Jeff Garlin Opens Up: The Goldbergs Exit, a Crisis, and the Friend Who Saved Him

Jeff Garlin is opening up about the hardest stretch of his life. On Ted Danson’s“Where Everybody Knows Your Name”podcast, the comedian said that after being written off“The Goldbergs”during season 10, amid an HR investigation into alleged verbal misconduct that he denies, he had a nervous breakdown and planned to kill himself. He had negotiated a lighter schedule and later learned some castmates resented it, something he says he wasn’t aware of.

The turning point came when he told his friend and“Curb Your Enthusiasm”costar Susie Essman what he was planning. She alerted his ex-wife, girlfriend and best friend, who watched over him while treatment options were found. Garlin chose a Cincinnati facility over one in Beverly Hills, where he went through dialectic behavior therapy. Reflecting on it now, he said that from five years ago, he’s just now feeling really good.

His story is a reminder that a hard season isn’t the end of the story, and that a friend who acts fast can change everything. If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide&Crisis Lifeline is available by call, text or chat. Have you ever had a friend check in on you at exactly the right moment? Tell us about it.