Kenan Thompson Addresses Shane Gillis’ “SNL” Monologue

Kenan Thompson, a long-time member of the “Saturday Night Live” cast, seems to be the only one among the current cast who is openly confronting Shane Gillis about his recent controversial opening monologue.

It appears that Thompson is ready to take on a sort of mentor role, treating the 38-year-old comedian as if he were a wayward child.

‘I think you need to educate yourself on how things might impact people,’ Thompson remarked.

Performance Review

During an appearance at Axios’ Media Trends Live event in New York City, Thompson mentioned that if Gillis returns to host “SNL,” there would definitely need to be a sit-down discussion. “We would probably talk about how he felt it went,” he said, comparing it to a conversation one might have with a child, “like a little kid.” He added, “I’d just sit him down, asking, ‘What do you think we could change there, pal?’ and then we would figure it out.”

Thompson’s comments stand in contrast to how other current cast members have reacted. Most have largely refrained from publicly criticizing Gillis, while some notable former cast members, like Dana Carvey and David Spade, have defended him.

Even Michael Che, who is a co-host on “Weekend Update,” chose not to criticize Gillis, stating during a “Today” appearance, “That’s comedy,” and suggesting that he couldn’t fault Gillis for a joke that fell flat.

Carvey expressed a more perplexed viewpoint, saying on his “Fly on the Wall” podcast alongside Spade, “I just didn’t understand the kerfuffle — to me, it was just a joke!”

However, not all former cast members have been supportive. Ego Nwodim and Cecily Strong have both made fun of Gillis’ comment about women dressing like “whores” at the gym.

Thompson, now in his 23rd season on “SNL,” may have given one of the more condescending responses regarding the issue.

‘Harmful’ Ha-Ha’s

While Thompson doesn’t consider Gillis to be malicious, he believes that the comedian needs to understand that his words can indeed be hurtful. “I don’t think jokes are harmless just because they’re jokes and that you didn’t intend them in a particular way,” Thompson stated. He emphasized the importance of being aware of the potential impact of one’s words.

Additionally, Thompson cautioned that comedians need to find a balance between exercising their “creative liberties” and being cautious about the harm their words might cause.

His comments arose shortly after Gillis hosted “SNL” for the third time, during which he made a joke suggesting women were dressing provocatively at his gym.

Stealing the Spotlight

Thompson seemed frustrated that the controversy surrounding Gillis’ comments has overshadowed other aspects of the episode. “Everyone is zeroing in on this one specific word,” he lamented, noting that other performances—like those of new cast member Grace Reiter and musical guest Rosalía—deserved more recognition. “It’s sad, because nobody is really talking about it,” he added.

When asked if Gillis would be welcomed back on the show, Thompson acknowledged that the decision wasn’t solely his to make. However, he insisted that any potential return would necessitate a serious conversation about avoiding any actions that could create tension among the cast.

At this point, Gillis has not publicly responded to Thompson’s comments regarding what seems like a fatherly intervention.