Shane Gillis Debuts on SNL Stage, Tackles Past Controversy with Humor

When Shane Gillis walked back into Studio 8H, not as a cast member but as a guest host, the air was thick with anticipation. Would he dive into the controversy that led to his swift exit from “Saturday Night Live” just days after being announced as a new face in 2019? Back then, his brief SNL career was cut short by resurfaced podcast clips where Gillis crossed lines, using racial and homophobic slurs against public figures and communities.

Yet, in his debut, Gillis chose a different path. His monologue was a dance around the fire, neither igniting it nor dousing it, but acknowledging its warmth from a safe distance. He joked about his anonymity to the SNL audience, a nod to his past controversy without reopening old wounds. Since his firing, Gillis has carved out a space for himself in the comedy world, with stand-up specials like “Beautiful Dogs” on Netflix and hosting duties on “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast.”