Jeff Garlin revealed he considered suicide amid his controversial ‘Goldberg’ exit.
The comedian spoke about the emotional toll of his departure during Wednesday’s episode of the “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” podcast.
Garlin, now 64, was written off the ABC sitcom in 2021 following an investigation into allegations of misconduct and “abusive” behavior on set.
“I had a nervous breakdown and was going to kill myself,” he told host Ted Danson, adding that he called his “Curb Your Enthusiasm” co-star Susie Essman to let her know.
“I hate when people don’t contact me, but today at noon I’ll be dead. I’ll let you know I’ll be dead,” Garlin recalled telling Essman, who he said then called his ex-wife, Marla, and his girlfriend, Sari Tracht.
The “Daddy Day Care” actor went on to explain that Marla and Tracht called “one of my best friends,” Brad Morris, “who ‘checked on’ me while they looked for a facility where he could receive mental health treatment.
He said they ultimately narrowed the options down to two facilities: one in Beverly Hills, which he described as a “lush private home,” and another in Cincinnati.
He opted for the Cincinnati facility because it was “the middle of winter” and he was “serious” about getting help.
“I’m not going to some fucking rehab in Beverly Hills,” Garlin added. “I went to Cincinnati in the middle of winter and learned something called Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). I was no longer suicidal. They helped me get to a point where I could stand on my own two feet.”
He said that after he “came out into the world,” received therapy and treatment for his bipolar disorder — which went undiagnosed during his time on “The Goldbergs” — he began to feel “kind of whole.”
However, he said he feels “really good” five years later.
Garlin said he continued DBT and regular therapy, took up boxing to improve his physical health, and pursued creative projects, including writing his new book, “The Best Seat in the House: The Moments Nobody Asked Me to Capture…But I Did It Anyway,” released Sept. 15.
“I’m very happy and I’m very fulfilled creatively. I’m personally fulfilled. (I) have my wonderful girlfriend. I have wonderful kids. I have a wonderful ex-wife. I have great friends. It’s all good, man, but it was dark,” he said.
After Garlin revealed his bipolar disorder diagnosis at age 60 in September 2022, Essman later told Page Six that he was “working hard to manage it.”
Meanwhile, his “Goldbergs” co-star Wendi McLendon-Covey, who played his on-screen wife, recently pushed back on his claim that the disorder contributed to his behavior on set.
“Let’s just say I remember things very differently, as do the crew, the other actors, the writers and our executives,” she said.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line to 741741.
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