Dan Levy Condemns Shane Gillis SNL Joke About Women

Actor and comedian Dan Levy criticized a joke about women's gym clothing delivered by Shane Gillis while hosting Saturday Night Live on Saturday, prompting debate about misogyny and the objectification of women. In an Instagram video posted Sunday, Levy condemned the remarks and urged men to challenge attitudes that contribute to sexual harassment and assault.

During his opening monologue, Gillis described women wearing short shorts at the gym using a derogatory term and compared their clothing to artificial bait used in fishing. He also joked that men were not permitted to look at the women wearing the outfits.

Gillis said he was unfamiliar with how women dressed at gyms because he had not visited one in a long time. His comments drew criticism from viewers, particularly amid ongoing discussions about an alleged gang rape involving seven men at a Cornell University fraternity house in 2024.

Levy, who starred in Schitt's Creek and hosted SNL in 2021, responded without naming Gillis directly. He expressed disbelief that the joke had aired on live television.

"Women wearing short shorts at the gym doesn't make them whores. It makes the men calling them whores misogynists." Levy said in his Instagram video.

Levy argued that men must take a more active role in challenging degrading portrayals of women. He connected public attitudes toward women with broader concerns about sexual violence and the treatment of women in society.

"And to be perfectly honest, more men need to be standing up in opposition to it because it's complacency that has created the environment [in] which women are sexually assaulted," Levy said.

He also warned that the way men objectify women in media can influence how other men treat them. Levy called for broader support for women to prevent mistreatment.

The controversy unfolded as Cornell University faced scrutiny over its handling of allegations involving seven men accused of gang rape at a fraternity house in 2024. The accuser, identified publicly as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit against the university and the seven men, alleging that the institution protected the accused.

Students at the University of British Columbia rallied on October 8 in solidarity with Jane Doe, according to CBC News. The case has fueled discussions about consent, institutional accountability and the culture surrounding sexual violence.

Viewers criticized Gillis and the SNL team responsible for approving the monologue. One commenter questioned the decision to include the joke, while another argued that Gillis understood the broader context surrounding Jane Doe's case. Other users accused the comedian of promoting misogyny and rape culture, while some defended his right to make controversial jokes.

Gillis has faced criticism throughout his career. NBC dropped him from the SNL cast in 2019, shortly after announcing his hiring, following the circulation of podcast clips featuring homophobic jokes and an anti-Asian slur.

He subsequently returned as an SNL host in 2024, 2025 and October 2026. His earlier appearances also drew criticism over jokes about a family member with Down syndrome and his use of homophobic language on podcasts.

During his latest appearance, Gillis also joked about his haircut, comparing it to Adolf Hitler's hairstyle and using a reference to gay people. In a separate sketch parodying a Dr. Seuss story, he accidentally said a profanity that reached viewers uncensored in some time zones. He apologized twice for the language, including once at the end of the sketch and again during the show's closing.