A brand new documentary is shedding contemporary mild on the alleged explosive on-set incident that in the end led to Chevy Chase exiting Communityrevealing what a director describes as a “full meltdown” following the now-infamous N-word controversy.
In I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Nota licensed documentary set to premiere January 1 on CNN, director Jay Chandrasekhar recounts being current in the course of the 2012 incident that derailed Chase’s run on the NBC comedy.
Chandrasekhar, who directed a number of episodes of Communitysays the battle stemmed from rising frustration over Chase’s character, Pierce Hawthorne, and a racially charged second throughout rehearsals, per People.
According to Chandrasekhar, tensions escalated throughout work on a scene involving a controversial gag written for Pierce. While he says he did not hear the precise remark Chase made the comment, the second reportedly deeply upset co-star Yvette Nicole Brown, who is alleged to have left the set in protest. Production stalled as producers tried to resolve the scenario, with Brown refusing to proceed filming until Chase apologized.
When Chase returned to the set, Chandrasekhar remembers, the actor defended himself by referencing his previous friendship with the late Richard Pryor.
“He 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?’,” stated Chadrasekhar.
The scenario worsened after information of a “racial incident” leaked to the press. Chandrasekhar says that when the forged reconvened, Chase arrived livid and emotionally unraveling.
“He came storming onto the set,” Chandrasekhar recounts within the documentary. “And he goes, ‘Who fucked me over?’… ‘My career is ruined! I’m ruined!’ Like, it’s a full meltdown. ‘Fuck all of you!'”
The director says filming continued briefly that day, however Chase by no means returned to the present afterward.
Following the incident, manufacturing was halted, and Chase later issued a public apology. He formally departed Community after its fourth season in 2013, making solely a quick cameo look the next 12 months.
The documentary additionally revisits Chase’s long-running feud with collection creator Dan Harmon, together with a infamous wrap-party second the place Harmon inspired the forged and crew to chant insults at Chase, an episode that Chase’s daughter later described as humiliating and deeply hurtful.