The Goldbergs Ditches Jeff Garlin After Complaints Of Abusive Behavior, But He'll Still Appear In This Season
Jeff Garlin will not be returning for future filming of "The Goldbergs," Deadline reports. The actor, who has played family patriarch Murray Goldberg on the ABC sitcom for nine seasons, is exiting the series effective immediately.
According to Deadline's sources, Garlin's exit is based on a mutual agreement. The actor has been part of an ongoing HR investigation, which he spoke to Vanity Fair's Maureen Ryan about in early December.
Three Years Of HR Investigations
Garlin's interview with Vanity Fair, now ironically titled, "No, I Have Not Been Fired From The Goldbergs," is a sprawling, circular conversation in which Ryan asks Garlin about a potentially offensive text he sent a co-worker as well as questionable on-set behavior. Garlin would only label his on-set behavior as "silly," but also said that the show's HR department had investigated him three years in a row.
Deadline also reports that several people who have worked with Garlin contacted them in light of the Vanity Fair piece, describing a workplace culture that would change drastically when the comedian was on set. One "The Goldbergs" employee even called Garlin "extremely verbally and emotionally abusive." Colleagues have gone on the record to talk about the actor's alleged penchant for potentially offensive jokes and nicknames. A witness tells Deadline his behavior culminated in an alleged incident in which he screamed at a stand-in, then told her husband, "Tell your wife to get the f*** out of my way."
The Goldbergs Will Use Footage of Garlin
According to Variety, Garlin was reportedly only working one day a week at the time of his departure. The rest of the show's ninth season will cobble together unused takes and other previously shot footage, along with a stand-in for Garlin. Apparently, the show was filming the 15th and 16th episodes of its 22-episode season order when the agreement for Garlin to leave was finalized. This plan to recreate the character of Murray without recasting the actor seems less-than-foolproof, but since Garlin was already working infrequently on the show, it seems likely he wasn't set to appear in most scenes this season anyway.
"The Goldbergs" has not yet announced a tenth season pick-up, but the show has been a long-time ratings success for ABC, and has survived cast and crew changes before. Garlin is also a series regular on HBO's long-running comedy "Curb Your Enthusiasm." That series has not issued a statement on the actor's conduct.