‘The Goldbergs’ Wendi McLendon-Covey Says Jeff Garlin Didn’t ‘Want to Be There’

The Goldbergs‘ ninth season has been steeped in drama, particularly when one of its core cast members abruptly left the series.

Jeff Garlin, who played Goldberg family patriarch Murray exited the long-running ABC comedy following an HR investigation and while his character makes brief appearances in single shots, there’s been some creative camera work at play. This has been noticed by viewers who commented online, prompting star Wendi McLendon-Covey, who plays matriarch Beverly, to respond on social media.

(Credit: ABC/Scott Everett White)

One viewer complained that “They should either cancel The Goldbergs or kill off Jeff Garlin’s character because the workarounds they’ve been using this season ain’t working,” on Twitter. The comment didn’t go unnoticed by McLendon-Covey who responded to Garlin’s exit publicly for the first time with her comment. 

Her responding tweet began with “Thanks for the great suggestion” to the viewer. “This season threw us for a loop because a.) it’s hard to incorporate someone who doesn’t want to be there and wants to leave mid-scene, and b.) we weren’t about to re-write the 2nd half of the season.”

Thanks for the great suggestion Noel! This season threw us for a loop because a.) it’s hard to incorporate someone who doesn’t want to be there and wants to leave mid-scene, and b.) we werent about to re-write the 2nd half of the season. We’re doing our best.

— Wendi McLendon-Covey (@wendimclendonco) March 15, 2022

“We’re doing our best,” she concluded the response. This is the first direct acknowledgment regarding Garlin’s exit from McLendon-Covey. Garlin, who currently features in HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm was reportedly under investigation for being verbally abusive on set with incidents of yelling at crew cited in the investigation.

What do you think of the show’s handling of Garlin’s absence? Let us know in the comments section, below.

The Goldbergs, Season 9, Wednesdays, 8/7c, ABC