Chevy Chase is responsible for some of the most beloved comedies of the 80s and 90s, but his legacy isn’t defined by laughs alone. Over the years, stories about clashes on set and difficult behavior have followed him almost as closely as his filmography. Fair or not, that reputation has stuck. But after decades of hearing the same stories repeated, the National Lampoon’s Vacation star’s family is speaking up for the man they know, one who looks very different from the public image that’s taken hold.
That tension is at the heart of the new CNN documentary I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, which doesn’t gloss over his turbulent professional history. At the same time, the Fletch star and those closest to him make it clear there’s more to the story. In a recent interview with People, the iconic funny man focused not on his career milestones, but on the parts of his life that matter most to him now, like his 43-year marriage to Jayni Chase. He shared with the outlet:
She’s the most honest woman I’ve ever met… She’s also the most beautiful. I love the smell of her neck. When she’s doing dishes, I’ll say, ‘I’m coming, honey!’ and come kiss the back of her neck.
Their relationship has endured for an almost unheard-of length of time in Hollywood, especially given how unpredictable Chase’s career has been. The way he talks about his wife, with warmth and humor, feels worlds away from the abrasive image he’s often publicly associated with.
Jayni Chase, meanwhile, doesn’t pretend her husband is perfect, but she’s clear that his flaws don’t define him. She’s described him as charming, difficult to stay angry with, and refreshingly lacking in macho bravado. As she’s put :
I’m a strong woman, and I believe it takes a special man to be with a strong woman.
Their origin story reflects that same nuance. In a 1990 interview with Barbara Walters, Jayni recalled initially brushing off the advances from the Saturday Night Live founding member, only to reconsider after seeing how deeply a careless comment affected him. It was then, she said, that she realized there was genuine kindness beneath the comedian’s surface.
Family, more broadly, is where Chase says he feels most at home. He’s the father of three daughters, Cydney, Caley, and Emily, and a proud grandfather to Emily’s daughter, Ivy. Of all his accomplishments, of being a father, the 82-year-old actor shared:
It’s what I’m proudest of.
Chase has spoken openly about a complicated childhood that included both warmth from his father and physical abuse from his stepfather and mother. Watching his own dad make silly faces to keep his kids laughing left a lasting impression. Now, he says, it’s his granddaughter who makes him laugh the most, even at just a year and a half old.
Of course, the softer side of Chase exists alongside a long list of very public controversies. His clashes with collaborators have been well documented, including a high-profile falling out with Community creator Dan Harmon, and the new documentary reportedly struggled to find cast members from the show willing to participate. The film also revisits his infamous conflict with former Saturday Night Live castmate Terry Sweeney, who has said Chase pushed a sketch idea he found offensive during the height of the AIDS crisis. Chase disputes that version of events.
Even the documentary itself isn’t free of tension, featuring a moment in which Chase sharply berates the director, who has since acknowledged that interviewing him was often challenging.
None of this softer context erases the more challenging chapters of Chevy Chase’s career, and neither he nor his family suggests it should. Instead, it adds complexity. The same person who has been combative or careless in professional settings is also deeply devoted to his wife, children, and grandchildren. Which is a dichotomy that many, except maybe his direct family, will have a hard time reconciling.
I’m Chevy Chase, and You’re Not is currently available via CNN’s streaming platform and will be available with an HBO Max subscription on January 31.
