Shane Gillis's SNL monologue on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, has ignited one of the fiercest comedy debates of the fall, as critics condemn crude remarks the comedian made about women at the gym while defenders dismiss the uproar as an overreaction to a joke. The firestorm has drawn in celebrities including Dan Levy, Jenna Bush Hager, and SNL alum Ego Nwodim, keeping the episode trending into midweek.
What Gillis Said in the SNL Monologue
Gillis, 38, hosted Saturday Night Live for the third time (after February 2024 and March 2025), with singer Rosalía as the musical guest. His monologue covered his weight loss, hiking alone, and getting ribbed by Theo Von and Joe Rogan, but one stretch about gym culture is what went viral.
“I haven't been to the gym in so long, I didn't realize women just dress like whores now,” Gillis said, per multiple outlets. He went on to describe women's neon workout shorts in graphic detail and joked that men should avoid looking at them because the women are filming and men end up in the background of their social media videos. The line reportedly drew groans from the Studio 8H audience.
The episode also saw Gillis accidentally drop an uncensored F-bomb during a Green Eggs and Ham sketch. He apologized for that gaffe during the closing bows, but he has made no public comment about the monologue itself.
The Backlash: Critics Call the Remarks Misogynistic
Schitt's Creek star Dan Levy was among the first to respond, posting an Instagram video on Sunday, Oct. 11, calling the men behind such labels misogynists and urging more men to speak out against comments like these. The video drew more than a million likes, including from Reese Witherspoon.
Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager slammed the monologue on Tuesday's show, calling it “not OK” and asking, “Who is he to comment on women's bodies?” She added she would be disgusted if her husband, Henry Chase, talked about women that way. Co-host Sheinelle Jones, who says she is usually more lenient with comedians, noted that shirtless men at the gym proudly show off their bodies: “If the guy can be proud of his body, let the girl be proud of her body.”
SNL alum Ego Nwodim mocked the bit sarcastically on her Instagram Stories in workout clothes, while country singer Maren Morris and The View's Sara Haines also pushed back, with Haines calling the language demeaning.
The Defense: Supporters Say It Was Just a Gym Joke
On the other side, Gillis's supporters argue the bit targeted online gym culture, not women themselves. A New York Post opinion piece called the joke mild and noted it ended with Gillis poking fun at himself, while Reason's Robby Soave published an op-ed arguing the backlash had gone too far. NFL star Travis Kelce reportedly liked the monologue clip on Instagram, and radio host Bobby Bones called it “pretty funny.”
Gillis has a long, complicated history with the show. NBC hired him as a cast member in 2019, then fired him days later after old podcast clips resurfaced of him mocking Asian accents and using ethnic and gay slurs. He has since returned to host three times, becoming one of stand-up's biggest draws.
With coverage still pouring in days later, the episode has become a flashpoint in the running argument over where comedy ends and language that punches down begins, and neither side is backing down.
Watch: Shane Gillis's full stand-up monologue from the Oct. 10 episode on Saturday Night Live's official YouTube channel, including the gym remarks at the center of the backlash.
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Volatile Reaction (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0
Sources: Jenna Bush Hager slams Shane Gillis' 'SNL' monologue as backlash piles up (Page Six); Dan Levy blasts Shane Gillis for 'misogynistic' SNL monologue (People); Comedians, actors call out Shane Gillis for 'sexist' remarks (PhillyVoice); The Shane Gillis SNL backlash is really stupid (Reason).