Yvette Nicole Brown has addressed the forthcoming release of CNN’s new Chevy Chase documentary, which promises to unpack an alleged, notorious on-set incident between Brown and her former “Community” co-star.
Brown starred opposite Chase throughout the first four seasons of “Community.” The latter exited the NBC sitcom in its fourth season, following a reported incident in which Chase allegedly had an outburst on the “Community” set that included him saying the N-word. In a 2018 piece published by the New Yorker, “Community” star Donald Glover and series creator Dan Harmon said that Chase used to routinely make racially insensitive jokes on the show’s set.
While her statement this week does not make direct mention of Chase or the upcoming CNN documentary about him, titled “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not,” Brown has made it clear that she is not comfortable with anyone speaking for her about her experiences on the “Community” set with her co-star.
“There are things I’ve never spoken of publicly and perhaps never will,” Brown wrote Monday on Threads. “Anyone currently speaking FOR or ABOUT me with perceived authority is speaking without EVER speaking to me about the things they claim to know about. They actually don’t really know me — at all. They also have no knowledge of my relationship with anyone I’ve worked with & cannot credibly speak on any current or previous issues.”
“I hate that all this had to be said,” the actress added. “In East Cleveland speak: Keep my name out your mouth.”
The alleged incident between Chase and Brown is discussed in detail in “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not” by former “Community” director Jay Chandrasekhar. The filmmaker claims in the doc that he was there “the night that Chevy Chase got fired from ‘Community.’” Chandrasekhar says the incident began with a “blackface hand puppet” storyline involving Chase’s obtuse “Community” character, Pierce Hawthorne.
The “Community” director says the set was disrupted when Chase said something to Brown that he allegedly did not hear himself. “I know that there was a history between [Chevy and Yvette] around race, and she got up and stormed out of there,” Chandrasekhar claims, adding that Chase later said he “didn’t say anything” to his “Community” co-star.
When the incident was subsequently reported by multiple outlets, Chase purportedly had a “meltdown” on the “Community” set in which he declared that his career was “ruined.” He formally left the show shortly afterward.
“If I have something to say, I have NO problem saying it. I’ve never had a problem speaking up and out with my whole chest when it is warranted,” Brown added in an Instagram post early Tuesday. “When I choose NOT to speak on something it’s usually because it won’t change a thing and more importantly because it’s most likely tawdry, low-vibrational or dumb and therefore BENEATH me. I don’t sully myself for anyone.”
“When someone chooses to sully or defile themselves, I let them — BIG age or not,” her post continued. “They need to fully own what they alone have done without placing blame or looking for scapegoats. Don’t smear any of that mess over here for clout or reputation rehabilitation. This side of the street remains clean.”
“Read between whatever lines you need to, but before you run anywhere with anything I’ve said here, make sure YOU know what YOU’RE talking about, too. Mmkay?,” Brown concluded. “I will not be saying another word about any of this mess… again, because it is beneath me. No one else should be chiming in on MY behalf, either.”
Neither Brown nor any of her fellow “Community” co-stars, including Glover, Joel McHale, Alison Brie and Gillian Jacobs, participated in “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not.” The documentary, which explores Chase’s rise from “Saturday Night Live” standout to movie star and his reputation of being notoriously difficult to work with, is set to premiere New Year’s Day on CNN and will begin streaming the next day on the CNN app.
The post Yvette Nicole Brown Speaks Out Amid Chevy Chase Doc Dustup: ‘Keep My Name Out Your Mouth’ appeared first on TheWrap.
