Watch Community’s Joel McHale Talk About Chevy Chase’s Abrupt Departure

Community is finally back on the air as of tonight! We’re super excited to see how the new season shapes up, but a number of black marks have accumulated against the show since we last saw the sunny set of Greendale. Dan Harmon’s gone, the show got moved from its initial season premiere, and Chevy Chase up and quit before season four was finished being shot. Things have been somewhat quiet as to what happened, but Joel McHale spoke candidly about Chase’s exit for the first time with Howard Stern yesterday, and what he had to say was quite interesting.

McHale doesn’t say a whole lot in the clip, but he does say that it was clear that Chase “didn’t want to be there.” He goes on to say that he did try and talk with him, but Chase would “just try to fight [him]” whenever he did. He jokes that he meant physically, but it’s probably not all that far removed from reality.

Also, Richard Pryor apparently gave Chase permission to use the N-word. So, there’s that. That could also be a joke that once again skirts the line of reality. Who knows!

Here’s the clip of McHale talking with Stern:

(YouTube via TVLine, image via Gage Skidmore)

Relevant to your interests

• Louie shows exactly how to put a show on hiatus, NBC could take lessons
• Poor Dan Harmon
• Glee and Community have the same prop department, apparently