This SNL Star Described Chevy Chase And Bill Murray's Fight As "Sad, Painful And Awful"
Chevy Chase may just be one of the most controversial former cast members of Saturday Night Live. Not because he wasn't great on the show... he was. The problem was his attitude. Chevy is commonly seen as the most hated SNL star. Time and time again, the man has gotten himself into immense trouble. Whether it was aggressively feuding with Bill Murray on set, insulting people, being a diva, or making crude jokes, Chevy had a notorious knack for lighting fuses.
And yet, he was the first major breakout star Saturday Night Live had seen. While he has gone through slow periods, Chevy Chase remains one of the most successful talents to come from the original cast. Back when Lorne Michaels first started SNL, the cast had no clue that some of them were about to become massive celebrities. Seeing Chevy Chase blow up before their eyes was a trip... especially for Laraine Newman...
What Laraine Newman Really Thought Of Chevy Chase And What Happened With Bill Murray?
Laraine Newman has gone on record about how she had never, ever met anyone remotely like Chevy Chase before they co-starred together in the original lineup on Saturday Night Live. In numerous interviews and in her memoir, Laraine explained that one of her very first memories of Chevy set the tone for what was to come.
"One of my first impressions of Chevy -- we had found out that Tom Schiller had Lupus. At the time, we thought it was like a fatal disease," Laraine explained during an interview with Emmy TV Legends. "And Chevy was going on about, 'You know, years from now when the show is very famous -- of course, you won't be there Tom'. I mean, this was the kind of thing that Chevy would do as a joke."
It seems as though Laraine has purposefully said very little about Chevy in other regards except that he was "a good friend" to her. Then again, Chevy has badmouthed Saturday Night Live on several occasions so it's not entirely surprising that Laraine hasn't gone into great detail about their relationship.
However, Laraine, along with her SNL co-star Jane Curtin, did remark on Chevy's physical altercation with Bill Murray on set. "It was very sad and painful and awful," Laraine explained while as a guest with Jane on Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live. "They both knew the one thing that they could say to one another that would hurt the most. And I think that's what incited it."
Laraine Newman Worried That Chevy Chase's Success Would Threaten SNL
Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe were awarded to Chevy within his first year on Saturday Night Live (originally named NBC's Saturday Night). He was unquestionably seen as the breakout star of the show. Under two years after staring on SNL and basically ushering in the "Weekend Update" segment of the show, Chevy became the very first cast member to leave. His movie career was already taking off. His departure was a huge surprise to his cast mates.
In an interview with Vulture, Laraine Newman explained that she always knew that Chevy was a great talent but not that he was going to become the first A-lister of the cast.
"[Chevy's departure] was a surprise. I could see how good Chevy was, but I could see how good everyone was. It never occurred to me there would be a breakout star," Laraine explained to Vulture. "I was certainly happy for him, but I was stunned when he wanted to leave the show. I couldn’t believe he was doing this and was upset and worried that he would stop the momentum we had achieved. I have a lot of affection for Chevy. Even after he left the show, he was a very good friend to me."
While Laraine was worried about Chevy's success, she was ultimately happy for him. This was not the case with other members of the cast. John Belushi was famously envious of Chevy's initial success. But Laraine claims that jealousy is not only natural in the halls of Saturday Night Live but in general.
"I envied Gilda’s success, and I envied Jane’s place on Update," Laraine stated. "It’s embarrassing to admit, but I think it’s important to talk about envy, jealousy, and insecurity. People don’t talk about that enough, and it’s a true thing. But I knew we all did different things, so I never felt I was competing with them, and I’m sure they didn’t feel they were competing with me. Girls can be so mean, but we all came from a sketch background, and so we all supported one another."
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