Rappaport To The Rescue

Comedy legend Chevy Chase joins Jill Rappaport for a hilarious, unpredictable and surprisingly heartfelt conversation about Saturday Night Live, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, his legendary movie career, his new documentary and a side of Chevy many fans may not know—his lifelong love of animals.

From becoming one of the original breakout stars of SNL to creating unforgettable characters like Clark Griswold, Chevy looks back at a career that includes Vacation, Christmas Vacation, Caddyshack, Fletch, Three Amigos, Funny Farm and so many other comedy classics. He also talks about meeting generations of devoted fans at Comic Cons and special Christmas Vacation events—and why he's still amazed by people who can recite entire scenes from his movies decades later.

Chevy also gives Jill a firsthand look at I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not, the documentary about his extraordinary life and career. He shares what it was like watching the film with his family and reveals that Goldie Hawn and other famous friends and co-stars appear in the documentary.

But Jill also introduces listeners to another Chevy Chase—the devoted animal lover. After spending time with Chevy, his wife Janey and daughter Sidney at her ranch, Jill saw firsthand how deeply he connects with animals. Chevy talks about the dogs and cats who share his home, the beloved pets his family has lost over the years and his support for animal rescue and adoption.

Plus, cat correspondent Deborah Cribbs visits the SPCA Cincinnati to explain the national Fix by Five initiative and why spaying and neutering cats by five months of age can help prevent unwanted litters, improve feline health and reduce overcrowding in animal shelters.

It's Chevy Chase as only Jill Rappaport could get him—funny, irreverent, candid and full of surprises—in a conversation celebrating comedy, classic movies, rescue animals and one of entertainment's most enduring stars.

Listen to Episode #75 Now:

Transcript:

This is Pet Life Radio Let's Talk Pets.
Rappaport to the Rescue with award winning animal advocate, best selling author, journalist and pet products creator Jill Rappaport.
Welcome to Rappaport to the Rescue. I'm Jill Rappaport, and I cannot tell you how excited I am to finally have my guest, Chevy Chase on this show today.
Chevy is truly a living legend, and this summer I was so excited that he actually spent a little vacation no pun intended at my ranch with his beautiful and brilliant wife, Janey and their incredible daughter Sidney.
Chevy is by far one of the funniest and most talented people, and we all know he started out on that show called SNL where he went on to become a superstar, then becoming an award winning actor with so many memorable and beloved film under his
hilarious belt, obviously all the vacation movies, Christmas and European and who didn't love him in Caddyshack, Fletch Fletch Lives seems like old times spies like Us Three Amigos and Funny Farm, And today he is as busy as ever on the road doing
Comic Con and promoting Christmas Vacation, coming up with Q and A's all about that memorable film and this just in. There's even a new documentary about Chevy Chase called I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not. It's scheduled to premiere January first on
CNN, and we will hear all about it firsthand today. Plus Fyi, Chevy is also a huge animal advocate with quite a menagerie at home, so when we come back, you will hear it all from the one and only Chevy Chase.
You know the expression kats have nine lives? Well, what if you can give them one more? But give them ten?
Movement is on a mission to help give cats an extra life. How with spay and neuter Spain or neutering your cat helps them live a longer, healthier life and it helps control free roaming cat populations too.
Learn more about the benefits of spay and neuter and meet Scooter, the neutered cat at Give them ten dot Org. That's give them ten dot org.
Let's talk pets on PetLifeRadio.com
Welcome back to wrapping forth to the Rescue. I am so excited to be looking at the space Chevy. I've been trying to get you on my show for a long time and you look fabulous.
Great to see you.
Good to see you too. Why do you keep saying that?
Yeah, well, first of all, so great to see you. My whole intro, which you will hear, setting up your whole career took me forever. You have so many incredible projects that you've done in your life.
And I said that you were actually vacationing at my house this summer. I got to spend time with you and Janey and Sydney. And when I don't think a lot of your fans realize you are a huge animal advocate.
Oh I no, you baby, tell our listeners about all the pets you have.
3:27
Chevy's Animal Advocacy
We have.
I was just talking to my friend Patrick here about our graveyard outside the back.
Oh, a little glum to start on, but okay.
Little bit in the woods. We have eleven animals that have died while they've been with us. Oh no, over twenty five years.
