Jeff Garlin is opening up about his contentious exit from "The Goldbergs," saying his then-undiagnosed bipolar disorder contributed to the behavior that strained relationships with his co-stars before he left the hit sitcom.
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he → open → sitcom
The 64-year-old actor starred as the Goldbergs' family patriarch Murray Goldberg on the show from its premiere in September 2013 until he departed the ABC show during its ninth season in December 2021 amid HR investigations into complaints about his on-set behavior.
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he → star → behavior
Garlin was accused by members of the cast and crew of inappropriate verbal conduct, unwanted physical contact including hugging and touching and behavior that some employees described as creating an uncomfortable work environment.
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employees → accuse → environment
While speaking with Vanity Fair at the time, Garlin denied intentionally harassing anyone.
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Garlin → speak → anyone
He acknowledged that HR had spoken to him over several years but characterized the complaints as stemming from his style of comedy and "silliness" on set rather than malicious intent.
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HR → acknowledge → set
He also said he was willing to adjust behaviors, such as no longer hugging people.
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he → say → people
During a March 2023 appearance on SiriusXM's "Andy Cohen Live," Garlin's co-star Wendi McLendon-Covey, who played his wife Beverly Goldberg on "The Goldbergs," said his exit was "a long time coming" and that "finally, someone is listening to us."
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someone → play → us
She declined to discuss the situation further, saying she was "exhausted by that topic and the PTSD of it all."
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she → decline → it
On Monday, Garlin appeared on the Daily Beast's "Obsessed" podcast where he addressed McLendon-Covey's comments and attributed his behavior to a mental health condition that had not been diagnosed at the time.
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that → appear → time
"It wasn't a long time coming for me," he said in reference to McLendon-Covey's past remark.
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he → come → remark
"I actually empathize with her because, at the time, I was undiagnosed bipolar, and I was miserable on the show."
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I → empathize → show
"I was miserable with my performance," he continued.
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he → continue → performance
"She was always trying to tell me, 'Hey, you're really great on the show.'
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you → try → show
I didn't believe her, and I just got to the point where I had to quit.
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I → believe → point
"
"I can only speak to what I'm responsible for," Garlin added.
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Garlin → speak → what
"Being bipolar, I was either one of three things: dark, dark, dark — where I didn't talk or look at anyone — happy to the point of mania, never turning off my thing, or mean, really, really mean.
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I → talk → thing
I didn't know which one I was going to be.
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I → know → ?
I didn't get diagnosed until I was 59.
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I → diagnose → ?
"When I left, she was very resentful and angry at me.
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she → leave → me
If she wants to continue the resentment, that's her.
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that → want → resentment
I don't have resentment toward her, even for saying things about me.
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I → have → me
I actually love her, and I appreciate that she's one of the greatest actors I've ever worked with, and that will not be lost on me."
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that → love → me
McLendon-Covey, 56, responded to Garlin's comments after the Daily Beast shared a clip from his interview on Instagram.
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Beast → respond → Instagram
"Huh," she wrote in the comments section.
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she → write → section
After an Instagram user asked her, "What’s your take, Wendi?," the "Bridesmaids" star wrote, "Let's just say I remember things very differently, as does the crew, the other actors, the writers, and our executives."
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crew → ask → things
Fox News Digital has reached out to representatives for Garlin and McLendon-Covey for comment.
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Digital → reach → comment
"The Goldbergs" followed the misadventures of a loud but loving family living in suburban Philadelphia during the 1980s.
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Goldbergs → follow → 1980s
Though Garlin left "The Goldbergs" during its ninth season, he was a regular cast member for part of that season.
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he → leave → season
After his exit, the show completed some remaining Season 9 episodes using previously filmed footage and stand-ins before writing Murray Goldberg out ahead of Season 10.
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show → complete → Season
At the beginning of the tenth season, the show revealed that the character had died off-screen, allowing the series to continue focusing on the Goldberg family without him.
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series → reveal → him
ABC announced in February 2023 that Season 10 would be the show's last and the series finale aired on May 3, 2023.
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finale → announce → May
While appearing on the "Obsessed" podcast, Garlin reflected on how his life and career had changed since he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
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he → appear → disorder
"It's changed quite a bit because A, I went into AA (Acloholics Anonymous)," he said.
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he → change → AA
"B, I had a nervous breakdown right after that, as the ‘The Goldbergs’ thing was ending.
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thing → have → that
I had a nervous breakdown, was suicidal.
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I → have → breakdown
The right cocktail, as they say, for bipolar.
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they → say → ?
And I got a form of therapy that was new to me, called Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
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that → get → me
"So you know, I have regrets," he continued.
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he → know → regrets
"Not a lot of them that I could have controlled, but I still have regrets on a lot of my behavior, in terms of being a jerk.
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I → control → terms
"No, I'm the same person," Garlin clarified.
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Garlin → clarify → ?
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
