A newly released documentary has exposed the dramatic on-set meltdown that led to comedian Chevy Chase being fired from the cult TV show Community after he used a racial slur and refused to apologise.
The Incident That Sparked the Crisis
According to revelations in the authorised documentary I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not, the crisis unfolded during filming in 2012. Director Jay Chandrasekhar, now 57, was present "the night that Chevy Chase got fired from Community." The incident began when Chase, then 65, "said something" to his Black co-star Yvette Nicole Brown, 54, which caused her to leave the set immediately.
Chandrasekhar explained the tense aftermath. "She got up and stormed out of there... the producer is like, 'We need Yvette in the scene, right?'... 'Well, she won't come out unless Chevy apologises to her.'" Chase, however, flatly refused. In a shocking defence, he reportedly claimed that he used to call his Saturday Night Live co-star Richard Pryor "the N-word" and Pryor would call him "The Honky," adding "and we loved each other."
The Leak and the Final Meltdown
Details of the racial incident were subsequently leaked to The Hollywood Reporter. Upon seeing the story published, Chase allegedly had a "full meltdown." Chandrasekhar described the star storming onto the set, shouting, "Who f***ed me over?... My career is ruined! I'm ruined!... F**k all of you!" The director confirmed, "He never ended up coming back after that."
While The Hollywood Reporter noted at the time that Chase had "apologised immediately" to colleagues and that the slur was not directed at Brown or fellow Black co-star Donald Glover, the damage was irreversible. Chase's character, Pierce Hawthorne, was written out before Season 5 by dying off-screen. He left after Season four, which aired in 2013, making only a brief appearance in 2014.
A History of On-Set Tension
The documentary also sheds light on Chase's notoriously difficult relationship with the show's creator, Dan Harmon. Chandrasekhar referenced a "very public feud," including an infamous wrap party where Harmon encouraged guests to chant "F**k you, Chevy!" This provoked Chase to leave a profanity-laden voicemail for Harmon, which was leaked in 2012.
Chandrasekhar summarised the widely held view, stating "It was out in the open that Chevy Chase was a little difficult on Community, and I'm being nice." The revelations confirm long-standing rumours about the toxic atmosphere that ultimately led to the veteran comedian's departure from the beloved series.
