TV producer Steven Bochco says he fired lead actor from Murder One because one particular bathroom habit made him an hour late for work EVERY DAY

  • Steven Bochco says he fired Daniel Benzali, the lead actor in his 1995 hit show Murder One, because he was late to set everyday due to his morning dumps
  • Bochco dished on the feces-related firing in his book Truth Is a Total Defense: My Fifty Years in Television 
  • He wrote that he tried to reason with Benzali to use the bathroom at work, but Benzali preferred to use his home's restroom
  • Bochco passed away in April 2018 following a battle with leukemia

Steven Bochco may be famous for his TV writing and producing career, but a little known fact about the strong-willed Hollywood figure is that he fired one of his star actors whose 'morning dump' made him late to set every day.

Bochco, who passed away in April earlier this year, recounted the feces-related firing in his book Truth Is a Total Defense: My Fifty Years in Television.

In his book he detailed how he gave actor Daniel Benzali the boot while he was the lead in the hit drama Murder One which aired from 1995 to 1997, after he allegedly blamed his tardiness on his morning bathroom routine.

TV producer Steven Bochco fired Daniel Benzali, the lead actor in his 1995 hit show Murder One, because he was late to set everyday due to his morning dumps
Bochco tried to reason with Benzali to use the bathroom at work, but Benzali preferred to use his home's restroom on his own time

TV producer Steven Bochco (left) fired Daniel Benzali (right), the lead actor in his 1995 hit show Murder One, because he was late to set everyday due to his morning dumps

Benzali rose to fame on set on Murder One, pictured above, where he played successful attorney Ted Hoffman and was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance

Benzali rose to fame on set on Murder One, pictured above, where he played successful attorney Ted Hoffman and was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance

Bochco wrote: 'When he arrived, I said, "Daniel you’re an hour late for work every day and it’s hurting us. What can I do to help you with this problem?"

'Daniel said to me, "I don’t know what to tell you. I live in Malibu. I get up, I have my coffee, and then I have to wait until I have my morning dump."

'Unbelievable. I suggested the following: "Get up, have your coffee, and come to work, then have your morning dump."

Bochco dished on the feces-related firing in his book Truth Is a Total Defense: My Fifty Years in Television

Bochco dished on the feces-related firing in his book Truth Is a Total Defense: My Fifty Years in Television

'Daniel said he couldn't; that once he’d had his coffee, the drive was too long for him to hold his dump in,"' he wrote in his May 2016 published book. 

Despite efforts to come to a compromise, Benzali said: 'I can only go to the bathroom in my own toilet at home'.

As a result of the bathroom blues, Bochco fired Benzali in 1996 from the show where he played attorney Ted Hoffman and was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance.

Comedian Max Silvestri shared the book excerpt revealing the cut-throat side of the TV writer on Twitter where it has gone viral with over 1,000 likes on Thursday. 

'IMPORTANT: Steven Bochco fired the lead actor from MURDER ONE because his morning dump made him an hour late to set every single day,' he wrote.

'Bocho also offered to rent him an apartment across the street from the lot so he could wake up there and s*** but Benzali said no. "Malibu is my sanctuary,"' he added. 

Speaking on the very public firing, Bochco didn't reveal the details behind his decision, instead he credited cutting Benzali to freshening up the show's cast and story line.

Comedian Max Silvestri shared the book excerpt revealing the cut-throat side of the TV writer on Twitter where it has gone viral with more than 1,000 likes

Comedian Max Silvestri shared the book excerpt revealing the cut-throat side of the TV writer on Twitter where it has gone viral with more than 1,000 likes

One Twitter user revealed he interviewed Bochco who needed plenty of time for the bathroom 

One Twitter user revealed he interviewed Bochco who needed plenty of time for the bathroom 

Silvestri responded saying: 'Surprised then he wasn't more understanding of Daniel Bengali's evacuation habits'

Silvestri responded saying: 'Surprised then he wasn't more understanding of Daniel Bengali's evacuation habits'

Positive side: One Twitter user said Benzali was at least not wasting work time in the bathroom 

Positive side: One Twitter user said Benzali was at least not wasting work time in the bathroom 

Many Twitter users agreed with Benzali saying: 'I'm fully on the actor's side here. I'm not going to use strange toilets'

Many Twitter users agreed with Benzali saying: 'I'm fully on the actor's side here. I'm not going to use strange toilets'

Veep actor Timothy Simons said: 'Honestly this guy is the last sane man on earth and I support him' siding with Benzali 

Veep actor Timothy Simons said: 'Honestly this guy is the last sane man on earth and I support him' siding with Benzali 

Twitter users were left in stitches of laughter following the viral tweet saying: 'I don't know who these people are, but this conversation is incredibly amusing'

Twitter users were left in stitches of laughter following the viral tweet saying: 'I don't know who these people are, but this conversation is incredibly amusing'

'I think when you've got as low a rating as we had and you get renewed, you've got to try to broaden your appeal,' Bochco said to the New York Times in 1996. 

He added 'that while what [Benzali] did he did brilliantly, he just did not have a broad-based indentifiability, if there is such a word.'

The viral excerpt left Twitter users in laughter over the TV producer and actor's dispute over a morning dump. 

'Honestly this guy is the last sane man on earth and I support him,' Veep actor Timothy Simmons wrote on Twitter.  

'Showrunner refuses to rearrange shooting schedule after being informed of lead actor's medical needs; fires actor instead,' one Twitter user said. 

'No one should ever poop at work. It’s an act of aggression. This firing was unjustified,' another wrote. 

'When I interviewed Bochco, a lot of time was given over to bowel health and practices. and I was not the one doing the talking. Just saying,' Journalist Mark Harris wrote, to which Silvestri replied: 'Surprised then he wasn’t more understanding of Daniel Bengali’s evacuation habits.' 

'I like Bocho, but as someone with shy bowels, I'm fully on the actor's side here. I'm not going to use strange toilets,' another Twitter user echoed. 

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.