American Horror Story 1984 paid homage to the slasher films of the '80s. In season 9, five young men and women venture to Camp Redwood to work as counselors and escape L.A. for the summer. One of these characters is the handsome and fit Chet Clancy.
A world-class athlete, Chet was disqualified from Team U.S.A in the Summer Olympics because of a failed drug test. He is portrayed by Gus Kenworthy and goes to Camp Redwood to avoid coverage of the upcoming Olympics in Los Angles. Although Chet is a pretty simple character, there is probably still a lot about him that fans didn't know.
He Is One Of The Only Main Characters Who Doesn't Have A Backstory Told Through Flashbacks
Every season of American Horror Story features flashbacks to explain the motivations of its characters, and 1984 was no different. Only two main characters did not get a flashback this season: Chet and Trevor.
Unlike Ray's dark past when he killed a fraternity brother and Montana's violent motivations, Chet is one of the few characters who is exactly what he seems at face value. The only thing he's guilty of is some drug use and occasional aggressive outbursts.
He Only Had .001% Of Drugs In His Bloodstream
It's common knowledge that Chet was disqualified from the Olympics because he failed a drug test. However, on the way to Camp Redwood, Chet explains that when he was tested they only found .001% of some illegal substance in his bloodstream.
Although he initially denies doing anything wrong, in the episode "Mr. Jingles" Chet states, "I can't die with a guilty conscience. I totally did those steroids."
His Event Is The Pommel Horse
It's no secret that Chet is a great athlete and almost went to the Olympics, but it isn't abundantly clear exactly what event Chet was training for. Chet was actually preparing for the Summer Olympics and in the episode "Mr. Jingles" he mentions to Ray that his event is the pommel horse.
The pommel horse is an artistic gymnastics event. It makes sense that Chet would excel at it considering his exceptionally good physique.
He Met Ray At The Gym
In the first episode, Montana introduces Brooke to her group of male friends. After Brooke asks, the group explains how they all met each other.
Ray mentions that he met Chet at the gym and then met Montana at a party in the hills at Justine Bateman's house. This is how Chet became a member of the focal friend group.
He's A Rambo Fan
The first installment of the Rambo franchise, First Blood was released in 1982, and Chet appears to be a fan of the movie. He and Ray fall in what Chet describes at a punji pit full of spikes in the episode "Slashdance."
He then explains that in the movie First Blood, these pits were made in the Viet Cong to catch G.I.s. Who would have thought his Rambo knowledge would come in handy?
He's Bisexual
In the episode "Red Dawn," Margaret implies that Chet is gay while they are rowing across the lake. However, after Chet becomes a ghost, it is revealed that he is bisexual.
Bertie mentions that she knows he "swings both ways" because he has sex with all the ghosts at Camp Redwood regardless of gender. Although he seems initially surprised by her statement, Chet then agrees that he is an "equal opportunity lover."
He Fulfills The Jock Archetype
AHS 1984 made plenty of references to classic horror films. In most of these movies, there are 4-6 archetypal characters that are bound to make an appearance. One of these is "the jock."
Muscely, athletic, and typically not the brightest, the jock character is popular with women and often times dies due to his own machismo. Chet definitely fulfills the jock archetype in this season of American Horror Story.
He Was Originally Supposed To Be Brooke's Boyfriend
The official description of Chet implies that he was intended to be dating Brooke. It describes him as "Brooke's midriff-baring boyfriend, Chet Clancy."
Although Brooke and Chet initially seem to share a physical attraction to each other, they are not boyfriend and girlfriend and never so much as a kiss. Instead, Brooke was briefly romantically involved with Ray.
The Actor Who Portrayed Chet Is A Silver Medalist
Earlier in the season, Chet is sullen and angry that he was disqualified from competing in the Olympics due to his drug use. The actor who portrays Chet, Gus Kenworthy, has been much more successful in his athletic endeavors.
In the 2014 Winter Olympics, he won a silver medal in men's slopestyle. He is also an X Games Medalist and one of the best-known freeskiers in the world.
Chet And Gus Kenworthy Are Both New To American Horror Story
Fans of the franchise are well aware that American Horror Story loves to reuse its cast members to play different roles in each season. In fact, most of the main characters in 1984 are AHS veterans. Billie Lourd, Emma Roberts, and Cody Fern all portrayed different characters in Apocalypse.
Sometimes the same characters from an old season even make a reappearance. Chet however is a brand new character, and 1984 is Gus Kenworthy's first time acting on the set of American Horror Story.