Chevy Chase Reflects on Failed Talk Show and the Toll It Took on His Life

Chevy Chase is one of comedy’s most recognizable stars, but not every chapter of his career has been a success. One of his most painful setbacks was The Chevy Chase Show, a late-night talk show that aired on Fox in 1993 and was canceled after just six weeks.

In the new CNN documentary I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, Chase looks back honestly at the experience and admits he was unprepared for the job. He said he ignored advice and believed he could handle a talk show on his own. “I can do it, I kept thinking,” Chase said. “It was hideous. I just didn’t really have a sense of what you do on a talk show.”

The show debuted on Sept. 7, 1993, but quickly received harsh reviews and low ratings. People close to the production said the program suffered from outdated TV production ideas and a lack of clear vision. While Chase was a successful movie star and comedic actor, the documentary suggests he struggled with the daily demands of hosting a talk show.

Chase’s daughter Cydney remembered visiting the set and noticing her father’s anxiety. “He felt nervous to me,” she said. Writer Andy Aaron, who worked on the show, recalled that Chase took responsibility for the failure. “The reviews were universally terrible, and Chevy would come into the writers room and say, ‘You guys are doing a great job. It is not your fault, it is my fault,’” Aaron said.

The show was pulled off the air during Chase’s 50th birthday celebration. His agent at the time, Michael Ovitz, asked if he wanted to continue for a few more weeks. Chase’s response was clear: he was done.

The documentary also explores how the cancellation affected Chase’s mental health. His daughters spoke openly about his depression after the show ended. Cydney said there were times when he would stay in bed and withdraw from family life. His wife, Jayni, said she didn’t fully understand what he was going through at the time.

Despite the setback, Chase continued working in films and later found renewed success playing Pierce Hawthorne on Community, which aired on NBC from 2009 to 2014.

The documentary also places The Chevy Chase Show within the intense “late-night wars” of the early 1990s. Johnny Carson’s retirement from The Tonight Show opened the door to fierce competition between Jay Leno, David Letterman, and newer shows like The Arsenio Hall Show. Fox hoped Chase could help the network compete in late night, but the gamble failed. The move also hurt Hall’s show, which lost key Fox affiliate stations and ended in 1994.

I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not premiered on CNN on Jan. 1, offering a candid look at Chase’s career highs and lows — and a reminder that even comedy legends face failure, self-doubt, and personal struggles.