Comedian Shane Gillis will return to host “Saturday Night Live” in February after being fired shortly after joining the show in 2019 for controversial comments he made on his podcast.
NBC announced it was hiring Gillis in 2019, but shortly after, videos of the comedian resurfaced. SNL founder Lorne Michaels said at the time that he was “not aware” of Michaels’ past comments, calling them “offensive, harmful and unacceptable.”
At the time, the show announced, “After discussions with Shane Gillis, he has decided not to join SNL.” “We were not aware of his previous comments that have surfaced over the past few days. The language he used is offensive, hurtful and unacceptable. We have not seen these clips before. “We regret that we did not meet our standards and that our vetting process was inadequate.” ”
Gillis and fellow comedian Matt McCusker were discussing an unidentified city’s Chinatown district during a podcast.
Shane Gillis performs on stage at the 17th Annual Stand Up for Heroes Benefit presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation and NY Comedy Festival at David Geffen Hall on November 6, 2023 in New York City. ((Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images, Bob Woodruff Foundation))
In resurfaced footage, Gillis uses the F-word followed by an ethnic slur to describe Chinese residents, then complains about his experience at a Chinatown restaurant and asks a server to take his order. He specifically mentioned the “complexity” of translating.
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Gillis will host “SNL” on Feb. 24, along with musical guest 21 Savage.
The comedian also recently announced a partnership with Bud Light on social media.
Bud Light posted a photo of Gillis and said in the caption, “Excited to be on tour in 2024.” Gillis also posted a photo on social media announcing her partnership.
Comedian Shane Gillis recently announced a partnership with Bud Light. (Getty Images)
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Bud Light saw sales plummet in 2023 after the brand partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.Gillis recently appeared On the podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience,” he and host Joe Rogan discussed his partnership with Mulvaney.
“It’s become a joke,” Gillis told Logan. “Marketing-wise, that’s hard to overcome. It’s hard to get people to order Bud Light in public. You’re going to be made fun of.”
“No brand has ever been hit this hard,” Logan added.
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“Humor has always been at the heart of the Bud Light brand and is central to our ‘Easy to Enjoy’ platform,” Todd Allen, vice president of marketing for Bud Light, told FOX News Digital. We’re excited to partner with longtime Bud fans.” Wright, Shane Gillis, 2024 Live Comedy Tour makes it easy to enjoy a good time with friends anytime. ”
FOX News’ Kendall Teets contributed to this report.
