A new documentary is shedding fresh light on the alleged explosive on-set incident that ultimately led to Chevy Chase exiting Community, revealing what a director describes as a "full meltdown" following the now-infamous N-word controversy.
In I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not, an authorized documentary set to premiere January 1 on CNN, director Jay Chandrasekhar recounts being present during the 2012 incident that derailed Chase's run on the NBC comedy.
Chandrasekhar, who directed multiple episodes of Community, says the conflict stemmed from growing frustration over Chase's character, Pierce Hawthorne, and a racially charged moment during rehearsals, per People.
According to Chandrasekhar, tensions escalated during work on a scene involving a controversial gag written for Pierce. While he says he didn't hear the exact comment Chase made the remark, the moment reportedly deeply upset co-star Yvette Nicole Brown, who is said to have left the set in protest. Production stalled as producers attempted to resolve the situation, with Brown refusing to continue filming unless Chase apologized.
When Chase returned to the set, Chandrasekhar recalls, the actor defended himself by referencing his past 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?'," said Chadrasekhar.
The situation worsened after news of a "racial incident" leaked to the press. Chandrasekhar says that when the cast reconvened, Chase arrived furious and emotionally unraveling.
"He came storming onto the set," Chandrasekhar recounts in 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, but Chase never returned to the show afterward.
Following the incident, production was halted, and Chase later issued a public apology. He officially departed Community after its fourth season in 2013, making only a brief cameo appearance the following year.
The documentary also revisits Chase's long-running feud with series creator Dan Harmon, including a notorious wrap-party moment where Harmon encouraged the cast and crew to chant insults at Chase, an episode that Chase's daughter later described as humiliating and deeply hurtful.