Shane Gillis Says 'Don't Google' His 'SNL' Firing In 2019: I 'Shouldn't Be Up Here'
After an absence of almost five years, Shane Gillis made a noteworthy return to 'Saturday Night Live' on Saturday. His comeback marked a significant moment as he had previously been let go from the show after he made racist and homophobic jokes.
"Thank you very much. Yeah, I'm here," Gillis, 36, started within his monologue on 'SNL.' "Most of you probably have no idea who I am. I was fired from this show a while ago. Don't look that up, please. Please don't Google that. It's fine. Don't even worry about it."
Gillis continued: "I probably shouldn't be up here honestly. I should be at home. I should be a high school football coach."
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The comedian initially garnered widespread recognition when he was unveiled as a new cast member for the 45th season of 'SNL' in September 2019.
Shortly afterward, he faced termination before the season premiered when a clip from his podcast, where he used an anti-Asian slur, went viral on Twitter, now known as X. Gillis encountered further criticism as additional clips surfaced, showcasing his use of offensive language during that period.
After the uproar, Gillis apologized, but stated in interviews that he planned to keep making edgy and controversial jokes.
Fox News contributor Guy Benson shared his thoughts on the matter. "If this guy wrote or said something that was bad and they maybe went overboard firing whatever, is there no path back to redemption? You can never do anything ever again. Like, I'm glad that SNL ignored that mentality and brought him back, maybe belatedly, because he did a good job."
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"Look, I don't have any material that can be on TV, alright?" Gillis inserted into his monologue. "I'm trying my best. Also, this place is extremely well-lit. I can see everyone not enjoying it. This is the most nervous I've ever been."
During his monologue, Gillis decided to interrupt himself as he noticed that his jokes weren't receiving the intended response. However, he made a point to express that he didn't desire applause driven by pity from the audience.
