Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
04-10-12, 11:44 AM
#1
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Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
Rather than post in the episode threads, which is where the first part of this story was posted, I figured I'd create a new thread. This is from Radaronline:
Audio of a new Chevy Chase rant has surfaced, in which the Community star works himself into a frenzy on a voicemail complaining to the show's creator Dan Harmon about his philosophical differences with the NBC comedy -- one he calls a "f*cking mediocre sitcom" that "isn’t funny.”
In the rant acquired by Celebuzz, Chevy begins mild-mannered, discussing what he understands to be a comedic miscommunication between he and Harmon.
"The other part of the disconnect is obviously, you don't get my humor at all, or what it is I do that's funny, that actually makes people laugh," Chase says on the tape, as first obtained by Celebuzz. "There are two choices. One is the story line -- like everybody gives a sh*t about the f*cking story when they don't even know who the characters are -- or there's, 'Make people laugh.'"
Chase continues, "It's cut down. For what? So people can follow the story line between Joel [McHale] and Gillian [Jacobs]? And about love affairs and kissing? Come on man, you're missing the f*cking point. This is not my kind of comedy. I thought you hired me for what I can do that's funny! You've got to give me some range."
Chase builds up to a crescendo in his complaints, reminiscent of a Clark Griswold meltdown from the National Lampoon's films of his peak.
The link, with audio
This is the first part of the feud story:
http://www.deadline.com/2012/03/chev...or-dan-harmon/
“It’s just a f*cking mediocre sitcom!" Chase said. "I want people to laugh and this isn’t funny! It ain’t funny to me because I’m 67-years-old and I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’ve been making a lot of people laugh a lot better than this.”
Audio of a new Chevy Chase rant has surfaced, in which the Community star works himself into a frenzy on a voicemail complaining to the show's creator Dan Harmon about his philosophical differences with the NBC comedy -- one he calls a "f*cking mediocre sitcom" that "isn’t funny.”
In the rant acquired by Celebuzz, Chevy begins mild-mannered, discussing what he understands to be a comedic miscommunication between he and Harmon.
"The other part of the disconnect is obviously, you don't get my humor at all, or what it is I do that's funny, that actually makes people laugh," Chase says on the tape, as first obtained by Celebuzz. "There are two choices. One is the story line -- like everybody gives a sh*t about the f*cking story when they don't even know who the characters are -- or there's, 'Make people laugh.'"
Chase continues, "It's cut down. For what? So people can follow the story line between Joel [McHale] and Gillian [Jacobs]? And about love affairs and kissing? Come on man, you're missing the f*cking point. This is not my kind of comedy. I thought you hired me for what I can do that's funny! You've got to give me some range."
Chase builds up to a crescendo in his complaints, reminiscent of a Clark Griswold meltdown from the National Lampoon's films of his peak.
The link, with audio
This is the first part of the feud story:
http://www.deadline.com/2012/03/chev...or-dan-harmon/
“It’s just a f*cking mediocre sitcom!" Chase said. "I want people to laugh and this isn’t funny! It ain’t funny to me because I’m 67-years-old and I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’ve been making a lot of people laugh a lot better than this.”
04-10-12, 11:51 AM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
It's been a long time since Chase has been funny. I'm not sure I'd just take his word on knowing what makes people laugh.
At some point he became Bill Cosby and started to take himself way to seriously.
At some point he became Bill Cosby and started to take himself way to seriously.
04-10-12, 11:52 AM
#3
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
I can't say I disagree about his role in the show. It's clear he was cast for the name draw, but they haven't done shit with Pearce's character. He still has a moment or two once in a blue moon, but he's largely wasted.
The best Pearce stuff is/was the awkward, almost "Office"-ish, old white man racist bits, but they've mostly shied away from that.
The best Pearce stuff is/was the awkward, almost "Office"-ish, old white man racist bits, but they've mostly shied away from that.
04-10-12, 11:55 AM
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Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
Was the lame ice cream machine bit we got on the show recently due to Harmon giving Chevy some rope... I mean, "range" to do some funny?
