Chevy Chase calls ‘Community’ a ‘f***ing mediocre’ sitcom in newly-leaked phone recording

In a newly-leaked phone message from Chevy Chase to Community creator Dan Harmon, Chase criticizes the show, eventually calling it a “f***ing mediocre” sitcom.

Celebuzz first posted the new recording on Monday. In it, Chase says that there is a “disconnect somewhere” between what they film and what winds up on air. “The final product, the editing — I don’t know who’s doing the editing and making the choices that count the most but I will say this: the other part of the disconnect is that obviously you don’t get my humor at all. Or what is it that I do that’s funny that actually makes people laugh,” the comedy legend is heard telling Harmon.

Chase criticizes Harmon’s decision to focus on the relationship between Joel McHale and Gillian Jacobs’ characters, saying that it “is not my kind of comedy. I thought you hired me for what I do that’s funny.” He also says that if he is not asked back, he wouldn’t “want it.”

The message concludes with Chase saying, “It’s just a f***ing mediocre sitcom! I want people to laugh and this isn’t funny. It ain’t funny to me because I’m 67-years-old and I’ve been doing this a long time. I’ve been making a lot of people laugh a lot better than this.”

Celebuzz reports that the recording was made in March 2011 and it is just the latest in Chase’s very public feud with Harmon. Deadline reported last month that the feud came to a head while they were filming the season finale and just days later, a phone recording where Chase insulted Harmon was released. Harmon wrote a lengthy apology to Community fans, admitting that he had leaked the tape. “Now I’ve got finish editing episode 319, and get politely scolded for commenting on the situation. If you’re reading this and you work in PR, I know, I know, I’m sorry and I’m not going to say any more...And when have I ever let you guys down, right?” he wrote at the time.

Chase also discussed creative differences in a March interview with The Huffington Post. He also said that, “I probably won't be around that much longer, frankly.”

USA Today reports that NBC still has not confirmed if Chase would be back for a fourth season. In fact, the show, which only recently came back from a winter hiatus, hasn’t even been renewed for a fourth season. Although the series does have its dedicated fans, Celebuzz notes that last Thursday’s episode only drew 3.1 million viewers.

You can hear the new recording below:

image: NBC