Unblinded with Sean Callagy - The Truth About Comedy and Making People Laugh with Chevy Chase & Sean Callagy

Episode Date: January 27, 2026

In this episode of Unblinded, Sean Callagy sits down with one of the most influential comedic innovators of all time: Chevy Chase.As a founding cast member of Saturday Night Live, an Emmy-winning writer and performer, and the face of some of the most iconic films in comedy history, Chevy didn’t just make people laugh—he changed the standards of comedy itself. From razor-sharp satire to perfectly timed physical humor, his work proved that intelligence and irreverence could coexist, and that surprise is the engine of laughter.In this wide-ranging and often hilarious conversation, Chevy reflects on his early influences, his unexpected path into comedy, the birth of SNL, and the philosophy behind what actually makes something funny. Along the way, he shares candid thoughts on legacy, family, perspective, and why making people laugh has always been his ultimate goal.This episode is a rare, human, and deeply entertaining look at originality, creativity, and the responsibility that comes with shaping culture.Episode Highlights- How Chevy’s family shaped his sense of humor long before comedy was a career- The unexpected college radio roots that launched his creative journey- Meeting Lorne Michaels and helping shape the original Saturday Night Live- Why being live on television made early SNL electric—and terrifying- The moment Chevy went from head writer to on-camera performer- His simple but profound definition of humor as perspective and surprise- Behind-the-scenes reflections on Fletch, Caddyshack, and Christmas Vacation- Why laughter is one of the happiest human experiences- Thoughts on legacy, family, and how he wants to be remembered- A candid look at influence, originality, and choosing contribution over approvalMemorable Quotes“A sense of humor is a sense of perspective.”“Without surprise, you can’t really get laughter.”“If you can surprise people in the right way, you can make them laugh.”“All I ever wanted to do was make people laugh.”“I want to be remembered by my family. The rest can take it or leave it.”⏱️ Timestamps / YouTube Chapters00:00 Introduction 02:20 Chevy Chase’s Early Life & Family Humor04:10 Discovering Comedy in High School & College06:05 College Radio, Music, and Creative Roots07:40 Meeting Lorne Michaels & The Birth of SNL09:45 From Head Writer to On-Camera Performer11:30 What Made Early Saturday Night Live Special13:15 Defining Humor: Perspective, Timing & Surprise16:10 Transition to Film & Early Movie Success18:00 Favorite Roles: Fletch, Caddyshack & More20:45 Christmas Vacation & Cultural Legacy24:30 Family, Laughter & What Really Matters26:50 Life, Fun, and Not Taking Yourself Too Seriously29:10 Legacy, Influence & Being Remembered32:10 Documentary, Final Reflections & ClosingWhether you grew up watching Saturday Night Live, quoting Caddyshack, or discovering Chevy’s work for the first time, this episode is an invitation to step back, see life a little differently, and remember that laughter—real laughter—is one of the happiest human experiences we get to share.

I think I was funny in high school. There were funnier people in high school and then college. No, no, as I said, my father was very funny. My brother was funny and no mentors, no teachers, just growing up with the right people, the way I would see it. I wanted to be in medicine. I was thinking about being a surgeon, but I realized in short order that it would take another four to eight years

before I could do that and I wanted to be funny first. Without surprise, you can't really get laughter. It's got to come from out of nowhere on. almost or at a left field. I left. I left after one year. I had a reason to go and I was personal. And I really didn't want to leave, but it was the way it was in my life at the time. I want to be remembered by my family, by the people I'm closest to. The rest can take it or leave it. Hey, we're here with the Sean Calligan Blind the podcast. We help people see what they don't see about their financial abundance, their time, and magic.

And as we hit this Christmas and holiday season, I couldn't be more honored to have our guest coming up here today. So let's kick it to Tink for his introduction. There are rare souls in every era who don't just succeed. They redraw the map for everyone who follows. Before comedy learned to explain itself, before it softened the edges, Chevy Chase stepped forward and proved that intelligence could be hilarious.

