Shane Gillis Addresses SNL Backlash, Calls Monologue a C Minus

A warning of a "C minus"

Gillis said the show's staff asked him what was going on with the monologue. He told them it was not great but contained nothing bad.

"Fellas, I'm giving you a solid C minus of a monologue but I promise there's no controversy," he recalled saying. "I'm calling myself fat for fucking 10 minutes. That's it."

Staying off social media

Gillis was fired from the cast before his first episode in 2019. He said the hard part this time is not knowing what people are saying online.

"The first time I got fired, I kept social media and in my head I was like, 'That guy talked shit,'" he said. "This one I just deleted everything immediately. So, I don't really know."

He also joked that he is thinking about bumping the comedians who criticized him from his tour dates. Then he backed off. He said his agent suggested it as a joke, and he does not think anyone touring talks badly about him.

Critics and defenders

Several comedians and actors have called out Gillis since the episode. They include Kathy Griffin, Dan Levy and Inde Navarrette, who took a shot at him on the following week's episode. SNL alum Ego Nwodim and Ania Magliano of SNL UK also criticized him on the British counterpart's "Weekend Update."

Dana Carvey, David Spade and Jimmy Carr have backed him.

This was Gillis's third time hosting, after appearances in 2024 and 2025. NBC removed him from the show's featured cast days after announcing him in 2019. The decision followed resurfaced videos in which he mocked Asian accents and used ethnic and gay slurs.