Shane Gillis is revisiting the controversy surrounding his recent “Saturday Night Live” appearance, nearly five weeks after his opening monologue sparked a wave of criticism. The comedian has now shared his side of the story, revealing what happened before the performance and how he dealt with the backlash.
Gillis faced intense scrutiny after making a crude joke about women’s clothing at the gym. Several celebrities, including Dan Levy, publicly criticized his remarks, while others defended his right to push boundaries with his comedy.
During a recent conversation with Joe Rogan, the “Tires” star reflected on the incident and made some surprising admissions about his performance. He also explained why he approached the latest controversy differently from the scandal that cost him his “SNL” job years ago.
Shane Gillis Claims ‘SNL’ Did Not Approve His Controversial Monologue
During the November 13 episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Gillis addressed suggestions that “Saturday Night Live” had approved the material he performed during his October 10 appearance.
According to People, the subject came up when the comedian Mark Normand recalled watching Gillis perform the same routine at New York City’s Comedy Cellar. Normand said the joke received a positive reaction there and suggested that “SNL” must have approved it before the broadcast.
However, Gillis pushed back against that assumption, explaining that comedians generally prepare their own monologues without submitting every joke for approval.
“Not to defend SNL, they don’t approve it,” Gillis said. He acknowledged that producers could stop material they considered inappropriate but maintained that they did not formally approve his routine.
One of Gillis’ biggest revelations concerned the expectations he had before stepping onto the “SNL” stage. Despite the backlash that followed, the 38-year-old comedian claimed he had assured people working on the show that his material would not cause trouble.
“The whole time, I was like, ‘Fellas, I’m giving you a solid C minus of a monologue, but I promise there’s no controversy. I’m calling myself fat for f–king 10 minutes. That’s it,” he said.
However, the performance took a controversial turn when Gillis began discussing women’s workout clothes. During the October 10 broadcast, he joked that women at the gym now dressed like “whores” before making further remarks about their revealing shorts.
The joke quickly attracted criticism online, with viewers accusing the comedian of making degrading comments about women. Gillis has since suggested that the wider social climate contributed to the intensity of the reaction.
Shane Gillis Clarified His Position On Women’s Gym Clothing
Despite the controversy, Gillis insisted during his conversation with Rogan that he does not actually have a problem with what women choose to wear while exercising. He clarified that his comments were intended as jokes rather than serious criticism of women’s clothing choices.
Gillis also disagreed with Rogan’s suggestion that men do not wear similarly revealing workout outfits, pointing out that some men wear tight compression shorts.
The comedian’s reaction comes after several entertainers accused him of promoting harmful attitudes toward women. Others, however, have argued that the jokes should be understood within the context of a comedy performance.
Shane Gillis Reveals How He Handled The Backlash Differently This Time
The latest controversy also brought back memories of Gillis’ troubled history with “Saturday Night Live.” Back in 2019, he was dismissed from the show’s cast just days after his hiring was announced because of resurfaced podcast remarks containing racial and homophobic slurs.
During his conversation with Rogan, Gillis explained that he handled the criticism differently this time.
“The first time I got fired, I kept social media, and in my head I was like, ‘That guy talked s–t,’” the comedian said. “This time, I just deleted everything immediately. So, I don’t really know.”
He also revealed that he briefly considered removing comedians who had criticized him from his tour. However, according to TheWrap, he ultimately decided against the idea and suggested that the people speaking negatively about him were not members of his lineup.
Dan Levy And Other Celebrities Previously Slammed Shane Gillis
Gillis’ October monologue drew sharp criticism from several entertainment personalities, including “Schitt’s Creek” star Dan Levy. The actor shared an Instagram video condemning the comedian’s remarks and accusing him of promoting misogynistic attitudes.
Levy argued that women wearing short shorts to the gym did not justify calling them offensive names. He also urged more men to challenge comments that encourage the objectification of women.
Comedian Phoebe Robinson also weighed in on the routine, criticizing it as lazy and misogynistic. Meanwhile, former “SNL” cast member Ego Nwodim appeared to mock Gillis’ remarks by sharing a gym selfie with the caption “whore reporting for duty.”
Not everyone thought the backlash was deserved, however. Former “SNL” star Dana Carvey defended the routine as a joke, while British comedian Jimmy Carr argued that a comedian’s intentions should matter when evaluating controversial material.