Our reverence could be art, and the sharpest laugh is the one that reveals truth before we even know it's arrived. As a founding force of Saturday Night Live, an Emmy Award winner for both his performances and writing, and the architect of moments that echo through decades, Chevy didn't just collect accolades, he changed the very standards of comedy. He made it safe for wit to be sharp, for satire to be fearless, and for performers to trust that restraint and timing could be more powerful than noise. Being first isn't glamour. It's carrying a torch through the fog.

Misunderstood until the world catches up. To master at this level, it's the time truth so clearly that laughter becomes revelation. Between the applause and the pressure, the brilliance and the burden, stands a human who chose originality over approval and contribution over comfort. Tonight we don't just honor nostalgia. We honor a man whose work raised the bar for what comedy, courage, and intelligence could be. And so it's my privilege to welcome, arguably the greatest comedic innovator of his generation,

a true one-of-one, Chevy Chase. Mr. Chevy Chase, honor and privilege to have you here. Oh, thank you. Yeah, Sean. Nice to see you, Sean. Yeah, very nice to see you. So I got to go. After that intro. Thank you for that for sure.

So how did you get into comedy? Were you funny growing up? Was it something you just understood? Did you learn how to do it? Like where? Where did all this come from? Well, all of the above, I mean, my dad was a very funny man. His dad was a funny man.

They weren't comics or comedians, as I'm supposed to be. But they were very funny and particular about what they said and did. Good was sarcasm when it was valued. And, you know, things happen. You just scroll along. And if you pardon me for burping. I just realized I've lost the lung. Okay, I'm back.

Go. So were you funny in high school? Were you in plays? What was that time like for you? I think I was funny in high school. There were funnier people in high school and in college. Wally Sean was one. He was well known for some of his movies.

And, you know, I mean, you're still going to go over this, aren't you? How do I become funny? Yes. I don't know. Thank you. So did you have anybody that was a mentor, a teacher, or this was really just innately, No, no, as I said, my father was very funny. My brother was funny.

And no mentors, no teachers, just growing up with the right people the way I see it. Awesome. So what happens first to take you from high school, college, into your career in entertainment? And, yeah. Well, in a sense that started in college. We used to make a radio, do a radio show that could be heard in the college. And it was very funny in itself and a takeoff on radio and television. And that's sort of where it all began.

And going from there, I was actually a, I was, what was I, Pat? Oh, I majored in a, I was a medical guy. I wanted to be in medicine. Really? So, yeah. And I was thinking about being a surgeon. But I realized in short order that it would take another four to eight years before I could do that.

And I wanted to be funny first. And music, Carnegie Hall, pianist, Steeley Dan, that was a part of you as well. Yeah, Steeley Dan was in college with me and I was with them and I played the drums. And later on I just moved into the piano and that's what I've been playing for the last 50 years or so. Piano. Beautiful. Jazz piano.

Awesome. And how about moving into Saturday Night Live, you know, what do you think perhaps people might not understand about Saturday Night Live, your time there that might be an interesting revelation for people. What? What? What? So cool, crazy, interesting, fun times on Saturday Night Live. Was it fun? Did you enjoy it?

Was it terrible? You're a nut case. You know, yeah. S&L came about when I met Lauren Michaels, the producer, and line late at night at like a midnight showing of the Monty Python's Holy Grail. The Monty Python is another, in my opinion, the greatest of the comedy groups out of England. And Lorner Michaels and I got together and sat around in his hotel room in LA, Los Angeles. And we talked for about an hour, well more than that, maybe the whole afternoon about what he wanted to do with his new show called Saturday Night Live, S&L, and how he would like me to be the head writer. Because I had been the head writer up to that point in a couple of other shows, and culminating in the Smothers Brothers Hour, which was a, television show too at the time so I I said I'd love to come to New York and but I

wanted to act too as I've just started to act in this mother's brother show and was enjoying it and he said no no acting so that was the end of that but I still went and was with him in New York City as we put together this show and he hired various, you know, Gilda Radner, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin, various members of the cast. And we just put it together there, and it took off. It was live.

