Two-time Emmy winner Kathy Griffin has entered the conversation surrounding Shane Gillis and his controversial third appearance hosting Saturday Night Live. Griffin took aim not just at the comedian himself but at what she describes as a broader pattern in modern comedy.
Gillis drew widespread criticism following his October 2026 hosting stint, particularly for remarks made during his opening monologue. While discussing fitness routines with workout partners Joe Rogan and Theo Von, Gillis shifted to commentary about gym attire where he mocked female gym-goers.
“Women just dress like [ ] now,” he stated during the segment.
The backlash intensified as the episode aired during heightened public attention to the alleged gang [ ] case involving fraternity members known as the Cornell 7. Comedians and viewers alike questioned the timing and substance of Gillis’ material.
Speaking on the controversy, Griffin made clear her position balances free expression with accountability.
“I think as a comic I’m always going to show support for the First Amendment and his right to say it and yet I don’t have to like it,” she explained. “So, I defend his right to say it, and I also defend everyone else’s right to think less of him.”
But Griffin’s critique extended beyond Gillis himself. She pointed to what she sees as an emerging comedy landscape shaped by Joe Rogan’s platform, one that produces performers who lean heavily on similar material.
“There are a lot of hacks who are doing very well, and they come from TikTok or the podcast world,” Griffin said.
According to Griffin, Gillis represents just one example of this phenomenon.
“He’s not the only guy to break out from Joe Rogan’s influence,” she noted. “There are so many; they all look alike to me. They all look like they can’t get laid; they all sound alike to me; they all tell the same jokes.”
The veteran comedian took particular issue with the content these performers favor.
“And they tell these jokes about women that are from like 100 years ago, like women should be in the kitchen and shut up and all this other stuff,” Griffin said.
Meanwhile, Rogan himself addressed the controversy on The Joe Rogan Experience during an episode with Cody Tucker. The pair discussed a Substack post by Casey Anthony that criticized Gillis’ SNL comments. Rogan read from Anthony’s statement, which defended women’s autonomy.
“Women can dress however they want. Women in the gym can dress however they want. Men who have opinions about how women dress need to all the way go themselves. This toxic masculinity trend needs to end. These fragile men need to get out of the way of women in totality.”
Rogan questioned Anthony’s standing to weigh in on the matter, referencing her past. “This lady ended her kid,” he said. “And she feels like she could take the moral high ground and chime in on a joke on Saturday Night Live.”
Defending Gillis, Rogan argued the humor stemmed from self-deprecation rather than malice toward women.
“Which is really the joke is on Shane because the joke is that he looks like a creep in the background of all these Tik Toks watching these ladies that are wearing nothing doing these exercises,” he explained.
Tucker added clarification on Gillis’ phrasing: “Well, he also didn’t call them that. He just said they dress like it. Completely different thing.”
Rogan maintained he supports women’s freedom to wear what they choose at the gym.
“You can dress however you want. Who cares?” he said. “I have no problem with women dressing like that. Have fun. God bless you. If you have a great body, especially, show it off to the world. Who cares?”
He compared revealing workout attire to men choosing clothes that highlight their physiques, arguing both are legitimate forms of self-expression.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. And wants to wear like skin tight stuff to, you know, show off. Who cares?”
Rogan concluded by distinguishing between genuine misogyny and comedic commentary.
“Real misogyny actually exists,” he said. “Shane Gillis is not one of them. And he’s a great guy. It’s just a joke.”
This marks Gillis’ third time hosting SNL, following previous appearances in 2024 and 2025. His relationship with the show has been complicated since 2019, when NBC removed him from the cast just days after announcing his hiring. The decision came after videos resurfaced showing Gillis mocking Asian accents and using ethnic and gay slurs.
