When Shane Gillis took the helm of Saturday Night Live on October 10, his opening monologue veered sharply into the realm of misogyny. He described women who wear short shorts at the gym as “whores,” then added a jab about men’s responsibility not to stare. The line was followed by a punchline that equated a receding hairline with Adolf Hitler, concluding with the provocation, “You’re either gay or you’re Hitler, and isn’t that where we’re at as a country?” The routine also featured an accidental profanity – a slipped “f*ck” during a Dr. Seuss-inspired sketch – for which Gillis later apologised.
Within hours, the backlash swelled beyond typical comedy-night commentary. Actor and former SNL host Dan Levy posted an Instagram video on Sunday, refusing to remain silent. He stated, “Women wearing short shorts at the gym does not make them whores. It makes the men calling them whores misogynists.” He further observed, “I’ve seen more men’s nipples at the gym than women displaying their bodies. I’m speechless that something like that can exist on live national television.” Levy emphasized that the issue is not merely a women’s concern but an “everybody issue,” urging men to actively defend women.
Why the controversy hit a nerve
Levy’s critique zeroed in on the double standard that allows men to expose their bodies in gyms while condemning women for similar attire. He argued that tolerating such jokes normalises a culture where sexual assault is debated rather than prosecuted. In his words, “complacency has created the environment with which women are sexually assaulted, and it’s a conversation opposed to a crime.” By calling men to stand up, Levy framed the debate as a broader societal responsibility rather than a niche grievance.
The timing of the uproar intersected with a high-profile legal battle at Cornell University. In October 2024, a woman identified only as Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit alleging that seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity supplied her with drugs and subsequently raped her in the house. The defendants, dubbed the “Cornell 7,” have denied any wrongdoing. While campus disciplinary measures resulted in expulsions and suspensions, no criminal charges have been filed.
Political response and the special prosecutor
New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor on October 1, responding to criticism over the handling of Jane Doe’s report and the limited evidence presented to investigators. The appointment underscored the state’s intent to scrutinise the university’s response and the adequacy of the criminal investigation, which to date has produced no indictment.
Public reaction to Gillis’s monologue frequently referenced the Cornell case, questioning why a joke trivialising women’s bodies was aired while a serious allegation of sexual violence was still pending. Social-media commenters asked, “Who approved the ‘whores’ joke? Read the room.” The overlap of a comedy platform and an ongoing assault lawsuit amplified calls for accountability across both entertainment and academic institutions.
Gillis’s history with SNL adds another layer to the discussion. The network originally hired him in 2019, only to fire him weeks later after past podcast recordings surfaced containing racist and homophobic remarks. Despite that fallout, he has returned to host the show three times – in 2024, 2025, and the October 10 episode – suggesting a willingness by the producers to re-engage a controversial figure.
Levy’s Instagram response concluded with a candid admission: “I’m sorry if this gets me in trouble with the internet, but f—k.” The raw language mirrors the frustration felt by many who view the monologue as a symptom of a larger cultural malaise that tolerates misogyny, especially when high-profile platforms amplify it.