More than that.
So you have your own pet cemetery.
So we have a pet cemetery. And because Patrick was telling me that one of his dogs is Sara, hill and they have to put him down tomorrow.
Oh no, maybe the very here, we can put his name on the grass. Oh of course you're talking about the one and only Patrick Anino. He is a incredible muralist.
I have never seen someone with such talent. And we're gonna grab Patrick in a few minutes, unbeknownst to him, to talk to him as well. But what's amazing about you and your family?
Chevy? You love animals. I saw you firsthand with my little blind deaf Doxy, where you melted when he curled up to you.
That's a side that I don't know if many of your fans know about you, Why that you are such an animal lover and such a mush when it comes to the animals. Of course, but I love people too, I'm an animal lover. How can you not be?
You know?
I know that you are too.
Well. We love him so much. What's in your menagerie?
Now? Who's in your house? Who's roaming around the backyard?
Tell us about your collection? I'm afraid I can't do that. He is a top secret right now.
Yet you dogs and two cats, that's all.
And you support rescue into adopting and saving, aren't you.
Yes, yes, but you know you're talking Janey's stuff more than me.
I'm totally on your side about anything, but she does all that work, and I just say, hey, nice dog.
Well, first of all, when I mentioned your name to people, Chevy, I know you may not realize this, but you have to know, people immediately burst into a smile.
5:14
Career Reflections
You bring such happiness to people because your movies are hilarious, and whenever I'm down in the dumps, I just put in one of your movies or try to hope to find one of the vacation films, and I'm literally hysterically laughing.
That's nice, Thank you. I appreciate that they're very funny to me too. I mean I actually was looking at oh something that I'm in the other day at the theater over here.
You don't remember which movie.
I'm laughing at things that I did in it that I didn't realize I did.
Stuff like that. You know, I get a kick out of myself.
Well you should, because you're comedic timing your facial expressions as Clark Griswold. I mean, they're just feel good movies. And when you consider how long ago that these movies were made, Wow, we need that humor today, Chevy.
Thank you, Jill.
Could you pull your camera back or something, because all I'm been seeing is from your nose up?
No, how's that? Is that better?
Yeah, it's better. Just don't move your body. Try not to talk.
That's how most people like me.
Okay, I'm sorry about that. You just figured out the problem to my social life. Try not to talk.
What do anyway? Do you have a husband yet?
Oh gosh, no, no way, my nicknames lord of the rings. I've had enough, oh ring a few engagement rings. Why do you have anyone good for me?
Chevy?
Patrick's good.
Patrick is happily married. He's got the most beautiful, wonderful wife.
And I didn't married.
You are so bad. So meanwhile, I hear you have all these exciting things coming up when you do these comic cons, and I know you have one coming up. Tell me are you actually performing?
Are you just signing autographs? What do you do with these events?
No, I'm not performing. What people who are a little bit strange sometimes they collect autographs of pictures and things They walk in in front of me and I saw they put a picture down, and I sign it, I write a little thing on it.
For them whatever it is.
They don't ask you to like recite a line from the movie or do any of that.
These are like circus. People know where they came from, and they come into costumes of other actors that are in the same comic cont so that somebody comes into Superman costume of why is he here? Yeah, he's here.
Oh, thanks a lot for coming in, you know, I mean, just God knows, this is what it's like. I try to be very nice, although.
I've heard from Christie Brinkley, who's attended some of these things with you, you can be a little acerbic, Chevy.
I'll there, Christie say that, I'll get her.
So you're literally sitting down at a table and they just come up and basically kiss.
Your basically, what kiss your ring?
They idolize you.
Oh they kiss my ring?
I thought you meant I do. That's a great gig, Chevy, And you actually get paid to go do these things.
I get paid to bore in my nose. You know, I I have no idea.
I probably not.
Very very very wealthy, frankly, because I don't really have any idea what people are paying me. I just like doing it. So that's so great.
I never asked, really once sort a while, Patrick will tell me in a guilty voice what I made. Well.
Meanwhile, at this juncture of your life, and are you open talking about your age? Are you upfront about that? Yeah?
What do you want from me?
Of course, it's nothing wrong with seventy one.
Yeah, yeah, I say the same thing. I'm in my fifties eternally.
I was just eighty two.
