Shane Gillis SNL monologue controversy and Dan Levy's response explained

American comedian-actor Shane Gillis found himself at the centre of a fresh row following his hosting appearance on Saturday Night Live (SNL), where his opening monologue drew sharp public criticism for misogynistic remarks. During the live broadcast, Gillis made offensive comments regarding women's gym attire, describing them in derogatory terms and making explicit references. The controversial speech quickly ignited a wave of online backlash, with industry figures like actor Dan Levy and viewers calling out the performance.Addressing his routine, Gillis claimed he had not visited a gym in a long time and used derogatory language to describe women's workout attire. “I haven't been to the gym in so long, I didn't know women just dress like w****s now?” he remarked during the broadcast. He went on to describe short athletic shorts in graphic detail, using explicit phrasing to mock fit and appearance while adding, “And don't look! You're not allowed to look.”Reacting strongly to the broadcast, Dan Levy condemned the monologue in a social media video. Rejecting the comedian's remakrs, the Schitt's Creek actor said that women wearing athletic attire does not justify objectification, describing the remarks as misogynistic rather than observational humour. Levy stressed that men must actively speak out against such rhetoric, highlighting that complacency surrounding public objectification fosters harmful environments for women.Adding to the broadcast's complications, Gillis also dropped an uncensored profane expletive — the "f-bomb" — during a live sketch on the show. Realising the breach of broadcasting standards on live national television, the comedian offered a brief apology at the end of the sketch and reiterated his regret during the show's closing sign-off, adding, "Sorry about earlier (sic)." The recent fallout follows a tumultuous history between Gillis and the NBC sketch comedy series. Originally announced as a new cast member for SNL in September 2019, Gillis was fired just four days later after resurfaced clips from a 2018 episode of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast revealed him using the anti-Asian slur "ch--k". In the podcast, Gillis mocked Chinese accents, derided the Chinese language, and made derogatory comments about New York's Chinatown, prompting an official NBC spokesperson to publicly announce his termination, stating that his language was "offensive, hurtful and unacceptable."Despite his high-profile dismissal in 2019, Gillis later returned to the SNL stage in hosting roles, though his monologues have repeatedly drawn scrutiny for boundary-pushing humour.Beyond his stand-up career, Gillis established himself in digital and television comedy as the co-creator and star of the popular sketch series Gilly & Keeves, which launched online in 2020. He gained further mainstream prominence by co-creating, writing, and starring in the Netflix workplace comedy series, Tires, playing an unmotivated auto shop employee. The streaming platform quickly extended the show's run, renewing it for multiple seasons following its 2024 debut. He also made recurring television guest appearances, including a role in Pete Davidson’s Peacock comedy series, Bupkis.In films and long-form comedy, Gillis expanded his footprint following the success of his self-funded YouTube debut, Shane Gillis: Live in Austin (2021), and his hit 2023 Netflix special, Beautiful Dogs. He spearheaded Gilly and Keeves: The Special (2022), a feature-length sketch comedy project derived from his web series. He subsequently ventured into feature film acting, landing a role in the indie comedy-drama, Easy's Waltz, alongside Vince Vaughn and Pacino, while also joining high-profile projects including the sports drama feature, Madden.- Ends