One day after his character was killed off of The Goldbergs, Jeff Garlin revealed he has bipolar disorder. According to Deadline, Garlin revealed his mental health status in an Instagram post, saying, “Bipolar is a motherfucker. Sometimes it’s just too much to deal with. I’m doing the best I can. This the first time that I’ve opened up about this.” Garlin exited The Goldbergs in December amid a human resource investigation regarding accusations of troubling behavior from Garlin. Cast and crewmembers claimed Garlin’s physical and verbal actions were a source of discomfort. Garlin and Sony Pictures Television mutually agreed on his departure from The Goldbergs. His character, Murray Goldberg, was killed off-screen in the season premiere.
Jeff Garlin’s Bipolar Disorder Costs Him Role on ‘The Goldbergs’
According to Variety, the season premiere of The Goldbergs opened with a shot of Murray’s chair with narrator Adam Goldberg (Patton Oswald) saying, “Just a few months ago, out of nowhere, we lost my dad. We will always love you, Dad. Always. And we’ll find a way to continue on together. Because after all, we’re the Goldbergs.” It was announced three weeks ago that season ten would pick up months after the character’s death.
Garlin’s revealing of his bipolar disorder, a disorder that causes manic highs and depressive lows may be a cause of his troubling behavior. However, his explanation differs from what he said in an interview with Vanity Fair regarding leaving The Goldbergs. Garlin said in the interview, “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 is 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.”
The Goldberg’s opening season ten with Murray’s death due to Garlin’s departure is similar to season nine’s premiere, which addressed the death of the character Pops after actor George Segal’s death.
While Jeff Garlin is no longer on The Goldbergs, we will soon see him in Curb Your Enthusiasm season twelve.