Stand-up comedian Shane Gillis faced dismissal from his role as a “Saturday Night Live” cast member in 2019. The dismissal was due to his racist remarks before even making his debut. However, according to the show’s office announcement on social media, he is set to host the show on February 24, 2024.
Despite the initial setback, Gillis forged a successful path in recent years. In 2021, he released a stand-up special on YouTube, garnering over 23 million views. Additionally, he secured a Netflix special titled “Beautiful Dogs,” which premiered last September.
The latest highlight in his career is his collaboration with Bud Light for an upcoming stand-up hour. Gaining mainstream recognition as a new cast member from season 45 of “SNL” in September 2019, Shane Gillis faced a quick and controversial exit.
Mere days after the announcement, he was ousted before the season premiere. A viral Twitter clip triggered it, revealing his use of an anti-Asian slur on his podcast. The backlash intensified as additional clips surfaced, revealing Gillis’s use of offensive language.
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Despite apologizing, Shane Gillis said he remains committed to delivering shocking or taboo jokes. The controversial jokes that resurfaced originated from Gillis’ podcast with fellow comedian Matt McCusker, titled “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast.”
In a particular episode, the duo bantered about Chinatown, during which the comedian used a racial slur and mimicked a Chinese accent, substituting “mooders” for noodles. He added, “Let the f…ch…live there.”
Notably, Gillis joined “SNL” alongside Bowen Yang, the show’s first Asian American cast member. At that time, online critics noted the casting’s ironic juxtaposition. A spokesperson for “SNL” executive producer Lorne Michaels addressed the controversy in 2019.
He said, “We want SNL to have a variety of voices and points of view within the show. We hired Shane on the strength of his talent as a comedian and his impressive audition for SNL.” He continued, “We were not aware of his prior remarks that have surfaced over the past few days.
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The language he used is offensive, hurtful, and unacceptable.” Notably, “SNL” airs on NBC, a division of NBCUniversal. In a now-deleted tweet, Shane Gillis apologized. He identified himself as a “comedian who pushes boundaries” and said that sometimes he misses the mark.
Gillis understands that the controversy would be too distracting for the SNL environment. He said, “Of course, I wanted an opportunity to prove myself on SNL, but I understand it would be too much of a distraction. I respect the decision they made.”
In a 2021 interview with comedian Theo Von, Gillis described the hiring and subsequent firing from SNL as a “traumatic experience.” He also revealed that he experienced nightmares about negative articles. However, he stood by his comedic style.
Reflecting on the situation, Shane Gillis said, “I definitely wouldn’t have changed what we did on our podcast. That’s how I got to New York.” Referring to the evolving comedy world and expectations, the stand-up comedian said, “I don’t argue me getting fired because those are today’s rules.”
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