Jeff Garlin will reportedly not be returning to ABC sitcom The Goldbergs, on which he plays family patriarch Murray Goldberg, following an HR investigation into his alleged on-set misconduct. The show is midway through its ninth season, and according to Variety, Garlin’s “termination is effective immediately.†Additionally, sources told Deadline that Garlin would interfere with the otherwise “great work environment†on the show, with one employee saying he “is extremely verbally and emotionally abusive.â€
Garlin’s termination follows an interview from earlier this month in which he denied rumors of his on-set misconduct to Vanity Fair. The interviewer said that she had spoken with “multiple people who have worked on The Goldbergs who said that they felt demeaned and disrespected multiple times by language [Garlin] used on set and by some of [Garlin’s] physical actions.†Garlin confirmed that he’s “someone who hugs for sure,†that HR was concerned “about me and my silliness on set,†and that he was sure at the time that “there will not be a firing.†He offered one example of his workplace “silliness,†saying “Oh, my vagina†when he stands up. Representatives for Garlin and The Goldbergs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.