Unbelievable. Yeah, wow, I can actually speak firsthand because I spent time with you. You look marvelous.
You really do.
Funny you should say it that way.
No, you do. Though you're tall, you're thin, you're handsome. You still have some hair?
No, I don't.
That's why I'm wearing a damn hat.
You have got little hair.
Okay, I'll show you're in the air.
Wait a minute, Oh, it's still pretty good coming. There's some and that's all you need is some. But Shelby, doesn't it give you great joy?
Do not tell your friends that I'm bald. There. I will not tell my friends, but I must give you the audience.
I won't. They'll never know. But doesn't it give you, as we say in Yiddish, great nachas that people still show up and line up to see you and meet you.
Great knos.
I don't know what the hell that mean?
What does that mean? Great Erry cowing? Not kids, it's great joy, oh great, okay, come on, you must know that expression.
No, I've never heard it as oh wow, okay, you'll everybody knows knock us geez. But it's really wonderful because Christie's told me this personally, that people are so excited to see you.
She said, of all the stars, of all the actors that show up at these events, she said, people go crazy when they're meeting Chevvy.
I told her to say that. I made her do it.
Well, if come on, you have fans all around the world.
Now you know Christie, she's got billions of fans. She got a whole world of fans.
Yeah, it's amazing that she's a great girl. She's so fabulous. One of my best friends in your co star in the original Vacation film and the Vegas Vacation film.
And what's amazing though, people just can't wait to meet you, and you continue to do these events. And I understand there's a documentary about to come out called I'm Chevy Chase and You're not do you want to talk about that?
10:46
Documentary and Stage Name Revealed
I'm so excited.
No, I'm afraid not, Okay, I will. Yeah, Well, there is a documentary being made about me, which is did you ever see that documentary about Lance Arms throwing the bike bicycle rider?
I never saw it, but I heard about it the same director.
Well, it's the same people who did that, and that was a brilliantly done, very interesting documentary. But there. Yeah, CNN that they're doing a documentary for an hour, which is about all I want anyway, Oh, two hours.
Sorry, I just got the sign they're doing a two hour documentary. It was just what I really want on me.
Wow.
Yeah, I've seen a lot of it.
And I know it all. They'll be CNN DNN on January first.
Yeah, they're going to show it on the first of January and the beginning of next year, the first day cheby.
I don't know if you realize this, because we just came from Christie and I just came from I think I saw ten films at the Hamptons Film Festival. Some of these documentaries were so unbelievable, and every single one of them is waiting for pickup.
They all said that they're hoping that someone will buy it. And I'm telling you they were brilliant.
I mean, I remember that because I'm an East Affner and I've seen and I've done the same thing every year. Right, you want to see these things.
But do you realize what that says about you? That this documentary was made and it's going immediately on the air. That is such a testament, because it's very hard to have these docs get on today.
I don't know.
I guess you're right. I'll take it.
It's true.
I'm on CNN. That's already important to me because I think CNN is watched by many and I happen to watch it. That and and.
Did you see the final?
Have you been involved with any of it? Are they going to show you the final before it theirs?
I also watch MSNBC when I want to watch the news and get the right story. Yeah, CNN, Now I'm kidding. What was the question?
I'm sorry?
Oh, have you seen any part of this so far? You're going to see it?
Yeah?
What do you think? Are you happy with it? Yeah?
I saw the whole thing.
Yeah, I enjoyed it.
You know, I really liked it.
My family was with me. We watched it in a theater here and really we liked it. Yeah, I don't know what they say.
It's me so I it was enjoyable. It was very nice to.
Well, first of all, I want all our listeners all over the world to know about this because I cannot wait to see it. I can't wait to see them. Laughed a lot.
Put it that way. Yeah, I'm I bet you did. Did you have funny people in it?
Did you have you know, people that you've worked with in the past, like Steve Martin or some of your co stars, Goldie Hawn, anybody like that in.
There, all of them. So Goldie Goldie was figured very big in it. But yeah, there are other celebs, but basically they made it mostly about me as the celeb of the thing.
You know, well, it's on you.
It better be all about you. And I assume Lorne Michaels, I would assume have a real lawson there right. Wonderful when you look back.
And by the way, I think I told you this when you were staying at my house, right in front of your wife. So it was okay. I had the biggest.
