Entertainment · Celebrity · 1 hr ago
Shane Gillis Says SNL Could Have Stopped His Controversial Joke
Comedian Shane Gillis addressed criticism of his SNL monologue on The Joe Rogan Experience about a month after the episode aired.
He said SNL could have stopped the joke but did not approve his material, which he writes himself.
The joke drew backlash after Gillis said women at the gym were “dressing like whores.”
He said he had told the show the monologue would not be controversial, describing it as mostly jokes about himself.
Several comedians and actors criticized Gillis after the episode, including Kathy Griffin, Dan Levy and SNL alum Ego Nwodim.
Gillis was removed from SNL’s cast in 2019, days after his hiring was announced, following resurfaced videos in which he mocked Asian accents and used ethnic and gay slurs.
He later hosted the show in 2024 and 2025, and the sources describe no next step in the current dispute.
Shane Gillis said Saturday Night Live could have stopped a joke in his October 10 monologue but did not approve or review his set.
The comedian made a remark about women “dressing like whores” at the gym, prompting criticism.
He discussed the backlash on The Joe Rogan Experience about a month after the episode.
Gillis said he deleted his social media accounts and therefore did not know what people were saying about him.
He also joked about removing comedians who criticized him from his tour dates, then said he would not do so.
- Who
- Shane Gillis, comedian and SNL host.
- What
- He discussed backlash over a joke in his SNL monologue and said the show could have stopped it.
- When
- The monologue aired on October 10; Gillis discussed the fallout about a month later.
- Where
- On The Joe Rogan Experience; the monologue was on NBC’s Saturday Night Live.
- Why
- The joke about women dressing for the gym drew criticism, and Gillis explained why SNL did not cut it.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Gillis was announced as a cast member of SNL and was fired days later after resurfaced videos showed him using slurs and mocking Asian accents.
Gillis hosted SNL and made the joke about women dressing like whores at the gym.
Gillis discussed the monologue and backlash on The Joe Rogan Experience.
- Episode date
- October 10
- Show
- Saturday Night Live, on NBC
- Podcast
- The Joe Rogan Experience
- Controversy
- Gillis joked about women “dressing like whores” at the gym
- Prior SNL casting
- Announced in 2019; fired days later
2 sources
What people are saying
Not to defend SNL, they don’t approve it. I mean, they could shut it down
It’s not great but I don’t say anything bad
This one I just deleted everything immediately. So, I don’t really know