Shane Gillis SNL Monologue: Comedian Faces Backlash After Calling Women at Gym ‘Whores’ and Comparing Haircut to Hitler

Shane Gillis returned to Saturday Night Live for his third hosting appearance on October 10, 2026, delivering a seven-minute stand-up monologue that drew audible groans from the studio audience and swift backlash online. The comedian, 38, made jokes about women’s workout clothing, his sisters, and his receding hairline during the segment.

Gillis opened the monologue in a matching black T-shirt and pants, discussing his weight and his dislike of working out in public. He described going to a public gym in New York as “a nightmare” and joked about encountering muscular gay men who appeared unimpressed by his physique.

The Joke That Sparked Outrage

The most criticized moment came when Gillis turned his attention to women’s activewear. “I haven’t been to the gym in so long I didn’t know women just dress like whores now?” he said. “I’m sorry, there’s no other way to describe. Have you seen it? I’ve seen it. The shorts. Have you seen the shorts?”

He continued by comparing the shorts to “neon-colored fish lures” and described wrinkles that “go around the cheeks and all combine at the butthole.” He then added: “And don’t look! You’re not allowed to look. For real, don’t look, because they are filming. I’m in the background of like 10 TikToks right now.”

The studio audience responded with groans and only scattered laughter. The SNL band, typically seen laughing along during monologues, sat stone-faced during the segment.

Hitler Haircut and “Gay or Hitler” Punchline

Gillis later joked about his receding hairline, saying he had “balded directly into an Adolf Hitler haircut.” He explained that his hair falls forward when he gives speeches and that brushing it to the side would make him look gay.

“That’s it: You’re either gay or you’re Hitler,” he said. “And isn’t that where we’re at as a country?” The punchline received muted laughter before the monologue ended abruptly.

Dan Levy Leads Celebrity Backlash

Dan Levy, star of Schitt’s Creek and an SNL host in 2021, posted an Instagram video on Sunday condemning the monologue. He did not mention Gillis by name but addressed the gym joke directly.

“Women wearing short shorts at the gym does not make them whores. It makes the men calling them whores misogynists,” Levy said. “There’s a difference there. By the way, I’ve seen more men’s nipples at the gym than I’ve seen women showing their bodies off.”

Levy added: “I’m speechless that something like that can exist on live national television. And to be perfectly honest, more men need to be standing up in opposition to it because it’s complacency that has created the environment in which women are sexually assaulted.”

Other Celebrities Respond

Several other celebrities supported Levy’s criticism. Singer Maren Morris posted an Instagram video captioned “me being a wh0re at the gym,” flipping off the camera and writing: “leave my gym short wedgie out of it.”

Maggie Baird, mother of Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, shared Levy’s video on her Instagram Story. “I literally gasped when [Shane Gillis] said this on [SNL],” she wrote. “I come from the sketch comedy world and am not squeamish around comedy, but how can men and comedy writers still think this is funny! It’s actually dangerous for women to promote this bullsh–.”

Flavor Flav also shared Levy’s video on X with the message: “Important allyship.” Jewel, Kristin Chenoweth, and Lisa Loeb commented supportively on Levy’s post.

History with SNL

Gillis was hired as an SNL cast member in September 2019 but was fired five days later after podcast clips surfaced featuring racist, homophobic, and sexist remarks. He addressed the firing during his first hosting appearance in 2024, telling the audience: “I was fired from this show a while ago. Don’t look that up, please.”

During that 2024 monologue, Gillis also joked about Down syndrome, referencing his niece and a family coffee shop for people with the condition. He said the shop was “going exactly how you think it would go” and that “everyone’s getting apple juice.”

F-Bomb and Apology

Later in the October 10 episode, Gillis accidentally dropped the f-word during a Dr. Seuss parody sketch in which he portrayed the son of the Lorax. The word aired uncensored in some time zones.

At the end of the show, Gillis apologized. “And sorry about earlier. Thank you guys very much,” he said. He did not specifically address the monologue controversy.

Mixed Reception

Variety’s headline summarized the response: “Shane Gillis Bombs ‘SNL’ Monologue (Again): ‘You’re Either Gay or You’re Hitler.'” The publication noted that while Gillis has shown “considerable comedy chops in his stand-up specials and hosting the ESPYs,” nailing an SNL monologue “seems to be elusive for him.”

The episode featured Rosalía as the musical guest. Sketches included “Cop Talk Show” and the Dr. Seuss parody “Green Eggs and Ham.”