SNL Stars Defend Shane Gillis Over Gym Joke Outcry
Dana Carvey and David Spade defend Shane Gillis after his gym joke sparks backlash from women and Hollywood figures.
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Comedian Shane Gillis faced widespread backlash after a joke about women’s gym attire during his SNL hosting monologue earlier this month. The joke, which likened women’s gym outfits to ‘artificial fish bait,’ ignited outrage from women online and criticism from Hollywood figures, including actor Dan Levy, who called Gillis a misogynist.
SNL Legends Stand by Gillis
SNL legend Dana Carvey, who defended Gillis on his podcast Fly on the Wall, said he didn’t understand the backlash. ‘I just didn’t understand the kerfuffle only because, to me, I just saw it as what we call — I’ll just say it — a joke,’ Carvey said. ‘Like, when you say jokes, you’re not literally saying women are whores. You are literally joking. Isn’t that kind of the idea? No?’ Carvey joked about being ‘canceled’ over the joke, asking, ‘Wasn’t it a joke?’
Carvey’s co-host and fellow SNL alum, David Spade, also defended Gillis, noting that if the joke gets laughs, it will get a pass. ‘Listen, it got some laughs. I think he knows that one’s going to be a button-pusher, but he doesn’t care,’ Spade said. ‘If something kills, it gets a pass. If something totally bombs, then they get in a lot of trouble.’
Confusion Over Double Standards
Spade also questioned the double standards in left-wing attitudes, pointing out that some promote ‘sex work’ as ‘real work’ while being offended by the term ‘whore.’ The pair also discussed how the SNL audience, typically packed with young women, might not have been the ideal setting for the joke. Carvey suggested that Gillis likely ‘destroyed’ with his gym jokes in the ’10 comedy clubs he played that week,’ but the joke might not have worked as well on SNL.
Online Backlash and Cultural Divide
Gillis’s joke sparked massive outrage, with women online posting videos in their gym attire and calling themselves ‘whores’ reporting for duty. The controversy highlights the growing divide over humor and its impact on cultural and social norms. As the debate continues, it underscores the role of comedy in shaping public discourse and the sensitivity surrounding gender and sexuality in modern society.
Source: Daily Wire
