Key Takeaways
- Grace Brassel says her relationship with Shane Gillis “fully stripped me of who I am” and that harassment from his fans made her afraid to discuss the experience.
- Brassel shared private video-diary clips of herself crying alongside happier moments to show other women that “it gets better” and “there’s hope.”
- Her comments arrived as Gillis faced backlash over jokes about women’s appearances during his third Saturday Night Live hosting stint.
Shane Gillis' ex-girlfriend, Grace Brassel, is speaking out about her relationship with the comedian, which she says left her emotionally devastated and afraid to share her experience because of harassment from the comedian's fans.
Brassel shared an Instagram video documenting her emotional struggles during the relationship and her recovery after the breakup. The footage included clips of her crying, followed by happier moments as she moved forward with her life.
"Last year I was in a relationship that fully stripped me of who I am," Brassel wrote. "I've been so terrified to even talk about what I went through, especially after relentless bullying from his fanbase (for no reason)."
She continued, "I want to share this to let women know IT GETS BETTER!! And you can do it! I had it on level hard mode, and I survived! And I've never been happier."
But even her decision to share that experience drew criticism. Some commenters questioned why Brassel had filmed herself crying, prompting her to explain that the videos were never intended for public consumption.
"I know that his fans are going to purposefully misunderstand me; I'm used to it," she responded. "I have videos of me crying because I used it as a video diary for myself. I never thought I would share them."
Brassel emphasized that her message wasn't simply about dating a celebrity.
"The main point of this video is for people to know there's more to life… regardless if my ex is a famous comedian or not," she explained. "I want to show there's hope."
"I haven't been to the gym in so long, I didn't know women just dress like whores now?" Gillis asked, drawing groans from the studio audience.
Rather than abandoning the joke, Gillis doubled down, describing women's workout shorts in graphic detail before complaining about women recording themselves at the gym.
The backlash adds another chapter to Gillis' complicated history with SNL. He was fired from the show in 2019, just five days after being announced as a cast member, when podcast clips featuring anti-Asian slurs and other offensive remarks resurfaced.
Despite that dismissal, Gillis built a successful career through stand-up, podcasting, and his Netflix comedy Tires. He returned to host SNL in 2024 and has since been invited back twice.
His comedy has continued to attract criticism outside the NBC series. During May's Roast of Kevin Hart, Gillis drew objections over jokes about Sheryl Underwood's late husband's suicide.
