Chevy Chase set ‘Meltdown’ to ‘Community’ after N-Word went public

“” director Jay Chandrasekhar is interviewed in the upcoming CNN documentary “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not” and recalls being “there, directing, the night Chevy Chase was fired” from the NBC sitcom (via People). Chandrasekhar, who is best known for his work with comedy troupe Broken Lizard, said the actor had a “meltdown” on set after an incident in which he used the N-word on set was leaked to the press.

The alleged incident took place between Chase and co-star Yvette Nicole Brown, with Chandrasekhar explaining: “I know there was a history between [Chevy and Yvette] around the race, and she got up and stormed out of there. Chevy storms off, so the producer says, “We need Yvette in the scene, right?” I’m like, ‘Yeah, she’s in the next scene.’ And he says, ‘Well, she’s not going to get out unless Chevy apologizes.’

Chandrasekhar said Chevy eventually returned to the set, but claimed he “didn’t say anything” to upset Brown, adding:[Chevy] says, “You know, Richard Pryor and I used to call Richard Pryor the N-word, and he called 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 apologize?’ He asks, ‘What for?’”

Whatever Chase said on the “Community” set happened during a “blackface” hand puppet bit written for the comedian’s character, Pierce Hawthorne, Chandrasekhar said. The incident was later reported by The Hollywood Reporter, who claimed Chase was “frustrated” with his character arc and used the N-word “when questioning the dialogue.” The report highlighted that Chase did not use the racial slur directly against his Black co-stars Brown and Donald Glover, although both actors were reportedly on set at the time.

Chandrasekhar said that when production resumed after the THR story broke, Chase arrived on set and had a “complete meltdown” when he “stormed onto the set, and he said, ‘Who screwed me over?’ … My career is ruined! I’m ruined!’ Like it’s a complete meltdown. “Fuck all of you!” And I said, ‘Okay, let’s film the scene.’ After that he never came back.”

Variety has reached out to Chase’s representative for further comment.

Glover told The New Yorker in 2018 that Chase repeatedly made racist jokes on the set of “Community.” According to the profile, Chase “often tried to disrupt his scenes with Glover” by creating “racial rifts between takes,” one of which included the following: “People think you’re funnier because you’re black.”

“Chevy was the first to realize how immensely gifted Donald was, and the way he expressed his jealousy was by trying to push Donald away,” Community creator Dan Harmon said at the time. “I remember apologizing to Donald after a particularly rough night of Chevy’s un-PC verbiage, and Donald said, ‘I’m not even worried about it.'”

Glover interpreted Chase’s racist comments as the comedian “kicking the bucket,” adding, “I just saw Chevy as fighting time — a true artist has to be okay with his reign being over.” I can’t help him if he hits the water. But I know there’s a human in there somewhere – he’s almost too human.’

Chase told CBS Sunday Morning in 2022 that he “doesn’t give a damn” about the headlines and former co-stars portraying him as problematic on set, adding at the time, “I don’t care. I am who I am. And I love who I am. I don’t care. And it’s a part of me that I don’t care. And I’ve thought about that a lot. And I don’t know what to tell you, man. I just don’t care.”

Chase left “Community” after season 4 following the N-word incident and a public feud with Harmon over creative differences. Chandrasekhar says in the CNN documentary that “it was open that Chevy Chase was a little difficult on ‘Community,’ and I’m nice. People talked about it, enough that Dan did that thing at the wrap party,” referring to the moment Harmon got the partygoers to shout “Fuck you, Chevy!”

“My dad was super excited to take me and my mom to the wrap party,” Chevy’s daughter Caley says in the documentary. “We walk in, Dan, he’s had a few drinks. He got the whole cast and crew to scream, ‘Fuck you, Chevy!’ “Fuck you, Chevy!” I’m there, he shows his daughter, “This is the show I did,” and we walk in going, “Fuck you, Chevy!” That’s rough and mean.”

Director Marina Zenovich of ‘I’m Chevy Chase and you’re not’ told Variety that she tried to convince more members of Chase’s “Community” cast and crew to participate in the documentary, but “everyone said no” because “there are things people don’t want to talk about.”

“I ran into Dan Harmon at a screening of ‘Deaf President Now!’ and I got his number,” she added. “I was so excited. I thought it would happen, but then he refused. I was so lucky to get Jay Chandrasekhar. He had such a great delivery and he was willing to go there. If Jay had said no, I would have been screwed.”

“I’m Chevy Chase, And You’re Not” airs Jan. 1 on CNN.