Dan Levy Criticizes Shane Gillis Over SNL Monologue Remarks

Canadian comedian Dan Levy criticized Shane Gillis after the Saturday Night Live host’s opening monologue drew backlash over comments about women’s gym clothing. Levy responded in a video posted Sunday, while celebrities supported his criticism in the comments.

Gillis hosted SNL for the third time and discussed his weight loss journey and return to the gym during the monologue. His remarks about women wearing shorts prompted criticism from viewers and public figures.

"I haven’t been to the gym in so long, I didn’t know women just dress like whores now," Gillis said during his monologue.

Gillis continued his routine by describing the clothing in more detail during the same segment.

"The shorts. Have you seen the shorts?" Gillis said during the monologue.

He added another comment about the appearance of the shorts and how people should respond to seeing them.

"Those neon, they’re like artificial bait-coloured. And the wrinkles go around the cheeks and all combine at the butthole. And don’t look, you’re not allowed to look," Gillis said during the monologue.

Levy did not name Gillis in his Instagram video, but addressed the content of the monologue and said he was concerned about the remarks appearing on live national television.

"I was speechless that something like that can exist on live national television," Levy said.

Levy argued that comments targeting women’s clothing contribute to broader issues involving attitudes toward women.

"Women wearing shorts to the gym does not make them whores. It makes the men calling them whores misogynists. There’s a difference there," Levy said.

Levy continued his response by calling for more men to oppose such remarks. His post received support from Viola Davis, Hannah Einbinder and rapper Flava Flav, according to the report.

"More men need to be standing up in opposition to it because it’s complacency that has created the environment with which women are sexually assaulted and it’s a conversation, as opposed to a crime," Levy said.

Gillis has not responded to Levy’s comments or the wider criticism of his monologue. The comedian also apologized after using profanity during an NBC broadcast sketch that aired uncensored.

SNL previously addressed controversy involving Gillis in 2019 after the show dropped him before his debut following the resurfacing of a 2018 video containing an anti Asian slur. The show said its vetting process "was not up to our standard," according to its statement at the time.