04-10-12, 12:07 PM
#5
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
Yeah Chevy Chase has been around and back in the business and has had some iconic comedic roles but at this point he's just a crotchety old man. They need to get rid of his character and let Chevy go.
But that doesn't mean Harmon isn't in the wrong too. It's his show and he needs to be above this. It's on him to either reign Chase in or work on getting him off the show. Between lashing out at Chevy in front of his family and obviously leaking this voicemail, he's not doing a very good job of keeping his show under control. As much as it sounds like working with Chevy Chase sucks, Dan Harmon doesn't exactly sound like a delight either.
But that doesn't mean Harmon isn't in the wrong too. It's his show and he needs to be above this. It's on him to either reign Chase in or work on getting him off the show. Between lashing out at Chevy in front of his family and obviously leaking this voicemail, he's not doing a very good job of keeping his show under control. As much as it sounds like working with Chevy Chase sucks, Dan Harmon doesn't exactly sound like a delight either.
04-10-12, 12:17 PM
#6
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
I'm assuming the voicemail is from when season 2 was airing since he brings up being in the wheelchair. If Harmon released this, I don't know what his point is. I thought it was pretty much common knowledge that Chevy is a douche and burns bridges with everyone that he works with. Just look at his comedy central roast as proof of that.
04-10-12, 12:21 PM
#7
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
You've got to love the dedication to this publicity stunt. It seems to be working.
04-10-12, 12:26 PM
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04-10-12, 12:26 PM
#9
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Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
Chevy Chase will never not be funny. He's just been unlucky enough to have been in a lot of garbage.
I haven't watched the show since the first season and I'm surprised he hasn't complained outright before because he doesn't shy away from expressing his feelings given his behavior in the past (guy can be a total asshole but it's in line with his comedy). On the show, he always had the lamest lines and scenarios then. Being one of the funniest people on the planet, he deserves better - too bad his assholeishness has deterred his career.
But the creator seems quite the douchebag asshole as well.
I haven't watched the show since the first season and I'm surprised he hasn't complained outright before because he doesn't shy away from expressing his feelings given his behavior in the past (guy can be a total asshole but it's in line with his comedy). On the show, he always had the lamest lines and scenarios then. Being one of the funniest people on the planet, he deserves better - too bad his assholeishness has deterred his career.
But the creator seems quite the douchebag asshole as well.
04-10-12, 12:38 PM
#10
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
They deserve each other, Chase is best served on the show when he's the villain, ie - D&D episode.
The show is nerdy/geeky to the extreme (the format changes, movie/tv show references, dungeons and dragons, parallel universe plotlines, KFC spaceship simulators, actually turning the entire student body into zombies for an episode played entirely to ABBAs greatest hits), it isn't a good fit for Chase but his character fits in well.
The show is nerdy/geeky to the extreme (the format changes, movie/tv show references, dungeons and dragons, parallel universe plotlines, KFC spaceship simulators, actually turning the entire student body into zombies for an episode played entirely to ABBAs greatest hits), it isn't a good fit for Chase but his character fits in well.
04-10-12, 12:47 PM
#11
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
But that doesn't mean Harmon isn't in the wrong too. It's his show and he needs to be above this. It's on him to either reign Chase in or work on getting him off the show. Between lashing out at Chevy in front of his family and obviously leaking this voicemail, he's not doing a very good job of keeping his show under control. As much as it sounds like working with Chevy Chase sucks, Dan Harmon doesn't exactly sound like a delight either.
04-10-12, 01:19 PM
#13
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
I'm assuming the voicemail is from when season 2 was airing since he brings up being in the wheelchair. If Harmon released this, I don't know what his point is. I thought it was pretty much common knowledge that Chevy is a douche and burns bridges with everyone that he works with. Just look at his comedy central roast as proof of that.
04-10-12, 01:54 PM
#15
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
Just a bit ironic that OscarBluth is not getting the appeal of hipster comedy?
It's all about making the viewer feel part of the show with inside jokes and clever situations that would only be identifiable to a small cross section (D&D). Full of self-mocking/loathing (Britta). Portlandia does the a similar thing.