And because it was live, I think it was most entertaining because you weren't really sure what heck could happen on it. Yeah. Yeah. And for yourself, so from Saturday Night Live and being the writer, how do you end up in front of the camera? Yeah. Well, let's see.

Well, Lauren Michaels had us all sitting around an oval table and he'd point to John and Gilda and various things. He'd say, do something, do something funny. And by the way, he hadn't hired me to act. As I said, he just wanted me to be the writer. But he pointed to me and said, do something funny. And I did some thing about, you know how those news people like David Muir and others. They end their shows with a little light, funny thing, they think.

Anyway, I did some takeoff on that and it was pretty funny. And at that point, he's decided to keep me as an actor, too. So that's how that began. That's awesome. Who are some of the folks from that era, John Volusci and Steve Morton and Gilda Radner? Who are some of the people that you enjoyed their work the most? Not just critically thought of it, but made you laugh from that. All of those people you mentioned made me laugh.

They're very funny people. Awesome. And then, so what happened after Saturday Night Live and how do we move from SNL into the world of film? Oh, that was quick. Let me think. What happened after Saturday Night Live? Well, I left after one year.

I had a reason to go and I was personal. And I really didn't want to leave. It was the way it was in my life at the time. And let me see, what did I do? What did I do? I can't even remember. You did it? Oh, yeah, well, I made a movie called Foul Play with Goldie Hawn,

and that was kind of cute. And we actually made a couple of movies together that, and it seems like old times. And I started making movies and having fun doing that. And it was all comedy. Yeah, I mean, all these movies are iconic and amazing. Excuse me, I just got finished with the pneumonia. Not, you won't get, you won't get it, it's gone.

It would be worth it sitting here. I would accept pneumonia for, you would. You would. Go away from me. To sit with you and have this conversation. Get out of here. Yes, so the, the, The, if, and I know this is a question that has been, you know, sort of, we're not all

there yet, but let's pretend people are watching this to learn. Let's hope they are. Yeah, let's hope. Yeah. To become more funny. Like, is there anything you, has anybody ever asked you, hey, you know, Mr. Chase, Chubby Chase, how can I become more funny? People you're on set with folks.

Is there anything you would give us guidance of what humor is? to you or how you think about funny things or writing in humor, anything like that that people might be able to take away. Repeat that. Yes. No, I'm kidding. I could verbatim, yes. I bet you could.

No, I mean, I'm not sure how to answer that. How could I teach people? What? Yeah, like what, if you're, somebody said, give me one tip. how you could be more funny. You made this room laugh five times. Most of them at me, so it's amazing, thank you for that. And by the way, my significant other is sitting there,

so she's very, very happy. The more times you're making them laugh at me will make her keep laughing like that. Okay, good. Yeah, perfectly. Good good. So yeah, I mean, if you had one tip, because she's not funny, so she's gonna try to become funny.

So what would you teach her to become funny? I would tell her to keep it up. Yeah. How could she get worse if that was the case? That was the case. I mean, look, a sense of humor is a sense of perspective, a sense of what's good and what's bad, what's right, what's wrong, what's better, what's worse, all of those thoughts. And that's what a sense of humor is about. So to the extent that you keep that in mind,

and to the extent that you understand that, I guess that's how you learn better. I guess that's what you try to teach others. Just keep that perspective and don't be afraid, you know. So thank you for that, for sure. You're welcome. And I mean that sincerely, because, you know, folks watch this, Excuse me, while I blow your nose.

Please, please do. Wait, no, it's mine. Yes. Oh, that's right. I don't have a handkerchief. Wait, I've got one. I got it. That's my mom.

I've got it. Look at this. Is that your mom? She would love if you blew her nose in her handkerchief. She'll keep it. So, seems like old times. That's so bad. She had like posters of you.

