Comedian Shane Gillis faced significant backlash for his recent “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) monologue, in which he made controversial remarks about women’s attire at the gym. Gillis, who was hosting the show for the third time, commented, “I didn’t know women just dress like whores now,” a statement that elicited a tepid reaction from the audience.
During his opening segment, Gillis expressed concerns about needing to lose weight before scrutinizing the style of workout attire women were wearing—specifically, “neon, artificial-vape colored” shorts. He noted that men were not permitted to look at women in such clothing, drawing immediate criticism from various quarters online.
The comedian’s remarks prompted a wave of backlash across social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, and X, where users shared their disapproval. Representatives for both SNL and Gillis did not respond to inquiries for comment following the incident.
As a performer known for his edgy humor, Gillis has a history of controversial jokes, often targeting women and marginalized communities. Activists pointed out the insensitivity of his comments in the wake of heightened discussions around sexual violence, particularly following a reported incident involving a Cornell University student who accused a group of fraternity members of gang rape.
Actor Dan Levy publicly condemned Gillis’s statements via an Instagram video, stating, “Women wearing short shorts at the gym does not make them whores. It makes the men calling them whores misogynists.” Levy emphasized the need for men to take a stand against misogyny, highlighting that the issue of sexism and sexual violence should concern everyone, not just women.
Levy further articulated that media portrayal of women as objects has contributed to a culture where such behavior is normalized, stressing the importance of viewing women as equals. He stated, “They are not objects. They are superior human beings to men.”
Amidst the backlash, many social media users expressed solidarity with the victim of the alleged assault at Cornell, using the hashtag #iamjanedoe to share their own experiences with sexual violence, as well as calls for more justice and support from universities.
Commentator Jessica Valenti remarked that Gillis appeared to be aware of the ongoing national discourse on sexual assault when he made his remarks, stating, “This is his contribution to that conversation. This is him telling us what he thinks of the discourse on sexual assault. … That is rape culture.”
Moreover, several online voices criticized Gillis’s joke, labeling it stale and unoriginal. Writer and comedian Sophia Benoit noted that jokes about women’s workout attire have existed without clever punchlines for many years.
Gillis’s comedic career has been punctuated by controversy, particularly surrounding his tenure with SNL. He was initially hired by the show in 2019 but was quickly let go due to resurfacing audio of racist jokes made on his podcast. At that time, Gillis had issued an apology, yet he maintained his commitment to deliver shocking comedic content.
SNL’s executive producer Lorne Michaels, at the time of Gillis’s firing, expressed disappointment regarding the language used by the comedian. “We were not aware of his prior remarks that have surfaced over the past few days. The language he used is offensive, hurtful and unacceptable,” Michaels said.
After a few years, Gillis returned to host the show in both 2024 and 2025, most recently this past Saturday. During the same episode, he inadvertently swore during a sketch and later apologized, highlighting the discrepancies in accountability, as some noted that he faced more scrutiny for cursing than for his earlier comments on women’s clothing.
Social media reactions included critiques regarding this inconsistency, with one user commenting, “An accidental swear gets an apology, while insulting women is supposed to pass as edgy comedy.”
