'Goldbergs' Star Wendi McLendon-Covey Says She Has 'PTSD' From Working with Jeff Garlin

It's been about five years since controversial comedian Jeff Garlin was formally fired from ABC's hit sitcomThe Goldbergs, and fans only continue to speculate over the star's alleged actions behind the scenes.

Roughly a year after Garlin's dismissal from the show, cast member Wendi McLendon-Covey gave an interview where she openly discussed her relationship with Garlin, saying that she had "PTSD" from her time working alongside the comedian.

"That was a long time coming," McLendon-Covey told Andy Cohen, referencing Garlin's firing from the show in an interview for SiriusXM (via Cracked). As the actress put it, Garlin's exit came after the cast's repeated complaints regarding the actor. "That it finally happened, it was like, ‘Okay, finally someone is listening to us.'"

As for the specifics of her co-star's actions, McLendon-Covey asked Cohen to steer the conversation in a different direction, not wanting to shed light on what it was like working with the Curb Your Enthusiasm actor behind the scenes.

"I'm exhausted by that topic and the PTSD of it all," the actress said. "I just feel like the less people know about that, the better. No one benefits from knowing anything."

Garlin's tenure on The Goldbergs came to an end after a three-year HR investigation found evidence of repeated misconduct by the actor. Defending his behavior in an interview with Vanity Fair, Garlin said, "I have my process about how I'm funny, in terms of the scene and what I have to do. (Sony) feels that it makes for a quote ‘unsafe' workspace."

"To me, if you're a stand-in on a show and you don't like the content or the behavior... If someone's going after you, that's different," Garlin said when asked about an allegation saying he physically and verbally acosted a stand-in on the show. "But in terms of in general - well, then by God, quit, go someplace else."

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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 10:15 AM.