Groution in front of my wife.
Oh dare you no?
In front of your wife. I said to you that when I first saw you on SNL, we all had the biggest crush on you. We were all in love with you.
Your tall, dark, six foot four, gorgeous, funny, smart. What more could a nice Jewish girl like me want?
And when you look back at your career and you started out, you know, doing weekend updating, you know, a star on SNL and then you went on to become this major movie star, would you have ever thunk that years ago growing up as Cornelius.
Jil Could you ask your question again? I didn't get any of that.
Oh no, don't say that. How long was that? Mark?
That's something I want you to time that later.
Mark. That's the longest question that's ever been asked with me, and I have no idea what it was about.
Try to do the cliff note version. I was in love with you when I first saw you. Can you believe, like all women, can you believe what's happened to your life?
Yeah?
Pretty obvious, you know I live it, but yeah I can believe it.
But it's it is quite amazing, and retrospect and and and looking at it through your eyes, perhaps I can get I get it. I mean it's It is quite a thing that's happened. God knows why it happened, but it's happened, and I'm right here doing this.
This is very this is a big deal for me to do your show.
But that's so sweet of you. I love you for saying that. But for people that don't know that Chevy Chase was not the name you were born with, I obviously said, Cornelius, why Chevy Chase?
Were you obsessed with that town in Maryland? Why? Why that?
Yes?
I was, I was.
That was the reason at the age of one day I came up with ch I was so pets with it. As soon as I came out of the actual area that I had been in for a while. I love it.
Well, you know, it's interesting because you were smart back then.
You know people would change their names, but they would go from like a very unusual name to like, my mother did it, your mother did it. Of course I did not know that.
It's just a complicated story. First of all, how would you like to be Cornelius Crane Chase for the rest of your life? So that's not gonna happen.
What do they call me Corny or So that's not happening, but my grandmother on my father's side, those are all on my mother's side. My grandma and would stop where I grew up as a kid named me Chevy. She couldn't stand the name Cornelius Crane Chase.
Of course it happened to be on the other side of the family, but she just couldn't and I could never have stood it. It's there. I don't use it at all.
It's actually funny.
I've seen you again, Chevy.
Would considering what's happened to your life?
You've done everything? Is there anything when you look back, and I can't even believe you're eighty two, that you think you would have loved to have done that?
You still might tackle many things. I'm sure that I don't just come to my head right now. But I loved making any movies.
One thing I've always wanted to do was parodies of commercials on TV. I wrote a couple of those for SNL once, you know, when I was there that first year.
Those are the kinds of things that I find particularly funny and effective, and since commercials change all the time, and that in itself is funny, and the way they do it, and the people that they get and the whole area of commercial television is a
I think you could still do it.
I think you could do anything you want to do, any movies that you want to make. I know that you're also going to be doing a Q and A for Christmas Vacation, which is one of my favorites. That's fun.
I love it. But meanwhile, it's so much fun to see all the people come out for Christmas Vacation and just to ask you these questions, what's the craziest other than this interview's stupidest question they've ever asked you?
Oh my gosh, where you look at them like seriously. Some of them will come up with lies that I did in the movie and act it. I said, going by, you know, they'll give me a picture to sign.
And then as they're going through a comic on let's say, you bet we're all going to eat here tonight, and one of those things that happened, and they know that, they know like five minutes of it.
They remember, they memorize it, the whole scene.
Yeah, the whole just me, just Clark Griswold talking, and they come I know they'll come by and do that to my face. And for me it's like sure, no good, Yeah, you know, it's like why do you do this with your life?
Everybody who comes through a comic con.
I bet back then when you were making the movie, you never thought that in twenty twenty five, at eighty two years old, they would be coming up impersonating you.
I know, yeah, I never thought i'd be eighty two either, But there's nothing about me that's old, so they come in they think I'm their age Chevy.
I haven't laughed this hard. Seriously. I adore you.
I love being with you this summer. We have to get together soon, and I'm not letting Patrick get off the hook. There he's right near you.
Patrick, can you just say a few words because our audience has to realize you are such a brilliant muralist. You're Chevy's best friend. Patrick.
Are you there? There?
He is?
Oh my god. Patrick. I don't mean to embarrass you, but your work is truly poetry.
