Community star Joel McHale opens up about his on-set issues with co-star Chevy Chase. The cult favorite sitcom had a rocky start before finding its footing in season 2. Community did reach six seasons after numerous cancelations and is now inching closer to the hoped-for movie referenced by its characters. Almost every Community cast member has been confirmed to return in the upcoming movie except for Chase. The actor saw his revival and downfall all within the same show, which has been extensively covered by co-stars.
McHale, who played de facto study group leader Jeff Winger on the show, recently appeared on the podcast Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum and opened up about the behind-the-scenes issues that took place on Community. The conversation first shifted when Rosenbaum described a tense exchange between him and Chase during a photo-op, to which McHale responded, “So you saw the good side of him.” He then went on to say:
There’s a chapter in the book I wrote about fighting him, how to fight him… [We fought] multiple times. There was pushing and shoving… It was advanced horseplay. You know horseplay… It wasn’t fun.
It would get a little contentious. It would get to this point where I’m like… Well. I got in trouble one time because I injured him. Yeah, I dislocated his shoulder.
He just did Marc Maron’s podcast, and it made all these headlines because he was like, “I didn’t find the show funny and didn’t want to be there,” and then my response is, “Yeah, feeling’s mutual about your attitude, and you didn’t have to be there.”
How Chevy Chase Ruined His Role On Community
Chase’s Time On The Show Ended In Controversy
Chase made it well known throughout his time on Community that he did not enjoy being a part of the series. Often, Chase criticized his character’s role while also noting that it was beneath his talents. At one point, Chase even called co-star Donald Glover a racial slur, which was referenced by Glover during the WGA awards in 2023. Glover would go on to leave Community the season that Chase’s character was declared deceased and would find newfound fame in his rap, writing, and further acting career.
Prior to this, Chase came to blows with showrunner Dan Harmon following a tense wrap party in which Harmon told the crowd to announce “F*** Chevy,” and they all followed. Chase left a heated voicemail to Harmon which went viral after Harmon shared it. The showrunner was fired for the following season. Chase stayed, yet the Vacation star left after season 4 was wrapped. He concluded his role on Community with a hologram at the beginning of season 5, but this was the last viewers would see of him.
Community: Every Major Actor Who Left The Show (& Why)
Not every study group member at the center of Community remained for the duration of the show’s six seasons – here’s who left before season 6.
Harmon has commented on the return of actors for the Community movie since it has gained steam following the pandemic, but stated that Chase would not return. His character, Pierce, was killed off during season 5, so his return would come as a shock, but perhaps not to viewers. Pierce was known for fooling his study group with long cons, so, if he were to make a return, it wouldn’t be a surprise. Yet, if his Community co-stars were to be consulted, it seems the consensus would be to keep Chase as far away from the set as possible.
Watch Community on Netflix.
Community
Created by Dan Harmon, Community is a comedy series that follows a study group at an unorthodox community college where zany antics occur daily. When disgraced lawyer Jeff Winger is forced to enroll in a local college to get a degree and reinstate himself, he gets roped in with fellow students from different backgrounds, races, religions, and ages and reluctantly forms a study group. Together, these lovable misfits will navigate their school lives in some nigh unbelievable situations as they all try to figure out where their futures lie.
- Cast
- Ken Jeong , Chevy Chase , Joel McHale , Jim Rash , Gillian Jacobs , Alison Brie , Yvette Nicole Brown , Donald Glover , Danny Pudi
- Release Date
- September 17, 2009
- Seasons
- 6
- Network
- NBC
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu , Netflix
- Writers
- Dan Harmon
- Showrunner
- Dan Harmon
