Chevy Chase on Abrupt ‘Community’ Exit: ‘I’m Not Racist’

In a joint interview with The New York Times published upon the film’s release on Jan. 1, Chase and director Marina Zenovich discussed his firing from the NBC series by creator Dan Harmon after 83 episodes for reportedly using a racial slur on set. 

When asked how he felt about his role ending, in which he played the crotchety Pierce Hawthorne, Chase replied, “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.” He added, “They were too young to be aware of my work. Instead, there was some sort of visceral reaction from them.”

According to The Times, the documentary covers allegations that Chase, who had become frustrated with his character’s escalating bigotry and a scene in which the character uses a hand puppet wearing blackface, said a racial slur when asking whether his character would be made to say it next.

In the CNN documentary, Community director Jay Chandrasekhar mentioned co-star Yvette Nicole Brown when recalling the incident. Brown appeared to address the film in a recent Instagram post, writing, “These 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.”

She added, “In East Cleveland speak: Keep my name out your mouth.” In the caption, Brown wrote, “And when someone chooses to sully or defile themselves, I let them — BIG age or not. And they need to fully own what they alone have done without placing blame or looking for scapegoats. Don’t smear any of that mess over here for clout or reputation rehabilitation. This side of the street remains clean.”

In 2018, The New Yorker profiled Chase’s Community co-star, Donald Glover, and reported that Chase would attempt to disrupt Glover’s scenes and made racial jokes on set. “I just saw Chevy as fighting time—a true artist has to be O.K. with his reign being over,” said Glover. “I can’t help him if he’s thrashing in the water. But I know there’s a human in there somewhere—he’s almost too human.”