Jeff Garlin to Continue Appearing on The Goldbergs This Season Despite Firing

Jeff Garlin will continue to appear on ABC’s The Goldbergs this season despite the actor’s recent firing over multiple allegations of misconduct. According to Variety, while the actor will not film any new episodes of the hit ABC sitcom, the series is utilizing the actor’s stand-in as shot from the back for group scenes, unused takes, previously shot images of the actor, and off-camera dialogue from earlier episodes to allow the actor’s character to continue to appear for now. Garlin will continue to be paid despite technically not working, per the report.

Last week it was reported that Garlin had been fired from The Goldbergs effective immediately. Garlin was the subject of an HR investigation into a series of misconduct allegations on the set of the sitcom. The report noted that there had been numerous comments from anonymous members of the series’ crew claiming Garlin was verbally and emotionally abusive. Garlin previously acknowledged the investigation, but at the time denied that he was being fired.

“Well, to be honest with you, there is no story,” Garlin told Vanity Fair. “We have a difference of opinion, Sony and myself. Okay. My opinion is, I have my process about how I’m funny, in terms of the scene and what I have to do. They feel that it makes for a quote ‘unsafe’ workspace. Now, mind you, my silliness making an unsafe workspace — I don’t understand how that is… I am always a kind and thoughtful person. I make mistakes, sure. But my comedy is about easing people’s pain. Why would I ever want to cause pain in anybody for a laugh? That’s bullying. That’s just uncalled for.”

Deadline previously reported that Garlin retaliated after a camera assistant made an HR complaint, which seems likely to have been the last straw. He frequent use of the word “vagina” to try and get a laugh out of the crew disturbed the camera assistant, and she made a complaint to HR. According to the Deadline report, “After the actor found out, he reportedly put his hands around her and kept saying ‘vagina’ in her face over and over again.” 

According to Variety, The Goldbergs was filming the 15th and 16th episodes of the 22-episode Season 9 when Garlin was fired from the series. On The Goldbergs, Garlin played the character Murray Goldberg since the show’s debut, though the character has become increasingly less central as the seasons have continued.