Chevy Chase Hates the Current 'SNL,' Has a Lot of Resentment Toward the Show

By Dustin Rowles | TV | September 19, 2018 |

By Dustin Rowles | TV | September 19, 2018 |

The Washington Post ran a long profile of Chevy Chase today, which Chase likely arranged because he’s ready to get back to work again. The profile is not going to help matters.

Chevy Chase is sober now. He’s lost a lot of weight, too. But he’s still an asshole. His history of assholery ends up being the primary topic of the profile, but nothing that Chase says in the interview suggests that he’s any less of a dick now. Much of his ire, however, seems to be directed at SNL, for which he unkind words when it comes to the current cast.

“First of all, between you and me and a lamppost, jeez, I don’t want to put down Lorne or the cast, but I’ll just say, maybe off the record, I’m amazed that Lorne has gone so low. I had to watch a little of it, and I just couldn’t f——— believe it.”

“That means a whole generation of shitheads laughs at the worst f——— humor in the world,” he says. “You know what I mean? How could you dare give that generation worse shit than they already have in their lives? It just drives me nuts.”

Of course, Chase apparently hasn’t liked the show since he left.

“I’d have to say, that after the first two years, it went downhill,” Chase says. “Why am I saying that? Because I was in it? I guess. That’s a horrible thing to say. But certainly, I never had more fun. I really loved it and enjoyed it. I didn’t see the same fun thing happening to the cast the next year.”

He has some kind words for some cast members over the years — Tina Fey, Dana Carvey, and Kristen Wiig, sort of: “I liked her a lot. She had two things going for her. She had clear-cut chops, and she was pretty, too. But what happened to her? Where did she go?” He is not, however, a fan of Will Ferrell (“Just not funny. Makes $25 million a picture.”), nor does he seem that impressed by Eddie Murphy (“Stevie Wonder, he did well. [Pause.] It’s not that hard, for Christ’s sake. Your skin’s the same color. You just put on some sunglasses and do this.”)

See what I mean about still being an asshole?

One anecdote from the lengthy profile sticks out, however, and that comes from the wedding of his daughter six years ago, which he apparently thought was a good time to ask Lorne Michaels if he could host again.

Six summers ago, at his daughter Cydney’s wedding, Chase turned to Lorne Michaels and told him he was ready. He hadn’t been back to host since 1997. It was time.

“He said no,” Chase recounts. ” ‘Come on, Lorne.’ ‘No.’ ‘Why?’ ‘You’re too old.’ I said, ‘And Helen Mirren’s pretty and young?’ I didn’t get it. You’re too old? We’d had many people older than me hosting. What did he mean? I’ve never understood what he meant. Because I’d be very good, and it would be fun for an audience to see me doing that.”

It clearly stings. It’s why he’s bringing it up six years later to a reporter he’s just met.

“It’s like denying that I was the guy who made this show really go that first year,” he says. “It’s like taking all that away from me.”

Lorne Michael’s memory, however, offers a slightly different version of events:

They were literally waiting for him to walk Cydney down the aisle. And he said, ‘I’m ready to host again.’ All I was saying was, we have to stop this discussion now. You’re old and annoying. This is a big moment in your life. I’m here for you. Danny [Aykroyd] is performing the ceremony. We’re your friends; we’re here. You’re walking your daughter down the aisle.”

Pleading with Lorne Michaels to host SNL while he was waiting to walk his daughter down the aisle? Yep. That sounds like Chase, alright.

Read the entire profile here (it’s good).