The Real Reason Jeff Garlin Was Fired From The Goldbergs
If there's one thing that is all but guaranteed to keep moviegoers and television watchers engaged with a given production, it's nostalgia. Audiences don't hide their love for days gone by, hence why so many projects revolve around reminding them of the given era they have such fond memories of. "The Goldbergs" is one such creative endeavor that thrives on this yearning for the past. Since premiering in September of 2013, the ABC favorite has taken viewers back to the 1980s to follow a fictionalized take on series creator Adam F. Goldberg's family at the time.
Throughout the program, all the members of the Goldberg clan get some time to shine. The children, Adam (Sean Giambrone), Barry (Troy Gentile), and the made-up Erica (Hayley Orrantia), get up to all kinds of adolescent misadventures in their hometown of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, their supportive yet overbearing mother, Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey), does her best to bond with them while keeping their household on an even keel. Then there's the patriarch of the family, Murray (Jeff Garlin), who fits just about every '80s TV dad stereotype.
Murray Goldberg disappeared from "The Goldbergs" following Season 9 due to Jeff Garlin's unexpected firing. Here's why he left the program so suddenly.
Behind the scenes issues led to Garlin's exit
In December of 2021, as "The Goldbergs" Season 9 rolled on, Jeff Garlin reached a deal to leave the show as soon as possible. This move didn't have to do with financials or creative disagreements. Rather, it had to do with serious allegations that had been levied against Garlin by "Goldbergs" personnel and multiple investigations into his behavior by the program's human resources department. According to Deadline's sources, the Murray Goldberg actor was allegedly physically and verbally abusive on set toward various individuals — so much so that when his firing became known, many people celebrated the news.
Ahead of the show's 10th season premiere on September 21, 2022, Garlin got candid on social media.
Jeff Garlin opened up in a candid Instagram post
Despite the off-screen death of Murray, "The Goldbergs" Season 10 has still come to fruition with the remainder of the main cast returning. A mere few hours before the batch of episodes would premiere on September 21, Jeff Garlin took to Instagram to make a surprising announcement. "Bipolar is a m***********. Sometimes it's just too much to deal with," he wrote, adding, "I'm doing the best I can. This the first time that I've opened up about this." It's unknown how long ago Garlin was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, though one can only hope he has received and continues to receive the proper treatment for it.
Without Jeff Garlin's Murray Goldberg, Season 10 will be something of a litmus test for the future of "The Goldbergs." It will be interesting to see how the series performs without one of its main characters and, depending on how well it does, how many more seasons we can expect to see down the line.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.