Shane Gillis responds to backlash over 'SNL' monologue
What's the story
Comedian Shane Gillis has responded to the backlash over his Saturday Night Live (SNL) monologue. During an appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast, he defended his comments about women's gym attire, which many deemed misogynistic. In the monologue, he had said, "I haven't been to the gym in so long...I didn't know women just dress like whores now?" "Look, I'm sorry...there's no other way to describe [it]." "Have you seen it? I've seen it...And don't look; you're not allowed to look."
Monologue details
'Not to defend 'SNL,' they don't approve it'
Gillis also clarified that SNL didn't approve the material for his monologue.
"Not to defend SNL, they don't approve it. I mean, they could shut it down," he said.
"They could, but you don't write your set and give it to them."
"Unless you're not a comedian. I'm sure non-comics, they write the set for them. They have writers that write the monologue for them."
Defense
'I promise there's no controversy'
Gillis defended his monologue, stating he didn't think it was controversial.
"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 fuc*ing 10 minutes, that's it.'"
He added that the audience's reaction and online backlash "obviously had a lot to do with the climate" at the time.
Past incident
Gillis was previously fired from 'SNL'
This isn't the first time Gillis has faced controversy.
He was fired from SNL in 2019 for past racial and homophobic comments just four days after his casting was announced.
Reflecting on how he handled the online backlash this time, he said, "The first time I got fired, I kept social media, and in my head I was like, 'That guy talked sh*t.'"
"This time, I just deleted everything immediately."
Backlash
Other celebrities have also criticized Gillis's comments
Gillis's comments have drawn criticism from several high-profile SNL fans.
Former host Dan Levy expressed disappointment in his comments, stating, "Women wearing short shorts to the gym does not make them whores."
"It makes the men calling them whores, misogynists. There's a difference there."
Other celebrities like Elizabeth Banks and Sophia Bush also supported Levy's response video.