Kenan Thompson says backlash to Shane Gillis' monologue eclipsed other SNL performances
Kenan Thompson criticized the focus on a controversial joke in Shane Gillis' monologue, saying it distracted from other cast and musical guest contributions, and said any future appearance would require a candid discussion.
Veteran "Saturday Night Live" cast member Kenan Thompson said the outrage over Shane Gillis' recent monologue has drawn attention away from other parts of the episode. Speaking at the Axios Media Trends Live summit, Thompson described the monologue as a test of "finding the balance of both things — allowing creative liberties but also watching your step as far as harmful words are concerned."
He noted that the internet fixated on a single word about women at the gym, causing the rest of the show, including a performance by new cast member Grace Reiter and musical guest Rosalía, to be "overshadowed." Thompson added that decisions about Gillis returning to host would involve a direct conversation about the impact of his material.
Representing Gillis, Range Media Partners CEO Peter Micelli defended comedians' role in pushing boundaries, arguing that media coverage can create fear and anxiety. He said, "> Every time Shane Gillis goes up there and you watch his monologue — he mostly made fun of himself the whole time, and he’s a lovely human being. Shane is a wonderful man. Comedians test boundaries, and if they don’t test boundaries, guess what? Nobody’s going to watch them.
Let artists be artists. Let artists create. … Artists tell us the truth, so we need to support artists more than ever to push those boundaries and let us loosen up a little bit. It’s a balance we desperately need." A Gillis representative declined to comment.