It's all about making the viewer feel part of the show with inside jokes and clever situations that would only be identifiable to a small cross section (D&D). Full of self-mocking/loathing (Britta). Portlandia does the a similar thing.
04-10-12, 01:54 PM
#16
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
I'm assuming the voicemail is from when season 2 was airing since he brings up being in the wheelchair. If Harmon released this, I don't know what his point is. I thought it was pretty much common knowledge that Chevy is a douche and burns bridges with everyone that he works with. Just look at his comedy central roast as proof of that.
What happened next was so awful that people who were there -- from audience members to Comedy Central staffers -- still have difficulty talking about it. Chevy Chase walked on stage and realized that almost none of his friends had shown up. He was led to a red overstuffed chair, where he blinked into the television cameras -- first stunned, then angry, then devastated -- as various basic-cable personalities and B-list comics marched to the podium and trashed him. Total strangers telling him that his movies were crap, his talk show was a comedy abortion, he had never been funny. Total strangers giggling about his addiction to drugs. There was no warmth in their comments. No real affection. Because after years of silence from Chase -- and hundreds of thousands of words written about his behavior during the late '70s and early '80s -- a consensus had emerged about the man. Everyone agreed without even having to think about it: Chevy Chase was a bastard.
04-10-12, 03:04 PM
#18
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
Just a bit ironic that OscarBluth is not getting the appeal of hipster comedy?
It's all about making the viewer feel part of the show with inside jokes and clever situations that would only be identifiable to a small cross section (D&D). Full of self-mocking/loathing (Britta). Portlandia does the a similar thing.
It's all about making the viewer feel part of the show with inside jokes and clever situations that would only be identifiable to a small cross section (D&D). Full of self-mocking/loathing (Britta). Portlandia does the a similar thing.
04-10-12, 03:09 PM
#19
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
We're bordering on "no true Scotsman" territory here... I'm not sure there's a way to discern if Chevy is sometimes unfunny because of the material or because he's just losing it, but he most definitely is unfunny at times, whatever the cause.
04-10-12, 03:20 PM
#20
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
04-10-12, 03:22 PM
#21
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
I remember reading a story about the time when Chase's late night show was going to debut on Fox where he took shots at David Letterman and spoke very highly of his own comedic skills. The guy overvalues himself tremendously.
And for the record, I'm a fan of the guy. I just think he needs a reality check STAT.
And for the record, I'm a fan of the guy. I just think he needs a reality check STAT.
04-10-12, 03:27 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
I wouldn't mind Sheen on this show, I think it could be a good vehicle for him.
You know what would be funny? Sheen playing Rick Vaughn, going to Greendale after his MLB career.
You know what would be funny? Sheen playing Rick Vaughn, going to Greendale after his MLB career.
04-10-12, 04:19 PM
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Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
This is really a low rent move by Harmon. This tape must've been from years ago because the storyline between Joel and Gillian is long over. And Chevy ain't wrong. Community is funny but they've never given Pierce anything to do and each time he gets a taste of a story, they drop it.
D
D
04-10-12, 05:08 PM
#24
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
Chevy Chase will never not be funny. He's just been unlucky enough to have been in a lot of garbage.
I haven't watched the show since the first season and I'm surprised he hasn't complained outright before because he doesn't shy away from expressing his feelings given his behavior in the past (guy can be a total asshole but it's in line with his comedy). On the show, he always had the lamest lines and scenarios then. Being one of the funniest people on the planet, he deserves better - too bad his assholeishness has deterred his career.
But the creator seems quite the douchebag asshole as well.
I haven't watched the show since the first season and I'm surprised he hasn't complained outright before because he doesn't shy away from expressing his feelings given his behavior in the past (guy can be a total asshole but it's in line with his comedy). On the show, he always had the lamest lines and scenarios then. Being one of the funniest people on the planet, he deserves better - too bad his assholeishness has deterred his career.
But the creator seems quite the douchebag asshole as well.
04-10-12, 05:47 PM
#25
Banned by request
Re: Chevy Chase Attacks His Own Show, Calls Community 'A F*cking Mediocre Sitcom'
This is a good summary of Chevy's behavior over the years: http://gawker.com/5899097/hes-not-ch...rific-behavior