his character Henderson, a wealthy, predatory man who targets young women in the Netflix series *You*, also drew significant scrutiny due to its thematic similarity to the *Workaholics* role and the allegations.

While Chris D'Elia denied the allegations in a statement, the impact on his professional life was immediate and severe, with the episode's removal being a permanent fixture of his career narrative.

The Legacy and Topical Authority of the Episode

The episode "To Friend a Predator" now exists as a piece of television history that is easier to find discussed in detail than it is to watch. Its removal has inadvertently amplified its notoriety, turning it into a case study on accountability, cancel culture, and the thorny relationship between comedy, satire, and real-world morality.

Comedy's Shifting Boundaries

The episode’s initial airing in 2011 was a time when boundary-pushing, dark humor was a key element of shows like *Workaholics*. The plot was meant to be a satirical take on the "To Catch a Predator" phenomenon. However, the subsequent controversy surrounding D'Elia fundamentally changed how the content was perceived, proving that the context of a performer can retroactively alter the meaning and acceptability of their work.

The Availability Question

For fans of the series who want to watch the complete run of *Workaholics*, the absence of Season 1, Episode 8 creates a gap. The episode is now considered "lost" to streaming, only existing in physical media copies or through unofficial, non-legal channels. The *Workaholics* cast—Adam Devine, Anders Holm, and Blake Anderson—have not made extensive public comments on the removal, allowing the streaming platforms' decision to stand as the final word on the matter.

The story of Chris D'Elia's appearance on *Workaholics* is a powerful reminder that while comedy often aims to be provocative, the actions of the people creating that art can ultimately determine its fate in the modern digital landscape.