Oh, my God. All sorts of things. Oh. Yes. I'm here. Go ahead. So, um, and I, you know,

The folks out there, they just learned something, and I did too, of how to talk about humor. Because I believe everything could be modeled, right? And I never thought about it in the context, way of saying of perspective shifting. And that is funny. So if you think about, if I think about for a second, the characters you played, you were always in,

whether it's foul play, or whether it's Fletch, whether it seemed like old times, whether it's in the vacation movies, that's something you were just shifting perspective to say something from another angle it's funny right it's what you've done ten times here today I never understood that so yeah thank you I mean I know you learn something I have okay it's time to be funny yes I could because she don't think I'm funny go forth and be funny shall I go for I've been directed by

by Chevy Chase to go forward and be funny yes it's a biblical thing go forth and be funny and my children think I'm cringy and not funny so thank you I will do my best sure thing I think that whatever I can do thank you so so we moved from you move from this time of foul play Goldie Hawn what are what are some of your favorite movies that you've done that and I and I that I made yeah yeah what did you enjoy the most or like the most oh hell I liked all of my I had a lot of fun making most of them I must have made 50 over the years but probably the last and can I just isn't for

I don't, we don't say things to kiss your A, S, S. Like, you are amazing and, like, really, it is an honor. And people, and I just want to, like, really bring this forward. So I don't just say nice things to people that say nice. You are a master. Come on now. Oh, I don't. Bella, do I say things to be nice all the time?

Okay. So, Mom, do I say things to be nice? Oh, yeah. Oh, my God, they're both here. Yes, they're both here, right? But I mean it, you know, really. I've been a student of your work, and just a move by it.

Like there's not a Christmas season that goes by. I don't watch Christmas vacation multiple times, but I understand you're way more than that. Yeah. You know, the entire body of work, you know, foul play. It's all about laugh. Yes. That's all.

I mean, it's that simple, but can you make people laugh? And we've sort of covered some of that right now. And, you know, ever since I've been little, I've liked making people people laugh, it seems to be one of the happiest moments in their lives to laugh. Sure. So to the extent that I can make you laugh or your mom or your wife, I mean, or your, is it your wife?

Close enough. Yes. Close enough. Yes. Sure. It's sugar mom. Yeah. Anyway, to the extent that I can do that, that's really all it's about.

And that that means surprise, basically. surprise you can't really get laughter it's got to come from out of nowhere almost or left field as it were beautiful so and how about your any any movies that are your favorites that you made like do you that I made yeah of yours yeah they I suppose my favorite was Fletch which is my more recent one I think Fletch but you know I love the Bill on the Underbells times I loved the spies like us. I certainly loved the three amigos. That's one of my favorites.

So those, I have about five or six of them that I liked. Wow. So at Fletch, we have the Underhill Bills. How about where does Caddyshack stack up for you in terms of? Oh, Caddyshack's right up there too, yeah. I like Caddyshack a lot. I like being with Harold Ramis and Bill Murray was in Caddyshack. We were very funny together. I don't think the heavy rain's going to come down for a while yet or something, right? The what? The rain. We're talking about the rain.

It's like pouring rain in that moment, iconic scene with, I think Bill Murray. Yeah, we're talking about not thinking the rain's going to come down as it's pouring. Oh, I don't remember that. Bill Murray and membrane. Yeah. So how about in the world of vacation, right? how I didn't hear you mention that. Vacation?

Yeah. Oh, sure. How did you enjoy that movie? If people see you through that prism, like, see you that way, do you like that? You like that? Yeah, I enjoyed it. I liked it. Cool.

Thanks for asking. But, I mean, you know, look, I don't want to go over and over it, but like I say, if you can surprise people, You can make them laugh if you can surprise them in the right way. You know. Got it? I got it. Okay. That's a boy.

Yeah. Thank you for that. So who did you, who are some of your favorite people to perform with? I don't want, I mean, if you want to tell me the people you didn't like perform with the movies you don't like, feel free. I'm not asking to put you a weird spot. I don't. There's nobody I didn't like. Okay.

No, I like them all. Yeah. And how, who. I love Dan Aykroyd, for instance. It's a very good friend and wonderful guy from S&L. Steve Martin, Martin Short, they both have their own show now, called Only Murderers in My Building, or in somebody's building, I don't remember who's.

