Chevy Chase has candidly expressed his disappointment regarding his exclusion from the recent Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary celebration. In an upcoming documentary titled “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not,” the 82-year-old actor and original cast member revealed that he felt “hurt” by the lack of involvement in this significant milestone, especially when he expected to share the stage with his fellow alumni.
Reflecting on the celebratory event, Chase shared, “Well, it was kind of upsetting actually. This is probably the first time I’m saying it. I expected that I would’ve been on the stage too with all the other actors. When Garrett [Morris] and Laraine [Newman] went on the stage, I was curious as to why I didn’t. No one asked me to. Why was I left aside?” He specifically questioned why he was not part of the “Weekend Update” segment, noting that other iconic figures like Bill Murray were present, yet he wasn’t.
Chase disclosed that he had initially reached out to SNL creator Lorne Michaels about his feelings but later retracted his message, saying, “Okay, I take it back, silly,” despite feeling it was not a trivial matter. “Somebody’s made a bad mistake there… They should’ve had me on that stage. It hurt,” he added.
The documentary reveals that Chase was initially slated for more participation in the anniversary special. His wife, Jayni Chase, recounted how Chevy was informed until the last moment that he would be included in two segments, only for it to change unexpectedly.
Michaels acknowledged the difficulties of accommodating such a long history of cast members during the special, explaining that there were also concerns about Chase’s focus at the time. Martin Short noted that with “50 years of casts,” it was impossible to include everyone, highlighting several significant absentees like Billy Crystal.
Chase was a key figure on SNL from its debut in 1975 until the middle of its second season in 1976, famously serving as the first anchor of the “Weekend Update” segment. His upcoming documentary chronicles his significant rise in Hollywood, transitioning from a standout SNL star to a major box-office draw, followed by a notable decline in his career.
“I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not” is set to premiere on January 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CNN, promising to offer a deeper insight into his life and legacy.