Shane Gillis faces backlash over controversial Saturday Night Live monologue

Comedian Shane Gillis hosted Saturday Night Live on NBC over the weekend, where his opening monologue drew immediate criticism for comments regarding women working out. The Hollywood Reporter and Variety reported that Gillis faced backlash after making jokes about women's gym clothes during the live broadcast. NBC News and USA Today both reported that the opening monologue was widely criticized as sexist. [1][2][3][4]

During the monologue, Gillis made remarks regarding the clothing women wear to the gym, describing neon outfits and suggesting women were filming themselves. The Hollywood Reporter and Variety reported his quoted statement that he did not know women dress in that manner at the gym now. The comments quickly sparked responses online from prominent figures in the entertainment industry. [1][2]

Former Saturday Night Live cast member Ego Nwodim responded to the monologue by posting a gym photo on social media. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter reported that Nwodim captioned the image with a reference to Gillis' joke, stating she was reporting for duty. [1][2]

Actor Dan Levy also sharply criticized the monologue. The Hollywood Reporter, CBC, and Yahoo reported that the Schitt's Creek star called the joke misogynistic and stated that more men need to stand up against such humor. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Levy added that women are superior human beings and should not be treated as objects. [5][6][7]

Gillis previously began performing stand-up comedy in 2012 and was hired as a cast member on Saturday Night Live in 2019. He was fired from the NBC sketch comedy series five days after his hiring was announced following backlash over past podcast clips. [11]