On New Year’s Day 2026, CNN premiered a documentary that’s become the talk of both Hollywood and living rooms across America: I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not. Directed by two-time Emmy-winner Marina Zenovich, the film offers an unflinching look at the life and career of Chevy Chase, a man whose comedic genius is rivaled only by his reputation for being, well, difficult. At 82, Chase remains a foundational figure in television and film, but as the documentary reveals, his journey has been as tumultuous as it has been groundbreaking.
The anticipation surrounding the documentary was palpable in the weeks leading up to its January 1 debut. According to Variety, viewers could catch the 97-minute feature at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CNN, with cord-cutters able to stream it live through services like DirecTV, Sling TV, and Hulu + Live TV. DirecTV, eager to draw in new viewers, even dangled a five-day free trial for those wanting to tune in without commitment. As The Hollywood Reporter noted, the film quickly gained traction, with celebrities such as Yvette Nicole Brown and Terry Sweeney publicly reflecting on their own experiences with Chase.
But what makes I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not more than just another celebrity profile? For one, the documentary doesn’t shy away from Chase’s most controversial moments. The film traces his life from a childhood marked by trauma—he was locked in a basement for days, struck across the face, and confined to a closet by his stepfather and mother—to his meteoric rise as a key member of the original Saturday Night Live cast. As The New York Times reported, Chase’s early years left a profound mark on his personality. Zenovich herself puts it bluntly: “I think the whole key to Chevy is his childhood. I hate to use the word trauma, but I think he’s traumatized. Humor is his way of dealing with it.”
The documentary features a cavalcade of voices from Chase’s past and present. Interviews include not only his wife Jayni and their three daughters, but also an array of colleagues and friends: Dan Aykroyd, Beverly D’Angelo, Goldie Hawn, Lorne Michaels, Ryan Reynolds, Martin Short, and his brother Ned, among others. The result is a complex, sometimes contradictory portrait. On one hand, Chase is shown as a sharp, cutting comedian with a devoted fanbase; on the other, he’s a man whose bluntness and caustic wit have alienated more than a few collaborators.
Zenovich’s approach is as candid as her subject. In an interview with Variety, she recounted her initial trepidation: “I’d never done an interview where someone was so rude to me.” During their first meeting, Chase set the tone with a dismissive quip: “You’re not bright enough, how’s that?” Rather than recoiling, Zenovich saw an opening. “I wanted to figure out who was the real person behind the conflicted, guarded and somewhat fragile man we see on camera,” she explained. “What was behind the surface of his slightly intimidating superstar bravado? Was there any self-awareness there? Having interviewed Chevy at length, I have to say that yes, it’s all there – and a whole lot of pain and heartache too.”
The film doesn’t gloss over Chase’s well-publicized feuds. His exits from Saturday Night Live and Community are dissected, with input from “Community” creator Jay Chandrasekhar, who was present the night Chase was fired. The documentary also addresses the fallout from Chase’s use of a racist slur on the Community set and his conflicts with co-star Donald Glover and showrunner Dan Harmon. His infamous spats with Joel McHale, John Belushi, and Bill Murray are also explored, painting a picture of a man who could make people laugh while simultaneously pushing them away. As writer and actor Alan Zweibel observes in the film: “The old Chevy could make you laugh putting you down and there was a little bit of a wink there, so you were in on the joke. Now it just comes off as mean.”
Chase’s struggles with drug use are touched upon as a factor that may have deepened his darker tendencies. Yet, the documentary is not without its moments of warmth. Viewers see Chase cuddling a cat, playing piano, reading fan mail—including a birthday card from Bill Clinton—and basking in the applause at a screening of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. These glimpses of vulnerability and affection are echoed by his family’s unwavering support. Despite decades of controversy, his wife and daughters stand by him, and fans continue to reach out. “I feel fulfilled,” Chase says in the film, a sentiment that seems both genuine and hard-won.
One of the documentary’s most poignant revelations is Chase’s hurt at being left off the performance roster for the SNL 50th anniversary special in February 2025, despite being the show’s first Weekend Update anchor. It’s a reminder that even comedy legends are not immune to the sting of exclusion. “He admits that leaving SNL was a mistake,” the film notes, highlighting a rare moment of regret from a man not known for second-guessing himself.
In a surprising twist, Chase himself has given the documentary his stamp of approval. “It’s just like a massage. I think of it that way: I love the massage. Sometimes it hurts, but the massage is so lovely,” he told the Associated Press. For a figure as famously prickly as Chase, that’s high praise indeed.
Zenovich, whose previous work has delved into the lives of other complicated men—Roman Polanski, Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, and Lance Armstrong—sees Chase as a fitting addition to her oeuvre. “I’m just fascinated by humans and their behavior and Chevy just seems to fit in my oeuvre,” she remarked.
For those who missed the live airing, the documentary is still accessible on streaming platforms. DirecTV continues to offer its five-day free trial, while Sling and Hulu + Live TV provide additional options for catching up. Hulu’s package, which bundles Disney+ and ESPN+, starts at $89.99 per month, while Sling offers discounted rates for new subscribers. As The Hollywood Reporter points out, the variety of streaming options means that the film is within reach for just about anyone interested in peeling back the layers of one of comedy’s most enigmatic figures.
By the end of I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, viewers are left with an honest, if sometimes uncomfortable, understanding of a man who has both dazzled and confounded audiences for decades. The documentary doesn’t seek to excuse Chase’s behavior, but it does offer context—suggesting that, perhaps, the real story lies somewhere between the laughter and the pain. And in that space, Chase remains, as ever, uniquely himself.
