Kenan Thompson says Shane Gillis backlash overshadowed SNL episode
At an Axios media event, Thompson said he would speak with Gillis about his monologue if the comedian returned to host Saturday Night Live.
Kenan Thompson said at the Axios Media Trends Live summit on October 20 that backlash to Shane Gillis’s recent Saturday Night Live monologue had overshadowed the episode’s other performers. The longtime cast member said he would speak with Gillis about the remarks if Gillis returned to host, but stressed that a future invitation was not his decision.
Gillis’s opening monologue included a joke about women at the gym dressing like “whores.” The line drew criticism online, including from other entertainers. Thompson said the argument over one word or part of the monologue had come to dominate discussion of the wider show.
Why Thompson said the backlash affected the episode
Thompson singled out Grace Reiter, one of the show’s newest cast members, saying she had a “phenomenal show” that was receiving little attention. He said musical guest Rosalía’s appearance was also being overshadowed as people argued about what was offensive. His concern, he said, was that the reaction to one performer’s words could affect how the work of others on the episode was received.
Thompson said he knows Gillis and does not regard him as a mean person. If Gillis came back, Thompson said he would ask how Gillis thought the monologue went and what he could have done differently. He described the broader challenge as balancing creative freedom with care over potentially harmful words. His proposed conversation was conditional; Thompson said he could not say whether Gillis would be invited back.
Gillis representative defends comedians’ latitude
Peter Micelli, chief executive and co-founder of Range Media Partners, which represents Gillis, defended comedians’ room to test boundaries while speaking alongside Thompson at the summit, Variety reported. Micelli said Gillis had mostly made fun of himself in the monologue and argued that comedians need space to make audiences laugh. A representative for Gillis declined to comment to Variety.
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Sources and context
- Kenan Thompson Says Shane Gillis ‘SNL’ Monologue Backlash ‘Overshadowed’ the Episode and ‘We Would Have to Have a Real Chat’ If He Hosts AgainVariety
- Kenan Thompson Says He'd Have a "Real Chat" with Shane Gillis Before Next SNL AppearanceConsequence
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.