And they're two very good friends of mine. We made the three Migos together, which I thought was a good movie. and you know stuff like that cool how is I know you've been on a recent tour we've been going around how's that going and the tour's going fine we've been going from city to city we've been as of now and about 12 different cities it's a it's a workout but we go and we show the movie christmas vacation right about this time of year and then I come out at the end of of it all and and the audience stands and applauds and gives me a standing ovation that which is the only reason I go really and and we do a show in front of the audience we they ask questions

and I answer the questions and yes they like that because they like to see a star and it's live you know live sure that kind of thing sure so in Christmas vacation um is how does that fit into, I mean, obviously on Tournett for it, so well known for it. But what were some of your favorite things about that? Is that how do you feel about that being, you know, the legacy it is? Well, I love it because it was very much a family oriented picture. And it's very much the, are you going to leave now? I think you get out of here I think you gave my heck don't cough in here I think he gave my mom pneumonia

gave her the pneumonia okay we'll see you grammy yes what the place this is it's crazy anyway yeah where was that we were talking about what vacation Christmas vacation oh Christmas vacation yeah yeah yeah I loved that that's a family oriented picture it's pretty much like all of our families they come and attack your family during Christmas and you have to be aware of it and ready for it and try to make it a fun ordeal for everybody thank you for that right you know it it is I came from a big family my mom who just left the room choking because I think she caught pneumonia in the room that's like our family

You know, the, and I think it's like everyone's family. And so as you spoke about earlier, this perspective, that's what's really happening, right? Yeah, behind the scenes. Sure. We're burning the turkey and there's no food and the senile aunt is giving presents that nobody wants and wrapping cats. Yeah. So just really, thank you for that, you know, permanent imprint on everybody's life. Yeah.

Well, you're welcome. Yeah. Legacy. Is that something you care about? you think about how to be remembered what you'll be remembered for it's you know a hundred years from now it's your last day on earth what would you if anything want to be remembered for i'd want to be remembered for living to be a hundred sorry i don't know just uh i want to be remembered by my family by the people i'm closest to the rest

take it or leave it. That's a beautiful perspective. You seem like you really have a great life where you're not. I do have a great life, yeah, I love it. What do you do for fun? For fun? I live my life. What do you mean for fun?

Like the rest of it's not fun? Do you like parachute? Do you play chess? Do you eat ice cream? I like to play chess in the air, parachuting. It always works for me. That is perfect. Clothed or unclothed?

I like to be clothed most of the time because it's very cold up there. This is definitely fun. Belle of Rita, you keep laughing over there at this. So you're getting some funny lessons. Yes, I'm getting funny lessons. Yes. So any questions you have, Belle of Rita? No, how do we make him more funny?

Because he thinks he's funnier than me, and I don't think he is. Obviously, you've experienced how funny I am. I think how do we make him funnier. I don't think either of you are very funny. Frankly, I think you're going to have to work that out together. No, but you're fine. Thank you and appreciate that.

Don't worry about it. So, tonight. No. No tonight. You can, okay. Okay, thank you. So for tonight, we're going to be celebrating at our, Christmas and holiday party with 800 of my closest friends yeah so it'd be

wonderful what he's got some surprises for you yes we're gonna have a beautiful oh am I gonna be there I hope so okay yes I'll try to get there thank you I appreciate that so we're gonna be lighting the Christmas tree honoring you and we're gonna play a clip before you come out of your moment in Christmas vacation where you have just found out that you were the winner of the Jelly of the Month Club as Clark Griswold. Oh. Is that okay with you if we play that moment? Yeah, of course. Surprise. No, but people don't know you're coming.

That's where I rant. Yes, the magical Clark Griswold rant. Yeah. So is that okay with you? It's okay with me. Yes. And then we're going to ask you to repeat it verbatim from memory. Would that be okay?

No. But I can read it. I'm totally joking. John, though, could definitely recite everyone. Oh, I'm sorry to hear it. Yeah. So we'll have that beautiful night. Is there anything that we can do that you want these fine folks to know before to wrap up about you, life, anything?

