While Saturday Night Live aired reruns over the last few weeks since Ayo Edebiri hosted on February 3, the hit show is finally back. Taking a break, Studio 8H is once again preparing for another live show with comedian Shane Gillis hosting. Although not the first time SNL welcomed a comedian to the show, Gillis stepping foot on the historic set comes with a great deal of anticipation as he was once a member of the cast before being let go. While he never even made it to taping, the comedian finds himself hosting alongside musical guest 21 Savage.
Videos by American Songwriter
Releasing a new promo for his SNL debut, Gillis stood on the stage, going over a few ideas he had for a monologue. Given the success of his comedy specials like Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs, many believed the comedian would bring some great material. But in the video, Gillis hurls numerous jokes that land a little flat. Although part of his persona, one joke included the comedian saying, “A new Planet of the Apes is coming out… It’s gonna be bananas.”
While not his best joke, Gillis gained praise from fans as the promo received over 400,000 views. Comments included, “Shane is gonna kill it.” Another fan added, “Probably the most anticipated SNL host in a while.” One person even offered some advice, writing “his monologue should be him just coming out and playing the flute.”
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Shane Gillis Addresses Being Fired From ‘Saturday Night Live’
Although looking forward to his time on SNL, back in 2019, the series announced him as a season regular with Chloe Fineman and Bowen Yang. But after clips surfaced from his Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast, the comedian came under heavy criticism for comments he made surrounding Chinese people. While showrunner Lorne Michaels hoped to weather the storm, the backlash grew too much. The show wrote in a statement, “After talking with Shane Gillis, we have decided he will not be joining SNL.”
Not shying away from his comments in the past, Gillis wrote, “I’m a comedian who pushes boundaries. I sometimes miss. If you go through my 10 years of comedy, most of it bad, you’re going to find a lot of bad misses. I’m happy to apologize to anyone who’s actually offended by anything I’ve said. My intention is never to hurt anyone but I am trying to be the best comedian I can be and sometimes that requires risks.”
With Gillis returning, tonight’s episode is sure to be memorable. Don’t miss SNL, airing live at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock.
(Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Bob Woodruff Foundation)
