Chevy Chase Addresses “Community” Exit, Allegations of On-Set Racism in New Interview
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A new CNN documentary and recent interview with The New York Times have resurfaced allegations of problematic behavior by comedian Chevy Chase during his time on the NBC sitcom Community, prompting the actor to address the controversy and defend his actions. Chase, who departed the show after its fourth season following a highly publicized dispute with creator Dan Harmon, downplayed the experience, stating, “It wasn’t a bad experience. I just didn’t think it was that good, the show.”
A Tumultuous Stint on Community
Chase’s exit from Community was marked by tension, stemming from both creative differences and a reported incident involving a racial slur. According to accounts detailed in the documentary “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not,” and corroborated by The Times, the actor became increasingly frustrated with his character’s storyline, particularly a planned scene involving a blackface hand puppet. It was during a discussion about this storyline that Chase allegedly questioned whether his character would be asked to use a racial slur, and reportedly uttered the slur himself.
The incident reportedly triggered a significant fallout on set. A director of the show, Jay Chandrasekhar, recounted in the documentary that Chase experienced a “meltdown” after news of the alleged slur leaked to the press. Chandrasekhar described a tense exchange between Chase and co-star Yvette Nicole Brown, who reportedly left the set after the incident. “I know that there was a history between [Chevy and Yvette] around race, and she got up and stormed out of there,” Chandrasekhar explained. He further detailed Chase’s subsequent return to the set and attempt to justify his behavior by referencing his relationship with the late comedian Richard Pryor: “[Chevy] goes, ‘You know, me and Richard Pryor, I used to call Richard Pryor the N-word, and he used to call me The Honky, and we loved each other.’ And I’m like, ‘I know, man, I love that bit.’ I said, ‘You know, can we just have a little apology?’ He goes, ‘For what?’”
Chase Defends Himself, Claims Misunderstanding
In his recent interview with The New York Times, Chase maintained his innocence, attributing the controversy to a misunderstanding. “It was too great a misunderstanding of what I was saying and not saying,” he stated. He insisted he is not racist, claiming those who perceived him as such were “too young to be aware of my work.” He added, “I thought that there was at least one person—and another who, for some ungodly reason, didn’t get me, didn’t know who I was, or didn’t realize for one second I’m not racist.”
Reports from The Hollywood Reporter indicated Chase was “frustrated” with his character’s arc when he used the slur “when questioning the dialogue,” but stressed the slur was not directed at his Black co-stars, Donald Glover and Yvette Nicole Brown, who were present on set. Following the report, Chandrasekhar said Chase returned to set and had a “full meltdown,” proclaiming, “Who fucked me over? … My career is ruined! I’m ruined!” and ultimately did not return to the show.
Silence From Former Colleagues
The director of the CNN documentary, Marina Zenovich, revealed that she struggled to secure interviews with Chase’s former Community colleagues. According to Zenovich, “every single person said no” to participating, suggesting a reluctance to revisit the difficult experiences on set.
In the wake of the documentary’s release, Yvette Nicole Brown addressed the situation on Instagram, stating, “There are things I’ve never spoken of publicly and perhaps never will. Anyone currently speaking FOR or ABOUT me with perceived authority is speaking without EVER speaking to me about the things they claim to know about. They actually don’t really know me at all.” Donald Glover previously told The New Yorker in 2018 that Chase repeatedly made racist jokes on the Community set.
Chase, however, has consistently dismissed such accusations. In a 2022 interview with CBS Sunday Morning, he stated, “I don’t give a crap” about being labeled problematic, adding, “I am who I am. And I like who I am. I don’t care.”
Readers interested in learning more can find the full interview with Chevy Chase on The New York Times’ website.
