If there’s one thing I’m Chevy Chase And You’re Not makes it clear, it’s that the comedian is complicated. The doc explores everything from his tough childhood to his sometimes tense interpersonal relationships, as well as the way he is with his family. In a pivotal moment in the doc, audiences see Chase interacting in a negative way with the director, in a moment he asks to cut (but she keeps intact). It all feeds into the narrative that Chevy Chase is difficult, but despite this, director Marina Zenovich believes there’s one big “feat” he’s achieved in his life.
Speaking with WHNT, Zenovich got candid about the abuse Chevy Chase endured as a young man. The documentary delves into his poor relationship with his mother and stepfather, who physically abused him and subjected to being locked in a basement, sometimes for days. His lived experiences turned him into a complicated adult, but that’s what Zenovich is most interested in exploring.
I make films about these complicated men. I’m just fascinated by humans and their behavior and Chevy just seems to fit in my oeuvre. I think the whole key to Chevy is his childhood. I hate to use the word trauma, but I think he’s traumatized. Humor is his way of dealing with it.
At one point Marina in the doc told Chevy she was “just trying to figure” him “out,” and he responded, “It’s not going to be easy for you,” and I think the moment ties in with what she’s saying here. This is what fascinates her about the work, even when she has problematic figures calling her “a b–ch” and more in interviews. In the past, she’s also done documentary profiles on Richard Pryor, Lance Armstrong, Roman Polanski and Robin Williams.
So, what is Chevy Chase most successful at, according to the I’m Chevy Chase And You’re Not director? The answer lies in his relationships with his family, and how he broke the cycle with the three delightful daughters he shares with wife Jayne Chase.
I think the one thing he really did was he was able to break that generational trauma. There I go again, using the word. But that’s quite a feat, right?
Outside of the doc, he's called his wife "the most honest" and "most beautiful" woman he's ever met, and has said becoming a dad was the thing he's "proudest" of.
Ultimately, despite a viral moment in which Chase is unkind to Zenovich in the documentary, it’s very clear he has loving family dynamics with his wife and daughters. Jayni Chase staunchly defends Chevy throughout I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, and his daughters spoke up about their dad’s harrowing health scare (and his hilarious responses after waking up from a coma). They also opened up about how they felt he was treated unfairly on the Community set before his exit from the show.
Not everyone gets along with Chevy, and the documentary even had trouble finding someone from Community who would speak on record. Still, Marina Zenovich truly believes the comedian has managed a big feat when it comes to his family.
