Soooooo I watched the Chevy Chase CNN documentary, “I’m Chevy Chase, and You’re Not.” It takes it’s title from both his signature “Saturday Night Live” Weekend Update segment greeting and Rena Fruchter‘s Chase biography of the same name.
The legendary comedian has had his ups and downs, career and personal life-wise. He helped launch longstanding sketch comedy series “SNL.” You’ve probably spent your holidays with him as Clark Griswold in “Christmas Vacation,” or seen the plethora of gifs from his time on “Community.” You know who he is, at least on screen.
You probably also know about his reputation- one that hasn’t changed much during his 50+ year career. Look up any interviews or statements from those who have worked with him, and they’ll all agree. He’s talented, funny, he can be charming, but overall- he’s an asshole.
Sure, even assholes can be funny, loving, friendly, and a family man. I’m not saying Chase has no redeeming qualities, but for fucks’ sake, how many more anecdotes do we have to hear about how impossible he is to work with? Or “well, it would’ve been funny as hell back in the 70s” added on to something outrageously sexist, racist, homophobic, or hateful he said? No one can agree on what he actually said to his “Community” castmates that caused his firing, but everyone can agree he refused to apologize for it.
Director Marina Zenovic is not by any stretch a newbie at documentaries, having won two Emmys for her work on disgraced filmmaker Roman Polanski– but there are times here where she comes across as an amateur who doesn’t actually know a thing about how to talk to her subject, let alone this particular piece of work that is Chase. This could also be something lost in the edit, as I’m sure there were other moments and more clickbateable segments that could’ve been included, considering what IS there.
His trademark sophomoric and at times bitingly misogynistic humor is still there. And yes, he’s still very, very quick on the draw of delivering a joke. I don’t want to sound like I hate him personally, because I don’t. Hell, I am someone who freaking IDOLIZES the original casts of “SNL” (minus the drugs). There truly was no one like Chevy during his heyday. And my heart aches for he and his family for what they experienced during his struggles with addiction, depression, and his heart failure scare.
But continuing to celebrate well-documented bad behavior over the decades is not how we should be teaching the next generation of comedians or entertainers. No, this isn’t me being “woke” or “overly sensitive” or whatever the comments are going to say. I guess it’s just the age we live in, and have to make it to the other side of.
I am curious to know who made the call of not including him in sketches for the “SNL” 50th anniversary special that Lorne Michaels won’t name, though.
“I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not” is currently streaming on CNN.
