Yvette Nicole Brown is pushing back against renewed attention surrounding a long-discussed on-set incident involving her former Community co-star Chevy Chase, as a new documentary revisits allegations tied to Chase’s exit from the series.
Ahead of CNN’s upcoming film, I’m Chevy Chase, and You’re Not, Brown shared a pointed message on social media addressing what she described as people speaking about her experiences without her consent.
“These are things I’ve never spoken of publicly and perhaps never will,” Brown wrote. She added that anyone claiming to speak on her behalf “is speaking without EVER speaking to me about the things they claim to know about.”
Brown emphasized that outsiders do not have insight into her personal or professional relationships, concluding bluntly, “In East Cleveland speak: Keep my name out of your mouth.”
The documentary revisits a controversial moment from Community’s production, described by former director Jay Chandrasekhar. In the film, Chandrasekhar claims he was present during an incident tied to a storyline involving Chase’s character, Pierce Hawthorne, that reportedly escalated after Chase allegedly directed a racial slur toward Brown.
Chandrasekhar alleges Brown left the set upset and that tensions worsened after reports of a “racial incident” surfaced in the press.
According to Chandrasekhar, the fallout included an explosive reaction from Chase, who allegedly lashed out over the leak and declared his career “ruined.” Chase departed Community after season four, later returning briefly in season five.
Brown, however, made clear that she is not interested in relitigating the situation publicly. In a follow-up message, she reiterated that she speaks up when she believes it can create change, but stays silent when it will not.
“When I choose NOT to speak on something it’s usually because it won’t change a thing,” she wrote, adding that she considers the current discourse “beneath” her.
None of Brown’s Community castmates—including Donald Glover, Alison Brie, Joel McHale, or Gillian Jacobs—participated in the documentary. The film traces Chase’s career from Saturday Night Live fame to later accusations of being difficult to work with, and is set to premiere on CNN on New Year’s Day.