In his prime, Chevy Chase starred in a movie that many people still watch around the holidays every year. He starred in the 1989 cult classic National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. However, the actor recently came under fire for insulting a director as “not bright enough” for him. Keep reading to find out what led him to such a shocking insult.
Chevy Chase Insults Director, ‘Not Bright Enough’ For Him
Chevy Chase plays the role of an ornery old man a little too well. The comedian spent years enjoying his status as a beloved entertainment star. But the public got a rare inside look at him, and they didn’t like what they saw.
The Three Amigos star was the subject of a CNN documentary that aired on January 1, 2026. I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not explores his life and career. Chevy Chase left California years ago and lives in Bedford, New York. The actor, 82, sat for interviews for the documentary.
While Chevy Chase approved the documentary, he wasn’t exactly forthcoming. That led to some tension between him and the director, Marina Zenovich. During one exchange, the director told him that she was trying to figure him out. Chevy Chase told her it wouldn’t be easy.
When she asked why not, he responded, “You’re not bright enough. How’s that?”
The response sent shockwaves on social media. The actor was called out for disrespecting the director. However, it’s important to note that Chevy Chase did give an extended answer about why he’s so difficult to figure out.
“But my answer is, I’m complex, and I’m deep and I can be hurt easily. And I react spontaneously to people who want to figure me out, as it were. As somebody who will hold up my guard, I’m not gonna let anybody figure me out, per se,” he said in the documentary, as reported by PEOPLE magazine.
Saturday Night Live Alum Addresses Racism Allegations
Chevy Chase was a beloved actor for years, but his star has started to fall in recent years. He starred in NBC’s sitcom Community for four seasons. Several former cast members came out a few years ago with accusations that the comedian of making racist jokes on set and that’s why Chevy Chase left the show.
The Saturday Night Live alum addressed the rumors in the documentary and in an interview with The New York Times. He denied that he was racist or that racist comments led to his departure.
“It was too great a misunderstanding of what I was saying and not saying,” Chevy Chase said about his Community exit. “They were too young to be aware of my work. Instead, there was some sort of visceral reaction from them,” he added about his former co-stars.
If you missed it on CNN, I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not streams on HBO Max beginning on January 31, 2026.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
