Netflix’s ‘A Futile And Stupid Gesture’: Will Joel McHale’s Portrayal Of Chevy Chase Renew The ‘Community’ Co-Stars’ Rivalry?

We’ll never know just how influential counter-culture comedy magazine National Lampoon was to a generation of burgeoning comedy writers, but it certainly looks like director David Wain had a ton of fun bringing the iconic humor magazine’s tale to Netflix. Hitting the streaming platform on January 26th, A Futile and Stupid Gesture tells the story of revered comedy wunderkind Doug Kenney, the co-creator of not only the Lampoon but of beloved films like Animal House and Caddyshack. The hotly-anticipated comedy features an array of notable comedians portraying Lampoon legends like John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, and Bill Murray, but the actor we’re most interested in is Joel McHale, who was cast to portray a younger version of his former Community co-star Chevy Chase.

By itself, this is inherently interesting. It can’t be easy for an actor to accurately portray a former co-worker. But what makes this casting so gripping is the fact that over the past few years, McHale and Chase have developed a good old-fashioned Hollywood rivalry.

The relatively good-natured feud between the two started on the set of Community. Despite its cult following, the popular NBC series always seemed to be embroiled in controversy. From showrunner Dan Harmon’s issues with the network (and his writing staff) to the fervently adored sitcom seemingly always on the brink of cancellation, Community lived on the edge. Much of that behind-the-scenes turmoil originated from its eldest star, the notoriously irascible Chase. From vulgar voicemails to his reported use of the n-word to walking off set, Chase clearly wasn’t the easiest person to deal with before leaving the series in 2012.

One of the most high-profile incidents between the two happened during the filming of a Community scene in which Jeff and Pierce were involved in a mock scuffle. Chase kept egging McHale to hit him harder and finally, McHale obliged, delivering a left jab and sending the (at the time) almost 70-year-old comedy icon to the hospital with a dislocated shoulder.

McHale routinely showcased his gift for needling celebrities during his tenure as host of The Soup, and his comedic chops haven’t dulled since the E! series ended in 2015. The actor even spoke about his relationship with Chase in his 2016 book “Thanks for the Money.”

“On Community, I was the tall, sarcastic, and — OK, I’ll say it — stunningly good-looking guy,” McHale wrote. “Let’s face it: I had been cast in the classic ‘Chevy Chase’ role. This was probably very difficult for Chevy to come to grips with.”

If he didn’t like that, how’s Chase going to handle this? Will McHale’s portrayal of Chevy add another chapter to their amiable rivalry? During his time on SNL, Chase memorably remarked “I’m Chevy Chase, and you’re not,” but now Joel McHale is the new Chevy Chase, and when it comes to A Futile and Stupid Gesture, Chase joins the rest of us in the “not” category.

Stream A Futile and Stupid Gesture on Netflix beginning January 26th.