Chevy Chase has sparked widespread criticism after a clip from a new CNN documentary in which he tells the film's director she is 'not bright enough' went viral. The 82-year-old actor, best known for his roles in National Lampoon's Vacation and as an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, made the remark during an interview for the documentary I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not.
In the clip, director Marina Zenovich tells Chase: 'I'm just trying to figure you out.' He responds: 'No s***. It's not going to be easy for you.' When Zenovich asks why, he snaps: 'You're not bright enough. How's that?' After she reacts with surprise, he appears to backtrack, saying: 'Well, you asked. I know you're not gonna put that on the air, and I hope not.' He added: 'But my answer is, I'm complex, and I'm deep and I can be hurt easily.'
The exchange has been met with shock online, with one X user describing Chase as an 'insufferable old goat.' Another commented: 'Maybe just me but enough with the Chevy Chase coverage. He was funny for one year on SNL and made a number of enjoyable movies. Forty years ago. Enough.' However, some defended him, arguing that disliking him is an 'IQ test' and that his personal failings are irrelevant.
In an interview with Variety, Zenovich said of the encounter: 'I'd never done an interview where someone was so rude to me.' She added that it proved useful as a filmmaker, as it gave her a 'way in' to address the perception that Chase is an 'asshole.'
Elsewhere in the documentary, Chase also expresses being 'hurt' by not receiving a speaking role in the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary celebrations. The film will air on CNN.
