One-time cast member Shane Gillis hosting SNL was an pointedly controversial choice.
The self-described comedian did not disappoint.
His monologue was dripping with misogyny.
Beloved actor Dan Levy is taking him to task.
This season of ‘Saturday Night Live’ is off to a rough start
On Saturday, October 10, the deliberately controversial comedian hosted Saturday Night Live.
(SNL actually hired Gillis in 2019, only to fire him a mere five days later after intense public backlash.)
During his opening monologue, he admitted that he had not been to the gym recently.
He then laid into the targets of his ire — women — by complaining that “women just dress like w—es now?”
The term that he used is a primarily derogatory term for sex workers. It can have affirming uses . . . but, obviously, not when it comes spewing out of Gillis’ mouth.
Gillis elaborated upon what he probably considers to be “observational humor” during the monologue.
“You’ve seen the shorts? They’re those neon, like, artificial bait-colored [shorts],” he described.
“And the wrinkles go around the cheeks and all combine at the butthole,” Gillis described.
It seems that the women be shoppin’ brand of humor has now evolved into women be wearing pants.
“And don’t look!” Gillis announced. “You’re not allowed to look.” (In his defense, we’re sure that many women would feel uncomfortable if Gillis specifically were to stare at them while they go about their workout routines.)
Dan Levy calls on men to stand up for women following comedian Shane Gillis’ comments about them dressing like “wh*res” at the gym:
— Buzzing Pop {bot} (@buzzingpop.xmirror.bot) October 12, 2026 at 9:36 AM
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Dan Levy put it in clear, human terms
On Sunday, October 11, beloved actor Dan Levy shared an Instagram video in which he diplomatically clapped back.
“Women wearing short shorts at the gym does not make them w—es. It makes the men calling them w—es misogynists,” Levy began accurately. “There’s a difference there.”
He observed: “By the way, I’ve seen more men’s nipples at the gym than I’ve ever seen women showing their bodies off.”
Getting to the more important point, Levy expressed: “But I’m speechless that something like that can exist on live national television.”
He called for more men to be vigilant against misogynistic vitriol in part because a culture that platforms misogynistic creeps is a culture that grows increasingly unsafe for women. He’s not wrong.
For the people who are shocked about what Shane Gillis said on his SNL monologue, he’s also an asshole who excuses his use of the R slur because his brother has downs. He’s not a good guy. And also, reminder or other news flash, if you weren’t aware, he was also at the trump UFC party
— Espii (@coffingirls.bsky.social) October 12, 2026 at 10:17 AM
To be clear, we don’t think that Levy’s message is really directed at Gillis.
If Gillis were interested in being a good person, he’d likely be one. He is not a 12-year-old who repeated manosphere stuff that he heard online and needs guidance; he’ll turn 40 next year.
Some are likening asking Gillis to host SNL and then being shocked at him using the platform like this is a little like The Scorpion And The Frog. Many are directing their ire at Lorne Michaels for this inexcusable choice.
We suspect that Levy’s message is offering moral guidance to people who might actually care about right and wrong, such as those who struggled to put their objections to Gillis’ rant into words.
That is a good use of his platform. We cannot stop bad people from speaking, or from profiting from being hateful. We can, in time, say good things loudly enough to drown out the awful voices.
Dan Levy Obliterates Shane Gillis’ Misogynistic ‘SNL’ Monologue was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
