Key Takeaways
- Shane Gillis left the SNL stage before the traditional goodnights ended, though neither he nor the show has explained his early exit.
- During his third hosting appearance, Gillis dropped an uncensored F-bomb in a Dr. Seuss parody and later told viewers, “Sorry about earlier.”
- His monologue also drew groans for jokes about women’s gym clothes, adding to renewed scrutiny of the comedian, whom SNL fired in 2019 over resurfaced racist and homophobic remarks.
Shane Gillis didn't stick around for the final goodbyes on Saturday Night Live, walking offstage before the show's closing segment was over. The unexpected exit capped a chaotic third hosting appearance in which the comedian dropped an uncensored F-bomb on live television and came under fire for his controversial jokes about women.
According to The Daily Beast, new footage not shown during NBC’s live broadcast captured Gillis heading through the center of the stage while cast members were still gathered for the traditional goodnights. Several appeared to notice his departure. Gillis exchanged pleasantries with a few people, including comedian Kam Patterson, before leaving.
Gillis hasn't explained why he left early, and there's no evidence that his departure was a protest against the show or a reaction to the backlash. The Daily Beast reported that it contacted representatives for Gillis and SNL for comment but hadn’t received one at press time.
But Gillis had already given viewers plenty to discuss before the closing credits.
During a Dr. Seuss-inspired sketch parodying Green Eggs and Ham, the 38-year-old comedian accidentally let an uncensored F-bomb slip. He appeared to acknowledge the mistake during the goodnights, telling the audience, "Sorry about earlier."
The bigger controversy, however, started with his opening monologue.
While discussing his attempts to lose weight and his experiences at the gym, Gillis took aim at women's workout clothes.
"I haven't been to the gym in so long, I didn't know women just dress like whores now?" he asked, drawing groans from the studio audience.
Instead of moving on, Gillis kept describing women's tight-fitting shorts and complained about being caught in the background of their TikTok videos.
The criticism came days after Gillis' former girlfriend, Grace Brassel, posted an emotional video about her relationship with Gillis that she said "fully stripped me of who I am." Brassel described harassment from her ex's fans and said she initially feared sharing her experience.
The latest controversy adds another chapter to Gillis' complicated relationship with SNL. He was fired in 2019, just four days after being announced as a cast member, when podcast clips featuring racist and homophobic remarks resurfaced.
Gillis later built a successful career through stand-up, podcasting, and Netflix's Tires, then returned to host SNL in 2024. Creator Lorne Michaels later acknowledged that NBC executives had pushed to fire him.
