Chevy Chase is addressing long-standing questions about his abrupt exit from Community, insisting he was misunderstood amid renewed scrutiny sparked by CNN’s new documentary, I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not.
In an interview with The New York Times published alongside the documentary’s release, Chase reflected on his firing from the NBC comedy in 2012 after 83 episodes. Asked how he views the end of his time on the show, Chase said the situation stemmed from confusion rather than intent.
“It was too great a misunderstanding of what I was saying and not saying,” Chase told the outlet. “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 continued, “They were too young to be aware of my work. Instead, there was some sort of visceral reaction from them.”
The documentary revisits allegations tied to a tense on-set moment during Community’s later seasons. According to reporting outlined in the film, Chase had grown increasingly frustrated with storylines that leaned into his character Pierce Hawthorne’s bigotry, including a scene involving a hand puppet wearing blackface.
The film alleges that during a discussion about the scene, Chase used a racial slur while questioning whether his character would be expected to say it on screen.
Former Community director Jay Chandrasekhar recounts the incident in the documentary, describing fallout that led to Chase’s departure from the series. The controversy has followed Chase for years and resurfaced following the film’s premiere.
Without naming Chase directly, Brown wrote, “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 pointedly, “In East Cleveland speak: Keep my name out your mouth.”
In a caption, Brown emphasized that she would not take responsibility for others’ actions or narratives, writing that when people “choose to sully or defile themselves,” she lets them “fully own what they alone have done.”