Shane Gillis is no stranger to pushing buttons, and his third SNL hosting gig was no exception. During his monologue, he joked that he hadn’t been to the gym in so long he didn’t realize women“dress like whores now.”The line landed with parts of the crowd, but the backlash online was immediate. Comedic actor Dan Levy said the joke could lead to more sexual assaults against women, and plenty of critics called it flat-out misogynistic.
Enter Joe Rogan. On his podcast, Rogan argued the joke was really self-deprecating, poking fun at Gillis for looking like a creep lurking in the background of gym TikToks. Rogan acknowledged that real misogyny absolutely exists and is a serious issue, but said Gillis isn’t a misogynist. He also made clear he has no problem with women dressing however they want at the gym. The defense lands as Rogan’s Spotify deal was reportedly renewed for an estimated $250 million.
So where does that leave us? Comedy has always lived right on the line between hilarious and offensive, and this whole saga is a perfect example. Some listeners hear a harmless joke from a guy who mocks himself first. Others hear a punchline that reinforces something darker. What do you think: did Gillis go too far, or is this just comedy doing what comedy does? Sound off in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.