Explosive Showdown: Chevy Chase Throws Shade, But Community Star Fires Back with a Vengeance!
Joel McHale brilliantly counters Chevy Chase's criticism, defending the humor of their hit show Community Discover the epic comeback and the backstory behind Chase's recent remarks
Summary
Joel McHale responds to Chevy Chase's negative comments about their time on Community.
McHale reveals that Chase's comments no longer affected him emotionally after 2009, and that there were no obligations holding Chase back from leaving the sitcom. Chase openly voiced his dissatisfaction with the portrayal of his character and his sense of isolation within the group on Community.
Community star Joel McHale has responded to Chevy Chase's negative comments about his experiences on the popular comedy series, indicating that the sentiment is reciprocated. Chase, known for his role as Pierce Hawthrone, left the show amidst controversy at the end of season 4. The actor had highly public clashes with series creator Dan Harmon and was reportedly responsible for unsettling his Community co-stars with racially insensitive jokes during filming. Recently, Chase discussed his departure from the show and expressed his dissatisfaction with his time on set.
During an interview with PEOPLE, McHale addressed Chase's remarks pertaining to Community. The actor, portraying Jeff Winger, stated that Chase ceased to affect his emotions in 2009, coinciding with the show's debut. Highlighting that nothing compelled Chase to remain part of the sitcom if he felt that way, McHale mentioned his 2016 memoir where he candidly expressed his own thoughts on the matter. McHale concluded by stating, "Hey, the feeling's mutual, bud." The quote below encapsulates his response.
Chase's Recent Remarks Explained
He ceased to cause me emotional distress in 2009. I responded with, 'You know, nobody forced you to stay.' I mean, we weren't obligated to remain on that show. It was like, 'Well, okay, if you genuinely wanted to leave, you could have done so.' But yeah, you know how Chevy is. That's just Chevy being Chevy. I discussed this in my book, and my message was, 'Hey, the sentiment is mutual, buddy.'
During an interview on WTF with Marc Maron, Chase openly discussed his departure from Community. The actor directly expressed his thoughts to the cast and crew, especially those he collaborated with and his relationship with Harmon. Chase acknowledged his dissatisfaction with the character's writing, while also admitting to feeling isolated and unsatisfied with the company he kept.
Yvette Nicole Brown was the first actor from Community to respond to Chevy's comments, embodying her character Shirley on social media while mentioning that she would likely avoid discussing Chase in depth. Prior to his departure, Chase had never been hesitant to express his discontent with the show, expressing a desire to leave. During that time, reports also indicated that Chase became increasingly frustrated with the way his character was portrayed as a bigot.
The show makes an effort to pay tribute to Pierce. At the start of Community season 5, the character's death is mentioned off-screen, leaving his study group friends with meaningful gifts and farewell messages. One notable gesture is Pierce leaving Troy (Donald Glover) with the remaining ownership of his moist towelette company, which subsequently plays a role in Glover's own departure from the series. Even after several years, it appears that the consensus remains that Chase's departure from the show was for the better, and he will not be part of the upcoming Community movie cast.
Source: PEOPLE