I want to thank you for everything you do at Patrick is a huge animal advocate. As you know, Chevy. He does so much to you, He does so much to give back, and Patrick, your work just is so incredible.
Thank you so much, Joe, tell us what you're working on. I know you just did something recently for animals. You never stop giving back.
Yeah, we just did a bunch of I actually just had my youngest son help me with a bunch of murals.
We did some of some steers and some horses and we just install those and then that was a fun product. It was great and it's gonna benefit who.
Well, this is a basically me. I shouldn't have said that. I'll say, mananager, I kicked back the him.
It works out.
Please go on Patrick's website. Patrick give your information you cannot believe it, and he will show you in slow motion from the beginning to the end what these paintings look like. It is fascinating and miraculous.
This beautiful stuff.
Thank you to It's just Patrick Guinino dot com.
S G I N I.
Know perfect nailed it? No wait s G G O N G A N you nailed it?
And Chevy, where do we go to get your work? You want to spell your name? Now, what do you mean my work?
I don't do any work? Well, we do. You have a website and Patrick just said you have a website.
First of all, what can people get from your website?
He is all the Christmas shirts and sign memorabilia, and there's a special Christmas box coming out and it's official chebby Chase dot com and just keep looking back.
Wow, and then all through the.
Holidays they go fast. It's amazing.
Well, Chevy, thank goodness that you have Patrick. You're not a very good promoter. We wouldn't even known about this website if it wasn't for Patrick.
No, I stay out of his life. Well, I can only imagine how many people would want that merch from you. Chevy.
That's some good merch. I'll tell you that's good merch.
Yeah, it is good merch. Thanks, honey.
I can't wait to see you again, and thank you for spending the time. Even though it started out a little rocky, technically, we got it and we really appreciate you being a Rappaport to the rescue. This was so much fun.
It's great to be here, great to see you.
And by the way, yeah, never mind, it was fine. I had a lot of fun.
Okay, but I was hoping we can end by you saying this was the best interview you've ever done.
By the way, I've never had underview. This good I'm telling you, and by a beautiful woman, I.
Say, and I didn't make them say that. Oh, Chevy, continued success. It's so obvious why people all over the world still can't get enough of you.
Check the Cornelius Chase.
Very nice.
Thank you, Thank you so much, and give my love to Janey and all your beautiful daughters.
Glad you noticed that. It's wonderful.
They're all great, and so are you and Patrick. Thank you, Jill, Bye, Jellell'll see you soon. All right, bye, guys, I haven't left that hard in a known time.
Now. When we come back, we are going to check in with our cat correspondent, Deborah Cribs, who is on location to help raise awareness for all the kittens and cats that need a home for the holidays.
We wear fur and we're damn proud of it. What hands our four legs and our tail and we go to the bathroom outside, Well, we may not be too proud of that. Sniff around, Ben, mark your spot right here.
Pet Life Radio, Let's Talk Pats,
SLI Cat Chat with Deborah Cribbs founder of the Give Them Ten movement.
Welcome back to wRappaport to the rescue.
23:18
Fix by Five Initiative
From that wonderful and hilarious interview with Chevy Chase. We now have such an important segment. We are checking in with our cat correspondent, Deborah Cribs.
And for those of you who have been following along with her and who hasn't, Deborah is on location again at the Cincinnati SPCA, and this week she's here to talk about a very important initiative called fix by five Ouch. Deborah High, Hi.
Glad to be back here at this beautiful facility, the SPCA in Cincinnati. I always like coming here because this is a really great shelter. They're really progressive.
They take care of their cats and dogs so well, and you know the point of view that we have in the shelter world, in the cat world, Get them in, get them out. But right here behind me, they're all kinds of kiddies waiting for their forever home.
And some of them are talking to me. I don't know if you can hear them, but I can.
Yeah. It's a different location and so beautiful. Last time, you know, it looked like almost like a cat kitten spa and now you're in a shelter environment.
But what a lovely environment. It is clean and playful and very happy.
You know, you're right, and shelters can be happy. I gotta say, I think it starts with the people. And if the people are happy, you can tell, that means the animals are probably going to be happy as well.
And these cats, you know, Jill, as you know, dogs are going to show you how happy they are. Cats don't always show you, but they are. These are happy cats.
