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‘Long time coming’: Goldbergs star Wendi McLendon-Covey addresses Jeff Garlin being ‘fired’ from series

Garlin’s character was killed off screen following ABC investigation

Jacob Stolworthy
Thursday 23 March 2023 22:43 GMT
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‘The Goldbergs’ Killing Off Jeff Garlin’s Murray Ahead of Season 10

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The Goldbergs star Wendi McLendon-Covey has shared her opinion on Jeff Garlin being dropped from the series.

In the ABC sitcom, McLendon-Covey stars as head of the family, Beverly, and has played the role for nine seasons.

Up until December 2021, she appeared alongside Jeff Garlin, who played her husband Murray. However, after the Curb Your Enthusiasm actor received numerous complaints regarding his “uncomfortable” on-set behaviour, an investigation was launched and Garlin was written out.

At the time, Garlin admitted that he had faced annual investigations by human resources during his last three years on the show, which he claimed were due to jokes that had gone wrong.

The show dealt with his departure by killing Murray off in between season nine and 10. McLendon-Covey, not holding back, has now said this move “was a long time coming”.

Speaking on Andy Cohen Live on Tuesday (21 March), the actor described ABC’s decision as feeling like: “OK, OK – finally someone is listening to us.”

She acknowledged that it was a bold decision, especially considering another of her co-stars, George Segal, had recently died.

“To have to go through another loss on a sitcom, you know, you can’t keep asking your audience to mourn people,” she said, adding: “That’s not why they tune in.”

She then asked if they could drop the subject, telling Cohen she was “exhausted by the PTSD of it all”.

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Wendi McLendon-Covey talking about Jeff Garlin’s firing from ‘The Goldbergs’
Wendi McLendon-Covey talking about Jeff Garlin’s firing from ‘The Goldbergs’ (YouTube)

McLendon-Covey said she felt “obnoxious” asking Cohen to stop asking questions about Garlin, stating: “I feel like the less people know about it, the better. No one benefits from knowing anything.”

The finale of The Goldbergs‘ 10th season airs this may.

Meanwhile, Garlin is set to continue his role in the forthcoming 12th season of HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, which is set to be released later this year.

The actor has maintained that he was not fired from The Goldbergs.

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