Raphael Bob-Waksberg

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Lore & Background

Bob-Waksberg was raised in Palo Alto, California with his two sisters, Becky and Amalia, in a Conservative Jewish family. His parents were involved in various Jewish causes; from 1982 to about 2010, his mother and grandmother ran a Judaica gift and book store titled Bob & Bob Fine Jewish Gifts and Books. His father, David Waksberg, helped Russian-speaking Jews emigrate to the United States and served as CEO of Jewish LearningWorks until his retirement in 2020. His father has stated, 'When a friend asked me about [*BoJack Horseman*] after the first season, I said it was about teshuvah.' Bob-Waksberg replied to a question about his culture's influence on his art, 'Asking me that question is like asking a fish how much being in water has affected it.' He grew up 8 minutes away from Lisa Hanawalt, and was in the grade below hers at Gunn High School, which he described as 'one of those schools where if you didn't take five AP classes and get 1600 on your SATs, you were considered subpar.' In 2019, he lamented that his high school class voted him 'Class Clown' rather than 'Funniest,' explaining, ''Class Clown' is like, 'Ahhhhh, look at me, look at me!' Whereas 'Funniest' is like, 'Oh, a subtle wit.'' He attended Bard College in New York for playwriting, where for three years he was roommates with Adam Conover, creator and host of *Adam Ruins Everything*. They were founding members of the sketch comedy group Olde English. Bob-Waksberg graduated with a degree in Theater and Performance in 2006. He is vegan.

In Their Own Story

Growing up, Bob-Waksberg was influenced by shows like *The Simpsons*, *Seinfeld*, and *The Larry Sanders Show*, stating: 'I was very moved by shows that combined things that were funny and sad. I remember liking *Simpsons* episodes in which emotions were central. And I thought family sitcoms like *Full House*, *Growing Pains* and *Family Ties* [the models for fictional sitcom 'Horsin' Around' in *BoJack*] were actually kind of powerful. There was something wonderful about their cheesiness and warmth.' Hanawalt's art, specifically her animal-human hybrid characters, inspired him to create *BoJack Horseman*, and she eventually became the show's production designer and producer. He also cited *Daria*, *South Park*, *Who Framed Roger Rabbit*, *Archer*, *Animaniacs*, *The Tick*, and the films of Don Hertzfeldt as influences. As a member of the Olde English comedy troupe, he co-wrote and appeared in *The Exquisite Corpse Project*. He was the script doctor for *The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part*, released on February 8, 2019. His short story collection titled *Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory: Stories* was published by Knopf Publishing on June 11, 2019. In March 2018, it was announced he was co-creating *Undone* for Amazon with Kate Purdy; it premiered on September 13, 2019, and was renewed for a second season in November 2019. In August 2024, Netflix announced Bob-Waksberg would create, write and executive-produce *Long Story Short*, released on August 22, 2025, receiving strong reviews and renewed for a second season premiering in 2026.

Reader's Guide

Raphael Bob-Waksberg developed *BoJack Horseman* from an original concept, aiming to deconstruct the typical Hollywood satire by focusing on psychological realism. He drew inspiration from his own experiences in comedy and the industry's darker underbelly, crafting characters that felt deeply flawed yet relatable. The creative process involved a unique blend of traditional animation techniques with modern storytelling structures. Waksberg worked closely with animators to ensure visual metaphors reinforced the narrative themes, such as using surreal sequences to depict mental states or memory distortions. This approach allowed the show to tackle heavy subjects like suicide and trauma while maintaining its comedic edge. The series left an indelible mark on adult animation by proving that shows could be both funny and heartbreaking without sacrificing quality. It influenced a wave of subsequent animated projects to embrace complex character arcs and darker themes, shifting the industry's perception of what cartoons for adults could achieve.

Did You Know?

• Bob-Waksberg was nicknamed 'Raizin' at age 9 and used the name until age 22.
• He was roommates with Adam Conover (creator of *Adam Ruins Everything*) for three years at Bard College.
• His father described *BoJack Horseman* as 'about teshuvah' (a Hebrew term for repentance).
• He was voted 'Class Clown' in high school, not 'Funniest,' which he lamented.
• Bob-Waksberg is vegan.