Comedian Shane Gillis is once again facing scrutiny as he is set to host Saturday Night Live (SNL). Many people are reminded of the racial epithets he used in his podcasting days, which led to his firing from SNL before he even appeared on the show. While Gillis is known for his edgy stand-up comedy and has been popular on platforms like YouTube and Netflix, his past controversial humor is now causing concern.
In his podcast called “A Fair One,” Gillis delivered jokes that included offensive language. He used racial slurs, homophobic slurs, and even a Jewish slur. This offensive content resurfaced after his firing from SNL, and it is surprising to hear him dropping such slurs in the middle of anecdotal jokes.
It is worth noting that when Gillis was hired by SNL in 2019, he was later fired due to backlash over anti-Asian jokes he had made on a different podcast. This indicates that the show’s producers were aware of his controversial material floating around on the internet. When he was let go, Gillis apologized, acknowledging that he is a comedian who pushes boundaries and sometimes misses the mark. He also expressed his willingness to apologize to anyone who was genuinely offended by his words.
Now that SNL has brought Gillis back to host, it suggests that they believe he has either made amends or evolved as a comedian. However, the podcast material is even edgier than his stand-up specials, and it is not the kind of language one would expect in an SNL monologue. While it is late-night programming, NBC’s censors are still monitoring the content.
It remains to be seen how Gillis’ hosting gig on SNL will be received by the audience. Some may argue that comedians should be given the freedom to express themselves, even if it means pushing boundaries. However, others argue that there should be consequences for using offensive language, especially slurs that perpetuate discrimination and harm marginalized communities.
As the discussion around Gillis continues, it is important to consider the impact of language and the responsibility that comes with being in the public eye. Comedians have a unique platform to entertain and provoke thought, but they should also be mindful of the potential harm their words can cause. Only time will tell how this situation unfolds and whether Gillis’ return to SNL will be met with acceptance or further backlash.
