Shane Gillis hosted Saturday Night Live for the third time this weekend, and while the hosting gig was familiar, the backlash was fast. During his monologue, Gillis made a joke suggesting women at the gym“dress like whores”because of their shorts. Within hours, the internet had thoughts, and so did some very famous names.
Dan Levy led the charge with an Instagram video that quickly went viral, saying the joke says more about the men making it than the women it targets. Maren Morris, Flavor Flav, Jewel, Kristin Chenoweth, and Maggie Baird, Billie Eilish’s mom, all backed him up. Baird took it a step further, calling that kind of rhetoric“actually dangerous for women.”
The conversation is bigger than one punchline. Comedy, free speech, and how women get talked about in public spaces are all on the table. Gillis was famously cut from SNL’s cast back in 2019 over resurfaced offensive jokes, so his history keeps finding its way back into the story.
What do you think: should SNL monologues get a pass because they’re comedy, or should hosts be held to a higher standard? Sound off in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.