Michael Che Defies Pressure to Condemn Shane Gillis’ Gym Joke
SNL comedian Michael Che avoids condemning Shane Gillis’ controversial gym joke during Today interview.
2 min read
On Thursday, NBC Today host Laura Jarrett attempted to pressure Saturday Night Live comedian Michael Che into condemning fellow comedian Shane Gillis over a controversial joke from his recent SNL hosting gig. The incident sparked a firestorm of backlash, particularly from progressive critics who viewed Gillis’ remarks as misogynistic.
Gillis returned to host SNL last weekend, where he made a remark in his opening monologue about the revealing nature of modern female sports attire. He said, “I haven’t been to the gym in so long, I didn’t know women just dress like w****s now?”
Shane Gillis’ monologue! https://t.co/ky6fVtWBx9
Progressive critics interpreted the joke as a misogynistic and potentially rape-justifying comment. The controversy quickly reached the SNL cast, prompting Che to appear on NBC Today to promote his new comedy special, “Michael Che: Shot in Minnesota.” After discussing his work, the interview shifted to the recent controversy.
Jarrett initially showed Che’s Instagram post where he referenced the situation, writing, “gotta do more press this week to promote the special.. wonder what every f***ing questions gonna be about [eyeroll emoji].. thanks a lot shane.” When asked about his thoughts on the situation, Che responded, “That’s comedy. It’s like, you think it’s funny, and then some people don’t.”
Jarrett pressed further, asking if he laughed at what Gillis said. Che explained that he was preparing for his role in the show, thinking about what he would say to make people upset. Jarrett continued to push for a denunciation, but Che deftly evaded, stating that he “can’t criticize someone for swinging and missing,” as he had “definitely swung and missed too.”
Following the interview, Che took to Instagram to clarify his stance, writing, “Folks, I just want to make one thing abundantly clear. I did NOT laugh.” He added that he had not laughed at comedy in about 11 years, ever since he “figured out how to do it.”
He also described his comedy special, which included jokes about Charlie Kirk, the president, and various social topics. Che emphasized that he would not thumb his nose at anyone else’s humor. Ultimately, Jarrett attempted to force a denunciation from Che, but he refused, leaving her looking somewhat defeated.
Source: The Gateway Pundit
