Chevy Chase lashes out at Jason Reitman movie ‘Saturday Night’: “You should be embarrassed”
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(Credits: Chevy Chase)
Chevy Chase is one of America’s defining comic actors, having starred in such classics as Caddyshack, ¡Three Amigos!, and multiple instalments of National Lampoon’s Vacation. Aside from his extensive work in film and television, though, Chase is also known for being pretty difficult to work alongside. Even in his old age, the veteran comedy actor doesn’t seem to have mellowed.
Earlier this year, Jason Reitman unveiled his latest film, Saturday Night. Telling the origin story of the long-running American sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, the film featured portrayals of beloved comedians like John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, and Gilda Rainer.
Given that Chevy Chase was an integral part of SNL’s launch, being the first person to declare the famous phrase “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night,” the film also featured a rendition of Chase, played by Cory Michael Smith.
According to Reitman, Chase was not overly pleased with this re-telling of his early days in comedy. Appearing on the Fly on the Wall podcast – hosted by SNL veterans David Spade and Dana Carvey – the filmmaker recalled, “Chevy comes in to watch the movie, and he is there with [his wife] Jayni, and they watch the film, and he’s in the group, and he comes up to me after, and he pats me on the shoulder and goes, ‘Well, you should be embarrassed.’”
Taken slightly aback by Chase’s comments, Reitman continued, “I’m trying to balance it because, in my head, I know, ‘Alright, I’m getting my own Chevy Chase moment that’s 1,000 percent only for me right now,’” adding, “And from a comedy point of view that’s really pure, and that’s kind of cool.”
Nevertheless, to be told you should be “embarrassed” about something you have poured your heart and soul into over a period of years cannot be an easy thing to swallow. As the filmmaker shares, “I just spent like two years of my life recreating this moment and trying to capture Chevy perfectly, and also even in the ego, find the humanity and give him a moment to be loved. No, none of that shit played. He’s not talking about that stuff.”
Reitman is not the only person who has committed a rendition of Chevy Chase to film. Back in 2018, Joel McHale played the Caddyshack actor in the Doug Kenney biopic A Futile and Stupid Gesture after working alongside Chase for years in the sitcom Community. Seemingly, that portrayal of Chase fared better with the actor himself.
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