The Goldbergs’ Wendi McLendon-Covey Disputes Jeff Garlin’s Claim Bipolar Disorder Caused Bad Behavior

Wendi McLendon-Covey isn’t here for Jeff Garlin‘s latest explanation for his “mean” behavior on The Goldbergs.

Garlin, 64, departed the hit ABC sitcom in 2021 following allegations of inappropriate conduct, including hugging and touching people, and making jokes that left some uncomfortable. The actor pushed back on the accusations at the time, maintaining that he was “always a kind and thoughtful person.”

In a new interview with the Daily Beast‘s Obsessed podcast on September 18, Garlin reflected on his time on the series, attributing his demeanor to an undiagnosed mental health disorder.

“I actually empathize with [McLendon-Covey] because, at the time, I was undiagnosed bipolar,” Garlin, who played Murray in the comedy about an American family in the ’80s, said. “I was miserable on the show, and I was miserable with my performance. And she was always trying to tell me, ‘Hey, you’re really great on the show.’ I didn’t believe her. I just got to the point where I had to quit, and she was very resentful.”

“… Being bipolar, I was either one of three things: dark, dark, dark, dark, didn’t talk and look at anyone; happy to the point of mania, never turning off my thing; or mean — really, really mean,” he added, sharing that he hadn’t been diagnosed with the condition until after exiting the sitcom.

McLendon-Covey, 56, who played Garlin’s TV wife, Beverly, on the show, wasn’t buying it, however, taking to the comment section of an Instagram post about his interview disputing her former co-star’s claims.

“Huh,” McLendon-Covey wrote.

“Let’s just say I remember things very differently, as does the crew, the other actors, the writers, and our executives,” she added in a follow-up comment.

The Bridesmaids actress has previously touched on Garlin’s exit, telling Andy Cohen on his Sirius XM radio show, Radio Andy, back in March 2023 that Garlin’s departure from the show was “a long time coming.”

She didn’t want to discuss the situation further, however, telling Cohen she was “exhausted by everything” and “the PTSD of it all.”

The Goldbergs ran for 10 seasons, from 2013 to 2023, with Garlin getting killed off between seasons 9 and 10.