Skip to main content By James Hibberd Plus Icon James Hibberd Writer-at-Large JamesHibberd Follow Sign Up View All October 12, 2026 8:30am Share on Facebook Share on X Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Add us as a Google Preferred Source Shane Gillis on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Screenshot.
Ah, Saturday Night Live. The show that has given us countless laughs, memorable sketches, and an occasional cringe-fest that makes you question humanity’s taste in humor. Recently, we had a new addition to that cringe category courtesy of Shane Gillis, who decided to kick off his hosting gig with a monologue that left many viewers shaking their heads and rolling their eyes.
Gillis took a stroll down the questionable path of comedy by comparing women’s gym attire to that of ‘whores’ or ‘wh***s.’ Yes, that happened. Because nothing says ‘I’m a comedian’ quite like demeaning women for the clothes they choose to wear while trying to get their sweat on. His joke landed with the grace of a lead balloon, met with an audience reaction that was somewhere between awkward laughter and the sound of crickets. You could practically hear the collective gasp as the words left his mouth.
Enter Dan Levy, the actor and comedian who has proven time and again that he has a knack for calling out nonsense when he sees it. Levy took to social media to voice his disgust, labeling Gillis’ remarks as nothing short of misogynistic. And honestly, can you blame him? It’s 2023, folks. We’ve got flying cars (okay, maybe not yet), but we certainly have enough awareness to recognize that shaming women for their clothing choices is a tired, outdated, and frankly, lazy punchline.
The backlash against Gillis was swift and fierce, with many other comedians and social media users joining Levy in condemning the comments. It’s nice to see that in a world where people often remain silent in the face of ignorance, there are still some who are willing to speak out. Levy’s call for men to speak up against such degrading remarks is particularly poignant. Let’s be real—if your idea of humor involves belittling women based on their fashion choices, maybe it’s time to reconsider your career path.
This incident also raises the question: why is it that some comedians feel the need to resort to tired stereotypes and misogyny for laughs? There’s a whole universe of comedic potential out there that doesn’t involve putting down half the population. Seriously, if you’re going to joke about women at the gym, why not poke fun at the struggle of trying to find a decent parking spot or the fact that the gym is basically a social experiment where everyone pretends they didn’t just see that person trip over the treadmill?
In the end, Levy’s response serves as a reminder that we need to hold each other accountable—especially in the comedy world. Jokes can be edgy, but they should never cross the line into outright disrespect. So let’s raise our metaphorical dumbbells to Dan Levy for standing up for what’s right and calling out the nonsense. And as for Shane Gillis, maybe it’s time for a new routine—preferably one that doesn’t involve disparaging women’s choices. Just a thought!
Inspired by: “Dan Levy calls out SNL host for joking that ‘women dress like whores’ at the gym” (r/News)