Wendi McLendon-Covey, star of The Goldbergs, is coming out for the first time on social media about Jeff Garlin’s unexpected departure from the show last year, following many misconduct complaints and HR investigations.
There has been some internet criticism of how the production handled filming his unfinished sequences since his departure. In post-production on the ninth season, The Goldbergs used a body double and overlaid Garlin’s face in critical lines.
Garlin was said to have had one more day of shooting left from the initial Season 9 order after his schedule is trimming the time of his departure.
McLendon-response
A tweet from journalist Noel Murray on Monday provoked Covey’s McLendon response.
“The workarounds they’ve been trying this season ain’t working,” Murray commented alongside a clip from the episode featuring Garlin’s superimposed face and pre-recorded speech.
They should either cancel The Goldbergs or kill off Jeff Garlin’s character because the workarounds they’ve been using this season ain’t working. pic.twitter.com/EgG4so6rIA
— Noel Murray (@NoelMu) March 14, 2022
“Thanks for the brilliant idea, Noel!” McLendon-Covey responded with a tweet on Tuesday. “This season threw us for a loop because a.) it’s difficult to work in someone who doesn’t want to be there and wants to leave in the middle of a scene, and b.) we weren’t about to rewrite the second half of the season.” We’re giving it our all.”
Garlin commented, “I’m on a comedy show.” “I am always a thoughtful and caring person. Sure, I make mistakes. On the other hand, my comedy is about reliving people’s suffering. Why would I want to inflict misery on somebody for a laugh? That is a form of bullying. That’s completely unacceptable.”
“I think it’s a different matter if I said something dumb and disrespectful while working at an insurance firm,” the actor continued. “If I, as the show’s star, ” If I wanted a gun range and access to it on set, and I was firing guns every day and acting a little loose, that is an unhealthy work environment. It would be a dangerous work environment if I intimidated others. None of that ever happens to me.”
“They should either terminate The Goldbergs or kill off Jeff Garlin’s character since the workarounds they’ve been doing this season ain’t working,” she tweeted after journalist Noel Murray shared a clip from the program.
McClendon-response Covey’s was as follows: “This season caught us off guard because a.) it’s difficult to work in someone who doesn’t want to be there and wants to leave in the middle of a scene, and b.) we weren’t about to rewrite the second half of the season. We’re giving it our all.”
