Women at gyms may find Shane Gillis controversial, but oddly enough, they still tune in.
The comedian’s latest stint on “Saturday Night Live” attracted one of the show’s largest YouTube audiences in nearly a year.
His opening monologue has racked up more than 2.7 million views, placing it second among “SNL” monologues uploaded since November 2025.
Gillis hit the stage on Saturday night, creating a buzz online with his remarks about city gyms being populated with incredibly attractive gay men and his rather blunt comment about how women dress now.
Only Ryan Gosling’s monologue from early March has pulled in more views recently, achieving 3.04 million. Following that, the next highest was actor Connor Storrie’s appearance in late February, with 2.08 million.
Interestingly, Gillis’ earlier shows had even larger audiences, with his jokes about Presidents Biden and Trump from 2025 garnering almost 4.5 million views, and his 2024 appearance collecting 7.26 million.
That performance marked his return after being dismissed from the show five years prior, stirring up controversy for his choice of words such as “gay” and “retarded.”
Humor at His Own Expense
In this latest monologue, Gillis also poked fun at himself, quipping about his weight and referencing his comedian friends labeling him as a “gas station egg.”
Some women have reacted by posting gym videos where they mention Gillis, which feels quite fitting since he joked about being the awkward guy lurking in the background of such videos.
He’s played a similar character on his show “Tires.” In one clip released by Netflix last August, his character gazes at a woman at the gym, prompting a content creator nearby to express his disgust. Gillis’ character, rather boldly, insists he wouldn’t let his partner leave the house unless she wore slacks or a burqa.
“I’d be Sharia on her,” he quips to the other man.
Mixed Reactions
Some former “SNL” cast members voiced their approval during the monologue’s airing.
Victoria Jackson, who was part of the cast from 1986 to 1992, commented that Gillis looked “skinny/handsome!”
She added, “He’s right about gym girls dressing like ‘whores.’ When did ‘camel toe’ become acceptable for gym clothes and grocery shopping?”
Jeff Richards, a cast member from 2001 to 2004, called Gillis a “really funny guy” and an “obvious natural.”
On the other hand, one of his more prominent critics was actor Dan Levy from “Schitt’s Creek,” whose father, Eugene Levy, is a beloved figure in sketch comedy.
