Broadcasters Criticize Shane Gillis’ SNL Monologue as Debate Over Comedy and Misogyny Grows

Comedian Shane Gillis’ Saturday Night Live monologue prompted criticism from broadcasters and commentators after he joked about women’s workout clothing. The material also included a self-directed joke about men being filmed in the background of TikTok videos. The controversy was discussed across NBC, ABC and CBS programs, as well as by journalists on social media.

Gillis had been announced as an incoming SNL cast member in 2019, but was dropped shortly afterward over earlier anti-Asian jokes, according to the source. In the monologue at issue, he used a derogatory term for women and described the appearance of their shorts. He then joked that men should avoid looking because women were recording videos. The source’s author says the latter part received less attention than the remarks about women.

NBC News reporter Rebecca Cohen described Gillis as a comedian whose raunchy humor has targeted women and other marginalized groups. She noted that the monologue came amid reports concerning a former Cornell University student who alleged she was gang-raped at a fraternity house in 2024. The source does not provide details about the allegation or its investigation.

Feminist author Jessica Valenti called the joke part of a wider conversation about sexual assault and characterized it as “rape culture.” On NBC’s Today, co-host Jenna Bush Hager said she would not want her children to hear the material, while co-host Sheinelle Jones described it as mean and said that tone contributed to the backlash.

Today also asked Michael Che, a Weekend Update anchor, about the reaction while he was appearing to promote a Netflix special. Che replied that comedy can amuse some people and not others. He said he had not watched Gillis’ monologue as it happened because he was preparing for a sketch. The source reports that NPR did not raise the controversy during a separate interview with Che on Morning Edition.

NPR White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben criticized the joke in a Bluesky post, questioning why it was not receiving more attention. On ABC’s The View, Sara Haines said that language such as the term Gillis used can contribute to seeing another person as an object. She connected her remarks to discussion of the Cornell case, while clarifying that she was not saying a joke causes an assault.

The source contrasts those responses with a segment on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live. It says host Jimmy Kimmel showed an image of then-White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia in tight gym clothes and mocked her qualifications and appearance. The article presents that segment as an example of criticism of women that, in its view, did not prompt comparable condemnation.

CBS Mornings addressed the controversy on Oct. 14. Co-host Nate Burleson framed the discussion as a question of whether Gillis was being unfairly targeted by cancel culture or deserved the criticism. Co-host Adriana Diaz noted that Gillis had recently set a Guinness World Record for attendance at a comedy show, with nearly 74,000 people present. The program also featured fitness coach and content creator Sophie Carpenter, who said jokes like Gillis’ could discourage some women from exercising.

The source article is an opinion piece arguing that media outlets applied a double standard in their treatment of Gillis. It suggests the attention could benefit his career, but offers that as the author’s assessment rather than a verified outcome. The material documents several public reactions; it does not establish that broadcasters coordinated their coverage or prove the author’s claims about their motives.