Chevy Chase is the focus of a new CNN documentary, where he discusses a variety of shocking revelations, including details about his career and controversies.
The 82-year-old former Saturday Night Live cast member is featured in the newly released documentary titled “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not,” which was broadcast on January 1.
This documentary delves into Chase’s ascent to fame and success in the entertainment world, along with his setbacks and numerous contentious events.
The film’s director, Marina Zenovich, experienced a confrontational moment with Chase, involving a heated exchange at one point.
In response to one of the controversial moments discussed in the documentary, Chase spoke with The New York Times, asserting that he is not racist and claiming he had been misunderstood.
So, what other revelations emerged from the documentary?
Chase’s parents divorced when he was around four years old, and both remarried.
The comedian alleged that his mother, Cathalene Parker, was abusive. His wife, Jayni, to whom he has been married since 1982, mentioned an unusual behavior she noticed the first time they spent a night together.
She recalled, “The first time I went to wake him up, he shuddered.”
Chase explained to her that his mother used to slap him awake as a child.
Parker passed away in 2005, and reflecting on her now, Chase remarked, “I feel sorry for her. She had her own issues. But she was physically abusive to me.”
Colleagues who worked with Chase on SNL from 1975 to 1976 noted a significant amount of drug use behind the scenes.
Journalist James Andrew Miller claimed that there was particular concern about Chase, who was heavily involved in drug use.
In addition, other people who worked with Chase during his career, such as producer Alan Greisman and his brother, Ned Chase, also commented on the comedian’s cocaine usage.
Chase confirmed this in the documentary, mentioning, “every so often, we’d have some cocaine flown in from the mainland. Mail’s here!”
The television series Community, created by Dan Harmon, aired from 2009 to 2015 and featured Chase as a main character alongside Joel McHale, Donald Glover, Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, Gillian Jacobs, and Alison Brie.
Chase’s character was purposefully offensive and bigoted, with many jokes highlighting his disconnect with the younger cast members.
There have long been rumors that Chase was difficult to work with, leading to his departure from the show.
Jay Chandrasekhar, a comedian and actor who directed for the show, discussed the tension on set and the incident that led to Chase being fired for allegedly using a racial slur.
Chandrasekhar recounted being present on the day Chase was fired and noted that Harmon had written a “blackface hand puppet routine” for Chase’s character.
“The character is a little tone-deaf… Had it been Chevy in his heyday, he would have been totally fine, right. He said something to Yvette, I know there was a history between those two, around race,” he explained.
Chandrasekhar mentioned that both Brown and Chase stormed out, with Brown refusing to return until Chase apologized.
According to the director, upon Chase’s return, he stated, “Hey, man, I didn’t say anything. You know, I used to call Richard Pryor the N-word, he called me a honkey, and we loved each other.”
The racial incident eventually leaked to the media, and Chandrasekhar claimed Chase had a “meltdown” afterward, demanding to know who was responsible for damaging his career.
Reflecting on the situation, Chase remarked, “It was too great a misunderstanding of what I was saying and not saying. 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.
“They were too young to be aware of my work. Instead, there was a visceral reaction from them.”
Chase’s wife provided more details about the health issues Chase has faced.
In 2021, Chase was hospitalized due to heart failure, raising concerns about his recovery.
She explained, “Something was wrong, and he couldn’t explain to me what was wrong.
“So, we go to the ER. His heart stops. During those years he was drinking, he got cardiomyopathy, when the heart muscles get weaker, and they can’t pump as much blood out with each beat.”
Chase’s daughter, Caley, also spoke about the grim prognosis the family received from doctors.
She mentioned that doctors “warned” them to prepare for the worst.
She added that Chase has since recovered, noting, “he has basically come back from the dead.”