Shane Gillis, the controversial comedian and podcaster, made his highly anticipated return to the Saturday Night Live stage this past weekend. The show, as expected, was a mixed bag of humor, with some moments landing well and others falling flat. Gillis, known for his white-bro shtick, toned it down slightly for this episode, finding a sweet spot that was closer to the line his routine often crosses.
However, Gillis seemed to struggle throughout his monologue and appeared visibly anxious as he attempted to pivot to new topics. One particular moment that didn’t go over well was when he ribbed his dad, who was in the audience to support him. While having a dad who is a girl’s basketball coach might be amusing to Gillis, it didn’t resonate with everyone else.
Despite the rough start, the show did have its highlights. In a spoof ad, Gillis pitched the betting platform Rock Bottom Kings, which allowed users to bet on how low their friends’ lives could sink. Another mock ad featured Gillis as young Gordon Dwyer, who receives a Trump-like hair-do and an odd relationship with the truth after receiving a pair of gold high-tops from the former president.
Gillis also found success in a sketch where he portrayed a guest on a game show called “The Floor.” In this sketch, he struggled to recall the names of famous Black people from history as their faces flashed on a screen. Similarly, his portrayal of an incel pitching Fugliana, the average-looking sex doll who won’t intimidate, garnered laughs.
However, not all sketches hit the mark. Some went on for too long and stretched a single gag too far. One sketch dealing with HR and dating in the workplace seemed to drag on forever. Additionally, the usual highlight of the show, “Weekend Update,” was noticeably brief and mostly consisted of a cast member dressed as a frozen embryo. Co-anchor Colin Jost even outdid Gillis on the uncomfortable race-based joke front with a gag about waiting out Black History Month in a leap year.
The musical guest for the evening was British-American rapper 21 Savage, who performed his single “redrum” on a stage drenched in blood-red light. However, the audience didn’t seem to fully engage with the performance.
Shane Gillis’ return to Saturday Night Live was significant as it marked his comeback to the show five years after being fired from the cast. In 2019, Gillis faced backlash and was abruptly sacked when racist and homophobic jokes he made on his podcast resurfaced.
Overall, Gillis’ return to SNL had its ups and downs. While some sketches and moments were well-received and showcased his comedic talent, others missed the mark. It remains to be seen how his return will be received by audiences and whether he can continue to rebuild his career in the wake of past controversies.
