Fired Comedian Returns to SNL: Hypocrisy Amid Show’s Troubled Past

Clear Facts

• Shane Gillis was fired from “Saturday Night Live” in 2019 due to offensive jokes, but has since been invited to host the show on Feb. 24.
• Gillis has built a successful comedy career, with a popular YouTube special and being the most popular podcaster on Patreon.
• “SNL” has a history of sexism, racism, and drug use, and has overlooked Alec Baldwin’s controversial behavior.

“Saturday Night Live” (SNL) fired comedian Shane Gillis in 2019 after his offensive jokes about Asian-Americans and gay people resurfaced. NBC said Gillis’ “hurtful” language wasn’t a match for the oft-bawdy showcase. However, Gillis didn’t fade into obscurity; he went back to work and built his profile to the point where SNL invited him to host the show on Feb. 24.

The New York Times admitted that Gillis has bounced back dramatically following the firing. His debut special on YouTube has garnered 14 million views, and he’s the most popular podcaster on Patreon with over 71,000 paying listeners. He regularly sells out theaters and is on track to become an arena act.

SNL’s history is riddled with issues regarding women and minorities. Most of the show’s hosts were white up until recently, and black cast members often struggled under the show’s system. Chris Rock’s brief SNL tenure speaks volumes, as he became a comedy superstar after his exit. Former staffers have called the show’s professional atmosphere “incredibly sexist,” and original cast member Jane Curtin recalled the show’s abject sexism behind the scenes.

SNL also has a history of drug use in its early days, with few TV programs having as many skeletons in the closet. In contrast, the show overlooked Alec Baldwin’s controversial behavior, including his verbal and physical altercations with paparazzi, his anti-gay slur, and his abusive behavior on an airline. SNL continued to cut him paychecks to mock President Trump without any punishments or tsk-tsking over his actions.

SNL deserves some credit for granting Gillis some grace by inviting him to host. Perhaps he’ll use his opening monologue to highlight the show’s hypocrisy for punishing him without considering its own sordid history.

Clear Thoughts (op-ed)

“Saturday Night Live” (SNL) fired comedian Shane Gillis in 2019 after his offensive jokes about Asian-Americans and gay people resurfaced. NBC said Gillis’ “hurtful” language wasn’t a match for the oft-bawdy showcase. However, Gillis didn’t fade into obscurity; he went back to work and built his profile to the point where SNL invited him to host the show on Feb. 24.

The New York Times admitted that Gillis has bounced back dramatically following the firing. His debut special on YouTube has garnered 14 million views, and he’s the most popular podcaster on Patreon with over 71,000 paying listeners. He regularly sells out theaters and is on track to become an arena act.

SNL’s history is riddled with issues regarding women and minorities. Most of the show’s hosts were white up until recently, and black cast members often struggled under the show’s system. Chris Rock’s brief SNL tenure speaks volumes, as he became a comedy superstar after his exit. Former staffers have called the show’s professional atmosphere “incredibly sexist,” and original cast member Jane Curtin recalled the show’s abject sexism behind the scenes.

SNL also has a history of drug use in its early days, with few TV programs having as many skeletons in the closet. In contrast, the show overlooked Alec Baldwin’s controversial behavior, including his verbal and physical altercations with paparazzi, his anti-gay slur, and his abusive behavior on an airline. SNL continued to cut him paychecks to mock President Trump without any punishments or tsk-tsking over his actions.

SNL deserves some credit for granting Gillis some grace by inviting him to host. Perhaps he’ll use his opening monologue to highlight the show’s hypocrisy for punishing him without considering its own sordid history.

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