- New CNN documentary “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not” explores the comedian’s complex personality.
- Director Marina Zenovich frames Chase as both caustic and sympathetic, tracing roots to childhood abuse.
- Chase’s prickly reputation remains, but the film highlights love from family and lasting fan devotion.
- The documentary premieres on CNN and streams the following day.
H2: A prickly comic, examined
Chevy Chase is famous for his physical comedy, his role in the original Saturday Night Live cast and a long film career — and for a reputation as difficult to work with. The new CNN documentary I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, directed by Marina Zenovich, sets out to explain that contradiction, showing Chase as both caustic and human.
Zenovich, known for profile documentaries about controversial figures including Roman Polanski, Lance Armstrong and Robin Williams, approaches Chase with curiosity rather than simple judgment. Her film traces how elements of his childhood — including episodes of physical abuse by his mother and stepfather, according to the documentary — shaped patterns in his career and public behavior.
H3: A spirited conversation at CNN
When Zenovich and Chase spoke with a reporter at CNN’s Manhattan offices ahead of the film’s premiere, the exchange was lively. Chase was at times dismissive of outside criticism; at one point he told the director she was “not bright enough” to grasp his complexity. Yet the documentary also captures moments that complicate the caricature: family members and longtime friends who continue to support him, and fans who still write to him.
The film does not whitewash incidents that fueled Chase’s reputation. He hasn’t been widely embraced by collaborators in recent years — director John Carpenter once said working with him made him want to quit the business — and Chase was not included in the S.N.L. 50th anniversary special roster, despite being the show’s first Weekend Update anchor. Yet Zenovich’s footage suggests the man behind headlines is more nuanced than simple labels allow.
H4: Why the story matters now
The documentary arrives as viewers and the industry reassess the legacies of powerful comic voices. Chase’s last substantive television role ended in 2014 with his exit from the NBC comedy Community, and his public image has often overshadowed his contributions to comedy. By offering context — not excuses — Zenovich asks viewers to consider how early trauma, talent and temperament can coexist.
H5: When to watch
I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not premieres on CNN on Thursday night and will be available on the network’s streaming platforms the next day. The film aims to spark conversation rather than closure, inviting audiences to look beyond headlines and decide for themselves what to make of a complicated comic.
Short, clear reporting and vivid footage help the documentary land: it neither absolves Chase nor reduces him to a stereotype. Instead, it presents a spirited portrait that reflects both the man’s enduring gifts and the flaws that have defined much of his public life.
Image Referance: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/01/arts/television/hes-chevy-chase-and-hes-still-like-that.html
