01-05-2022
“The Goldbergs” is a long-running television show produced by Sony Pictures Television. Jeff Garlin was a lead actor in the series for much of its eight years.
Three former “The Goldbergs” employees told Vanity Fair that Garlin engaged in a pattern of verbal and physical conduct on the set that made people uncomfortable. They alleged that Garlin used inappropriate language and hugged and touched individuals without their permission. Describing himself as a “teddy bear,” Garlin excused his behavior to the Vanity Fair journalist as just part of his personality and comedic process. He said, “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.” Garlin said he did not understand how his “silliness” made the workplace unsafe. Garlin admitted HR came to him during each of the past three years to discuss his on-set behavior based on multiple complaints. Garlin seemingly placed the responsibility to establish boundaries on the employees, saying if they told him to stop, he would have. He also said he was “disgusted” by the “whole HR thing of the past few years.”
Within two weeks of the Vanity Fair article, Garlin and Sony Pictures reached a mutual agreement for Garlin to end his connection with the show. He had been expected to continue filming the current ninth season of the show. Garlin will continue to appear on HBO’s long-running show “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”