These are definitely happy cats. And I absolutely want to talk to you about Fixed by five. If you guys and your audience haven't heard about this, it's a really great I haven't initiative.
It's national. So fixed by five means get your cats fixed by five months old. That's all.
It means, five months old. And you know the reason. I think there's an old fashioned point of view in the shelter and bet community that you can wait until six months.
But you know, cats can get pregnant as early as four months, so we don't want that to happen. We don't want unwanted litters. We don't want even if this is a beautiful shelter, Jill, it's not like, we want all the cats to end up here.
Of course we don't, so fixed by five. Take the responsibility as best you can to make sure your kittens are fixed by then.
You know, it's interesting. It's very controversial with dogs. You know, there are many oncologists in the animal world that say, with a dog, especially a big dog, definitely newter later spaying is a different story.
But with cats, you're telling me that earlier is really so important, and why is it? What are the benefits of spaying and neutering earlier for a cat or a kitten.
Well, it is interesting. There's a lot of data that has been captured in the last couple of decades that suggest that the arrival of any cancers will maybe not happen the earlier you're able to fix that cat, especially the girl cats.
So there is not data now that says waiting is beneficial to the cat. And I would also add, although it is beneficial to their health, it is beneficial to society because we don't want unwanted litters.
But also the earlier you intervene, the easier it is on the cat. If you just think about it, the younger you are, the better you get over something. Whether you're a human or a cat or a dog.
And there are lots of behaviors that happen in cats, and they start happening. I mean, if a cat can get pregnant as young as four months, these behaviors start happening around them and they're not happy household behaviors.
So it's just better all around.
Get them fixed as young as you can buy five but you can go as early as two pounds.
And is there a difference if someone has an inside cat versus an outside cat? Good question.
Oh my gosh, that is so important for people to know. That thing I just said about behaviors. That's all about inside cats.
You don't want them yowling because the girl cats go into heat. That kind of bad behavior needs to be avoided in the household or potentially spraying, especially for the boycats.
So absolutely you want to fix your inside cat for you, if not for the cat, for you.
Yeah, making your life easier as well.
So for those that are apprehensive they've got a darling little kitten and they're thinking it's too early, it's not going to be healthy for them, you say to them, what the doctors know better, The vets no better.
It's absolutely okay, get it over with, do the right thing, and then your household, everybody there the cat and you will be happier and healthier for it.
And it definitely affects the local shelters too and can help local shelters.
Yeah, really good point, Jill. The butter behaved we are as people as the humans, and you know we are generally in control here. The better behaved we are by keeping cats and dogs out of shelters, then the butter the shelter environment is.
It's not a good thing when shelters are overrun with cats or kittens. So let's all do the right thing and that won't happen, right.
Yeah, And for all of our listeners, what can they do to do the right thing if they don't have a cat or kitten at home, how can they help?
28:50
Supporting Shelters
Well, get in touch with your local shelter. You can always give money, I assure you, there'll always take money.
Boy.
If you're not ready to adopt, perhaps become a foster family for some kittens. That would be a great idea that helps keep the cats out of the shelter temporarily, maybe until they're ready to be adopted, until they're old.
Enough, or just call and ask if maybe you can be a cat petter or a dog walker.
The shelters will thank you for that. Well, Deborah, I don't know how you do it. I'm looking at all those kittens and cats around you, and I know how much you love them.
How are you gonna go home without one?
Oh no, Jill, there's a well known rule. Everybody who knows me knows. My husband said no, uh huh.
No more, no more.
I, on the other hand, would say, the hell with it. I'm coming home with another kitten or hat.
Okay, then that's what I'm going to go. Tell him, Jill. We'll see what he says.
Oh no, I don't want to get in the middle of that Deborah Cribbs
This is great information and just in time for the holidays. Thank you so much again for this wonderful segment on location at the SPCA in Cincinnati. So great to see you, and a wonderful, healthy and happy holiday season to you.
And what's our message, Please open up your heart and home to an animal in need, right.
Deborah, Yes, and thank you very much. Happy holidays to everyone.
Thank you and thank you all for listening to this wonderful holiday edition of Rapapord to the Rescue.
Let's Talk Pats every week on demand only on petlife radio dot com.

"Rappaport to the Rescue" Theme Song Written & Produced by Mark Winter
© Copyright 2022 Such Fun Music (ASCAP)