‘VERBALLY ABUSIVE’

‘The Other Two’ Behind-the-Scenes Drama Was Apparently an Open Secret

As the cult hit HBO Max comedy announced it was ending, ugly details emerged about a “toxic” writers’ room.

Following the announcement Max’s The Other Two will end after its third season, a new report claims that the show’s creators Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider were accused of running a toxic workplace by multiple staff.

The former Saturday Night Live writers were the subject of several complaints to human resources that resulted in a formal investigation, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Multiple insiders told the publication that Kelly was “verbally abusive” towards writers in addition to overworking the crew. Staff also complained that Schneider “enabled his behavior.” Most of the staff’s frustrations seem aimed at Kelly though, as one person claimed he was “also mean to Sarah.” “She is in a toxic professional relationship with him,” a production source added.

Both showrunners were apparently banned from the set for a period while production looked into the claims. Ultimately, they were cleared of wrongdoing and returned to set. Several insiders deny any correlation between the investigation and the show’s brief run.

The Daily Beast reached out to Max for comment on the allegations, but reps declined.

The allegations against Kelly and Schneider come as somewhat of a surprise, given The Other Two’s scathing depiction of the inner machinations of Hollywood and the twisted power dynamics within the industry. But at the same time, they were evidently an open secret in Hollywood.

Fellow SNL alum Tina Fey joked about the comedy duo’s alleged toxic behavior during a speech at the PEN America Literary Awards back in March. “Nobody indulges writers like Lorne Michaels,” she said. “Lorne, you have unleashed an army of monsters into the world. You know it, I know it, and the crew of The Other Two knows it—oh, I was supposed to change that. I was supposed to change that. That’s inappropriate. Oh well, it’s not livestreaming.”

One source told THR that Kelly and Schneider’s attitudes behind-the-scenes were reflected in the show’s ruthless satire.

“I think a lot of their frustration comes from not being on-camera,” said one insider. “These are two people who started off as improvisers. This is a show about people who are hungering for fame. Their friends and colleagues became well-known. It’s a lot like the show.”

Another said that culture on set was well-known throughout industry: “Other writers tell stories about The Other Two writers’ rooms like other people tell ghost stories.”

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Minutes before this report went out, Kelly and Schneider released a sentimental statement about the series’ conclusion that acknowledged their writers. “We are deeply grateful to everyone (gays) who watched the show, to Max for giving us a second home and life, and to our writers, producers and crew, who gave so much of their time, talent, and passion to this show over the last 45ish years,” the statement read in part.

Over its three highly acclaimed seasons, The Other Two has boasted notable writers, including Joel Kim Booster, Cole Escola, Matt Rogers and Broad City executive producers Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs.

For more, listen to ‘The Other Two’s’ Heléne Yorke on The Last Laugh podcast.

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