What happened with Terry Sweeney and Chevy Chase? Inside feud explored as SNL alum breaks silence on Community star’s doc controversy

Former Saturday Night Live cast member and writer Terry Sweeney spoke with The Hollywood Reporter on December 30, 2025, and said that fellow comedian Chevy Chase was an “a**” for his homophobic remarks towards him in the 1980s and for daring to speak about it in his latest CNN docuseries, I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not.

The showrunner, Marina Zenovich, asked Chevy Chase in the documentary:

“You said something to Sweeney like, ‘Oh, you’re the gay guy. Why don’t we ask if you have AIDS? And every week, we weigh you.’”

However, Chase, 82, appeared to be unmoved and unapologetic about his past remarks towards Sweeney, 75.

“That's the worst! Terry Sweeney was very funny, this guy. I don’t think he’s alive anymore… because I don't want you talking to him about this,” Chevy noted while laughing awkwardly.

For those unaware, Chevy Chase returned to SNL in November 1985 as a guest host and suggested an inappropriate sketch where the openly gay Terry Sweeney would be diagnosed with AIDs and weighed every week.

In response, Sweeney called him a “monster” in the 2015 book Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live As Told By Its Stars, Writers, and Guests.

Now, responding to Chevy’s doc comments, Terry told THR:

“Don’t you think he is saying this and making himself look more like the a** he is!!! It all reflects rightly, horribly on him!”

Chase hasn’t addressed Sweeney’s backlash against him at the time of writing.

More about Terry Sweeney and Chevy Chase's feud

Chevy Chase joined Saturday Night Live as one of its original cast members when the show debuted on NBC in October 1975. Halfway through the second season in 1976, he left the comedy sketch series to pursue an acting career.

However, despite his ill repute as being difficult to work with, Chase often returned to SNL as a guest host between 1978 and 1997.

During one such stint in 1985, Chevy made anti-gay remarks against Terry Sweeney, who was a cast member at the time. While Chase later apologized, Sweeney was never over the incident and said Chevy “insulted” him as well as everyone on the show.

“He was really furious that he had to apologize to me. He was just beside himself. And it was just awful. He acted horribly toward me. He acted horribly to everyone,” Terry later said during an interview with Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller for their book Live From New York.

In it, he also claimed the Community actor allegedly joked and asked him to stimulate his genitals. Fellow cast member Jon Lovitz also defended Terry Sweeney while recalling the incident in the same book.

“So, Chevy looks at Terry Sweeney and goes, ‘You're gay, right?’ Terry goes, ‘Yes, what would you like me to do for you?’ Chevy goes, ‘Well, you can start by l*cking my b*lls.’”

However, Chevy Chase denied ever making this comment in the book, which documented the entire fiasco. He said:

“None of that's true. I would remember that… that I was angry, that I had to apologize to him… My memory is that he is lying, that's my memory. He’s not telling the truth. That isn’t me. That’s not who I am. And if I am that way, my life has changed, because I have to live with that now for the rest of my f**king life.”

SNL creator-producer Lorne Michaels also spoke about the Terry Sweeney episode. He noted:

“I think Chevy was just being Chevy. He would say things that were funny, and he would assume you were comedy people, and he could speak that way. You know, we would say terrible things, because that’s what would make us laugh.”

Notably, Sweeney refused to appear in I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not which premiered on January 1, 2026. However, speaking with THR, he appeared unmoved by Chase’s memory issues, abusive childhood, and contentious personal and professional relationships.

“Boohoo… poor screwed up kid… so THAT’s why he’s so rotten!!!!!!!” Terry Sweeney stated.

Notably, Chevy Chase also got into a punching match with Bill Murray and John Belushi backstage on SNL in February 1978. Another incident, which seemingly got him banned from hosting duties, happened in 1997 when he hit the back of Cheri Oteri’s head during rehearsal.

As for Terry Sweeney, after graduating from Middlebury College in the early 1980s, he began performing in drag shows across his hometown in New York City. This got him featured on a New York Times review and, in turn, got him an audition for SNL.

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He was hired as a sketch writer by producer Jean Doumanian. However, when Lorne Michaels returned after a five-year hiatus, Sweeney was made into a regular cast member, a role he served until 1986.

This also made Terry the first openly gay male member on the show. During his time, he often appeared in sketches showing gay stereotypes.

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