David Spade defends Shane Gillis amid controversy over SNL gym joke

Comedian Shane Gillis faced criticism after a monologue on "Saturday Night Live" mocked women at the gym, describing their attire in vulgar terms. During a later episode of the podcast "Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade," Spade and Carvey defended the comedian's right to push boundaries in comedy.

"I just didn’t understand the kerfuffle," Carvey said, adding that the remarks were intended as a joke rather than a literal statement.

Spade suggested that the backlash reflected a broader double standard in entertainment, noting that some topics attract criticism while others do not. He also said that audiences often overreact to jokes that do not land.

"Sometimes people just need to mind their biz," Spade said, urging a more relaxed approach to comedic controversy.

Heather Santoro, the podcast’s executive producer, argued that offensive humor must also be funny, stating that the joke in question did not succeed in that regard.

"If you’re gonna call a woman a whore, it’s gotta be funny. And it wasn’t," Santoro was heard saying off-mic.

Carvey observed that the line between an unfunny joke and one deemed unacceptable has become increasingly blurred, while Spade noted that SNL tends to be more forgiving of jokes that succeed and harsher on those that fail.

"If something kills, it gets a pass. If something totally bombs, then they get a lot of trouble," Spade explained.

The discussion highlighted differing views on the role of offensive material in comedy and the expectations for humor on mainstream platforms.