Fired from SNL in 2019, comedian Shane Gillis returns to the stage to shame women over their gym fits
Misogyny doing the heavy lifting on SNL.
Shane Gillis returned to the Saturday Night Live (SNL) stage on October 10, 2026, for his third time hosting the show. His monologue immediately ignited a firestorm of criticism across the internet. According to NBC News, the controversial comedian sparked widespread backlash after he made derogatory comments regarding women’s gym attire.
Gillis told the audience that he had not visited the gym in a long time. He then stated, “I didn’t know women just dress like w—-s now?” He continued his critique by describing the shorts women wear to exercise. He specifically pointed out women’s gym shorts, asking, “Have you seen it? I’ve seen it. The shorts. Have you seen the shorts? Those neon… They’re like artificial-bait colored.”
The Tires actor claimed the fabric wrinkles around the cheeks and combines at the b——-. He also attempted to joke that men are not allowed to look at women in those outfits because the women are filming content. He said, “I’m in the background of like 10 TikToks right now.”
The reaction to Gillis’ statements was swift and intense
Hundreds of people took to TikTok, Instagram, X and Threads to express their disapproval. Many users found the comments to be sexist and incredibly tone-deaf. The timing of the remarks also drew significant scrutiny from the public. This controversy has arisen at a time when the country is grapply with the Cornell 7 case that has sparked a sensitive national conversation regarding sexual assault.
Reports emerged in 2024 about a former Cornell University student who alleged she was gang-raped at a fraternity house. Many people used the hashtag #iamjanedoe to share their personal stories of assault and institutional failure. Writer Jessica Valenti suggested that Gillis was likely aware of this major national conversation when he chose his material.
Actor Dan Levy was among the most vocal critics of Gillis’ monologue. He posted a video to Instagram on Sunday to address the situation directly. Levy stated, “Women wearing short shorts at the gym does not make them w—–s. It makes the men calling them w—–s, misogynists. There’s a difference there.” He also noted that he sees men showing their bodies at the gym quite often.
Levy was stunned that such content aired on live national TV and argued that men must stand up in opposition to this type of rhetoric. He stressed that complacency creates an environment where sexual assault thrives and said this was not a women’s issue, but an everybody issue.
The Schitt’s Creek actor further remarked, “The more that men objectify women in the media, the more that other men see them as objects and treat them as objects. They are not objects. They are superior human beings to men.”
Other industry figures also reacted to the monologue
According to PEOPLE, former Saturday Night Live cast member Ego Nwodim shared her own response on Instagram. She posted a mirror selfie from the gym on October 12. She captioned the photo, “w—e reporting for duty.” Her post served as a direct and defiant response to the comedian’s claims.
Public figures associated with the show also found themselves under the microscope. Reality Tea reports that a screenshot began circulating online that appeared to show Taylor Swift’s husband and NFL star Travis Kelce liking an Instagram clip of the monologue. This discovery prompted immediate questions from Swifties.
Users on the Reddit forum r/Fauxmoi scrutinized the interaction. Some fans expressed disappointment and questioned his judgment. One user asked, “Taylor, is this your king?? Come get your man girl.” Another user on X suggested that Kelce should create a burner account for his social media activity.
This is not the first time Kelce has faced scrutiny for his digital footprint
Screenshots of old posts from his X account reportedly resurfaced in 2023. These posts included derogatory remarks about women’s weight and appearance. Kelce addressed these posts on his New Heights podcast in November 2023. He explained that he had been trying to delete those older messages for years. He stated, “I’ve been trying like, since I’ve gotten into the league. I’m like, gosh, I just want… I want all those things to get deleted.”
The entire controversy highlights the complex history of Shane Gillis. He was originally announced as a cast member for the 45th season of the show back in 2019 but was fired before the season even began due to past racial and homophobic comments. Despite that, he returned as a host in February 2024 and March 2025.
Gillis’ raunchy style of comedy has frequently placed women and marginalized groups at the center of his jokes. Representatives for the show and the comedian did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the latest backlash. The incident continues to fuel debates about accountability and the standards for comedy on national television.
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