Chase Made Fun of Ford, but They Shared a Deep Link

Comedian Chevy Chase depicted the late Gerald Ford as a bumbling and accident-prone president 30 years ago on “Saturday Night Live,” but he says the two shared a more serious link.

Former first lady Betty Ford’s courageous decision to talk publicly about her problems with alcohol inspired him to get treated for his own drinking habits, Chase wrote in an essay published in Saturday’s editions of The New York Times.

Chase sought rehabilitation at the Betty Ford clinic in the 1980s, and while there his bond with the Ford family grew. He also noted that the president had a sense of humor about his reputation for klutziness, which Chase exploited in “Saturday Night Live” skits.

(c) 2007 Deseret News (Salt Lake City). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.