No, no, I'm very happy to be here. It's very nice to meet you, people. Yep. Oh, I have a documentary. There's a documentary about me coming up on television. Amazing. On December, what is it? January 1st, CNN.

Yeah, on January 1st on CNN. These guys want me to promote the documentary about me. And it's pretty good. I saw it. You like it. Well, I'm in it. Yes. So I like it, yeah.

Yeah, it's nice. Amazing. And is it funny? Is it factual? Is it both? It's all. Yeah, it's funny. It's factual.

it tells you a lot about me. And were there any influences on you? You know, we've mentioned some of these comedic geniuses, including your family, but was there anybody else, your dad, your grandfather that were funny? Is there anybody else in the history of comedy that influenced you? Of course. Charlie Chaplin was.

It was brilliant as a physical comic. I'm a physical comic, so I loved watching Chaplin and Keaton, even even though they were years before me I mean they were in the 20s and 30s I wasn't born till in the middle of the 40s but um Abbot and Costello Laurel and Hardy enjoy any of those folks I liked Laurel and Hardy Abbott and Costello yeah that how about what's thing through anybody from so the 50s 60s in comedy that was well I think was Sid Caesar and Imaging

Coco, the 60s, oh hell, I don't remember now. That's a long, long time ago. How about Lucy, I love Lucy, Lucille Ball, was that? Yeah, she's okay. So if you're going to pick Chevy Chase's three favorite comedy folks of all time, who would be your top three? Yeah, in comedy? Yeah, in comedy. First of all time?

Yeah, who would be like one, two, and three for you in comedy? Oh, geez. That's not fair. I don't want to name three people that when there's probably a dozen others that I love too. I understood. So how about outside the realm of comedy? What are some of your favorite movies? My favorite movies? Yeah.

Well, Lawrence of Arabia is my favorite movie. That, Citizen Kane. These are not comedies, obviously. And then there are plenty of Chaplain movies, and later on, I don't know. It's tough to announce who I think are the best when there are so many that I love. Awesome.

Do you ever watch your own movies? Not much. Besides my case. I've seen them and I've been in them. So I don't watch them much. No, we don't sit around at home laughing at dad. Do you're, and you said dad, you have children? Of course I have children.

I have three daughters. Beautiful. And do they think you're funny? They do. They think I'm funny. Wow. So I guess maybe my daughters are right that I'm unfortunate, but they do. That's it.

Yeah. That is super fun. Grammy, anything that you would like to ask Mr. Chevy Chase as we began to draw to close? I just love seeing it. It just seemed like such a fun movie. Thank you. Was it fun? They're all fun.

They're all fun, yeah. I can't imagine a film I made that wasn't fun. Of course it was fun. Yeah. Well, I thoroughly loved it. Well, thank you very much. I appreciate that. How about Jerry? Anything on your heart and mind?

No, I enjoy your work, Shuddy. It made me left many, many times, and I appreciate your work. Thank you. Oh, you're very welcome. My husband. Yeah. Yeah. So I just want to say thank you.

One more quick question from the audience, Oh, Mike, sure. Okay? Mr. Chase, we heard there's a great story about John Volusci and something that was in a vial that you found. What? We could phone a friend on that. On the piano, remember when you had your little bile on the piano on set and it just Oh, I don't want to get into that.

That's not right. No. I mean, you don't want to hear about that. It's drugs. Well, my girlfriend does. She wants to hear about drugs because you want to know what she brought into my house. My mom doesn't know this. So this, I want to see if we're getting funny.

Come, Grammy, dear. Yes, my mom doesn't know this, but she came into my house. No. with a suitcase full you're not listening she she she went from high school drug dealer to god dealer so she went from drug dealer to pastor now yes but she had a moment where she may have brought a suitcase full of interesting things into my house yes um so i just want to say thank you we have a magical night tonight um i appreciate your time and you're coming here today thanks for having ladies and gentlemen um you know of course the one and only chevy chase of all of the magic

magic and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to folks. I appreciate it. I enjoyed myself. Thank you very much, everybody, for being here. There are all of eight people in here. Yes, the live studio. What a crowd. Yes.

That's great. Take care of it.