Shane Gillis Addresses ‘SNL’ Monologue Backlash: ‘A Lot to Do With the Climate’

Shane Gillis is speaking out about the backlash surrounding his Saturday Night Live monologue.

The 38-year-old comedian addressed the backlash during a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, where he discussed the monologue he delivered while hosting SNL on Oct. 10.

The joke that drew criticism came when Gillis commented on women’s gym attire, saying, “I haven’t been to the gym in so long, I didn’t know women just dress like whores now? I’m sorry, there’s no other way to describe. Have you seen it? I’ve seen it. The shorts. Have you seen the shorts?”

During his appearance on Rogan’s podcast, released Nov. 13, one of the co-hosts mentioned hearing Gillis perform the bit at New York City’s Comedy Cellar and suggested that SNL had approved the material. Gillis pushed back, explaining that the NBC sketch comedy show did not provide feedback on his material before the live broadcast.

“Not to defend SNL, they don’t approve it. I mean, they could shut it down. They could, but you don’t write your set and give it to them. Unless you’re not a comedian,” Gillis said. “I’m sure non-comics, they write the set for them. They have writers that write the monologue for them.”

He went on to reveal that SNL staff had asked him about the monologue ahead of the show.

“The funniest part was, they were like, ‘What’s going on with the monologue?’ And I was like, ‘It’s not great, but I don’t say anything bad,’” Gillis said. “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—ing 10 minutes. That’s it.’”

The comedian attributed the backlash to the fact that it “obviously had a lot to do with the climate” and clarified that he doesn’t “have a problem with” women’s gym attire.

Gillis’ monologue drew criticism from several celebrities, including Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy, who called out the comedian for referring to women wearing short gym shorts as “whores.”

In a response video shared on Instagram, Levy said in part, “Women wearing short shorts at the gym does not make them whores; it makes the men calling them whores misogynists.” Other celebrities, including Jewel, Lisa Loeb and Kristin Chenoweth, also showed their support for Levy in the comments.

Flavor Flav voiced his support for Levy’s criticism, while Maggie Baird, the mother of Billie Eilish and Finneas, called the joke “actually dangerous for women.” Maren Morris also weighed in, sharing a video of herself working out alongside the caption, “leave my gym short wedgie out of it.”

Gillis was announced as a new SNL cast member in 2019 but was let go before making his debut after past podcast comments resurfaced and sparked controversy, according to The Hollywood Reporter.