The comic was fired from the show in 2019 before ever appearing on it, history he barely mentioned when he hosted on Saturday. “Please, don’t Google that,” he said in his monologue.
When Shane Gillis, the comic, was finally allowed to perform live in NBC's Studio 8H, he remained silent about his firing from "Saturday Night Live" after only one show.
Rather, Gillis—who has since gained popularity as a stand-up comedian and podcaster—delivered an introductory monologue that might have implied that he and "S.N.L." were better off for having taken different paths.
Gillis, a co-host of "Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast" and a stand-up comedian who has appeared in Netflix stand-up specials including "Beautiful Dogs," was revealed as a cast member of "S.N.L." in September 2019. In a matter of days, "S.N.L." changed its mind and removed Gillis from the cast of the show due to backlash against previously unreleased podcast segments in which Gillis mocked Chinese people, referred to comedian Chris Gethard as a homophobe, and denigrated actors Judd Apatow, Andrew Yang, and Senator Bernie Sanders.
The wording Gillis had used, according to a statement from "S.N.L." at the time, "is offensive, hurtful, and unacceptable."Gillis himself wrote in a social media post that he was “a comedian who pushes boundaries” adding that in comedy, “you’re going to find a lot of bad misses.”
When Gillis made a guest appearance on "S.N.L." almost five years later, he did not adopt a harsh tone in his monologue, unlike when Norm Macdonald did the same in 1999 following his dismissal from the program. "I'm not any funnier now," Macdonald declared at the time. "The program has deteriorated greatly."
Yes, I am here, Gillis said. I'm sure most of you don't know who I am. Actually, a while back, I got fired from this show. However, if you don't know who I am, please don't search it up. Don't Google that, please. It's alright. Never even consider it a concern.
Gillis said he was naturally meant to be "a high school football coach," laughing that he "probably shouldn't be up here, honestly." Additionally, he made fun of his father, who was seen in the studio audience and who, according to Gillis, served as a volunteer assistant coach for girls' high school basketball.
In addition, he made jokes about his mother and a period of his life when they were closer. "Gay for my mom," Gillis declared. She would come get me at school, and I would get into the van. "Girl, tell me about your day," I would say.
Gillis went on to discuss having relatives that had Down syndrome. He shifted from side to side and added, "It almost got me." Although I avoided it, it nicked me.
"Look, I don't have any material that can be on TV, all right? Gillis quipped, playing off the confused response of his studio audience. I'm making an effort. This area is also very well-lit. I see that it's not fun for anyone. I've never felt more anxious than I do now.
Gillis agreed that discussing Down syndrome can cause anxiety in certain individuals. Nonetheless, he claimed that the wealthy individuals he knew are "doing better than everybody I know—they're the only ones having a good time, pretty consistently." The election is not a concern for them. They're enjoying themselves.
"I thought that was going to get a bigger laugh," he continued. I believed that we were free to enjoy ourselves here.
Laughing, Gillis mentioned that his sister had a daughter with Down syndrome and had adopted three Black children. One day, when his niece was older, he pictured her being harassed by a white student.
"And then, three Black kids appear out of nowhere and begin whaling on that cracker," he remarked. "It's a pleasant moment,"
Gillis also mentioned a coffee business that his family owns and operates, where he stated they hire people with Down syndrome.He declared, "Especially at work, there's zero difference between us and them." "You seem to be saying, 'What's the deal, man?'" "I hate this job so much," they exclaim.
Fake movie trailer of the week
Gillis's portrayal of Trump in the show's cleverly satirical movie trailer cleverly takes advantage of recent news about a limited-edition pair of high-top sneakers that Trump has been promoting. It's a brighter glimpse at what Gillis's "S.N.L." tenure might have looked like if he had stayed on as a cast member.
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