# Why does everyone (seemingly) hate Chevy Chase? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 2, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990 "2005-02-02T15:47:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/1 "2005-02-02T15:47:29Z")
I’m not a huge fan of Chevy Chase, but I think he’s done some good stuff. He was funny on “Saturday Night Live,” and I’ve really enjoyed some of his movies (“Vacation,” “European Vacation,” “Fletch,” and others). Invariably, though, whenever his name is mentioned, people seem to deride him. What gives? Does he have horrible personal secrets of which I’m unaware? Is it just that I find his dry sense of humor funny, but nobody else does? Is he a world-class jerk, and I don’t realize it? Enlighten me, please. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/2 "2005-02-02T15:52:38Z")
Because he was Will Ferrell before there was a Will Ferrell and, well, Will Ferrell sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/3 "2005-02-02T15:53:12Z")
I’ve heard he adopted a real arrogant, prima donna attitude when he became the first breakout star from Saturday Night Live, and has acted like that toward the newer cast members on all his subsequent guest appearances over the years. Also, I never saw his late-night talk show, but I heard it was a dismal failure. It’s kind of a shame, because Fletch is one of my favorite '80s movies, and I know I really need to see Caddyshack one of these days. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/4 "2005-02-02T16:03:06Z")
See, I can understand the dislike based on prima donna attitude. The vibe I get is that Chevy Chase is just _bad_, period, which I don’t understand. I know I have a warped sense of humor, but surely it can’t be _that_ different from everyone else’s. “Caddyshack” is another good movie, although Chase wasn’t the star per se. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/5 "2005-02-02T16:03:19Z")
I like him. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/6 "2005-02-02T16:09:25Z")
I don’t hate Chevy Chase - like most people, I’m basically indifferent towards him by this point. But his whole career has pretty much been based on a single premise; playing a smug klutz. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But by 1980, most of us had seen him do his act and didn’t feel the need to see it anymore. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/7 "2005-02-02T16:22:20Z")
Chase did have an arrogant personality on SNL and IRL (though he was part of the pro-Scred contingent on SNL, which mitigates it somewhat). However, it’s more his smug style of comedy, which wore thin very quickly once he move to films. And I’ll never forgive him with screwing Fletch, turning a great thriller into a third-rate comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/8 "2005-02-02T16:27:17Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > And I’ll never forgive him with screwing Fletch, turning a great thriller into a third-rate comedy. Question, though: Did _Chase_ do that to the “Fletch” movie, or did the director and/or screenwriter do it? If Chase directed it, or adapted it, obviously my question becomes moot. But if the movie was written that way, or directed that way, he didn’t have a lot of wiggle room to change it. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/9 "2005-02-02T16:34:57Z")
Even when I was enjoying him on SNL, he had the sort of smile that I wanted to hit with a brick. ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/10 "2005-02-02T16:35:02Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Chase did have an arrogant personality on SNL and IRL (though he was part of the pro-Scred contingent on SNL, which mitigates it somewhat). However, it’s more his smug style of comedy, which wore thin very quickly once he move to films. And I’ll never forgive him with screwing Fletch, turning a great thriller into a third-rate comedy. Hey! **Fletch** was a first-rate comedy! (although, thriller - not so much) I agree that his smug/doofus style wore thin, but it wasn’t very quick. He had solid, well received performaces in **Foul Play** , **Caddyshack** , **Seems Like Old Times** , **Vacation** , **Fletch** , **Three Amigos** , and (arguably) **Christmas Vacation**. Pash ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/11 "2005-02-02T16:45:46Z")
If you’ve read the book, _Live From New York_, you’d see that not one person from \*any \* incarnation of **Saturday Night Live** has a good word to say for Chevy Chase. He’s apparently an irredeemable asshole. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/12 "2005-02-02T17:20:22Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > though he was part of the pro-Scred contingent on SNL Please help me fight my ignorance… ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/13 "2005-02-02T17:47:08Z")
Because the school system and property values are better in Silver Springs and Rockville? ---
**Author:** ![Random\_Design](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58f4c7/32.png) [@Random\_Design](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random_Design)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/14 "2005-02-02T17:50:52Z")
I like him, he’s kinda goofy and predictable. I can see how he’s not everybody’s cup of warm beverage though. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/15 "2005-02-02T17:53:13Z")
> [@](#): > > though he was part of the pro-Scred contingent on SNL In the first season of SNL, there was a recurring series of sketches using muppets (Scred was one of the characters). Many of the people on the show hated them; they thought they were too cool to be appearing on the same show as muppets. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/16 "2005-02-02T17:54:11Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > Because the school system and property values are better in Silver Springs and Rockville? Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for **Enderw24**! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/17 "2005-02-02T18:03:06Z")
> [@picker](#): > > Please help me fight my ignorance… Once upon a time, a new Network President, freshly hired, decided off of the top of his head that SNL wasn’t funny. People liked it, the ratings were good, but **he** thought it wasn’t funny. So he canned SNL’s creator. In as shitty a way as possible. The prexy put a no-talent yeswoman in charge. The original cast invited her to get f#cked, & walked out with no warning, in support of their friend. As did the writers & support crew. Semi-funny scabs were brought in, to star in unfunny scripts, directed by a no talent yeswoman. And **then** SNL wasn’t funny. I guess the Network Prexy was happy. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/18 "2005-02-02T18:17:50Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Once upon a time, a new Network President, freshly hired, decided off of the top of his head that SNL wasn’t funny. People liked it, the ratings were good, but **he** thought it wasn’t funny. So he canned SNL’s creator. In as shitty a way as possible. The prexy put a no-talent yeswoman in charge. > > The original cast invited her to get f#cked, & walked out with no warning, in support of their friend. As did the writers & support crew. > > Semi-funny scabs were brought in, to star in unfunny scripts, directed by a no talent yeswoman. > And **then** SNL wasn’t funny. > > I guess the Network Prexy was happy. That wasn’t what **picker** was asking about. The Jean Doumanian thing happened well after Chase had left. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/19 "2005-02-02T18:21:04Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > Question, though: Did _Chase_ do that to the “Fletch” movie, or did the director and/or screenwriter do it? > > If Chase directed it, or adapted it, obviously my question becomes moot. But if the movie was written that way, or directed that way, he didn’t have a lot of wiggle room to change it. It was quite clearly written as a Chase vehicle first and an adapted novel second. It wouldn’t have been _quite_ so bad if they’d just pulled a few names from the book and written a different plot (as most adaptations seem to end up), but instead the writer(s?) seemed to doggedly follow the plot threads in the book while simultaneously trying to work Chase’s persona into the main character, then came to the end of the moved and tied the threads together in a way that made _absolutely no sense whatsoever_. In the book, Fletch is the archetypical anti-hero who scams his ex-wives, sleeps with his sources, passes bad checks to pay his alimony, buys pot from crooked cops and tokes up, steals money, and does any number of other things your momma told you not to do. In the film, he’s just a wise-cracking twit. Some of the individual scenes are kind of funny ("It’s all ball bearings now!’) but it doesn’t hold up well to multiple viewings the way that, say, Real Genius, to name another '80s comedy, does. Chase is a one-note performer who owes his entire career to Gerald Ford’s legendary clumsiness and Ferdinand Franco’s notorious propaganda machine, and it’s a kind of grating, half-inflated bagpipe sort of note, to boot. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990/20 "2005-02-02T18:24:37Z")
While we are on this subject, why is it that Robin Williams seems to be not well liked by alot of people? He has been hit or miss with movies lately, but I’ve always enjoyed his work. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-everyone-seemingly-hate-chevy-chase/287990.md?page=2)