Shane Gillis’ ‘SNL’ monologue about women at the gym draws backlash as Ego Nwodim and Dan Levy call out his remarks

Shane Gillis’ joke about women’s workout clothes during his Saturday Night Live monologue has faced criticism. Former cast member Ego Nwodim also called him out on a pointed social media post. Actor Dan Levy also criticized the remarks, calling out what he described as misogyny and urging more men to speak up.

What did Shane Gillis say about women at the gym?

According to Variety, Gillis made the comments during his monologue when he returned to host Saturday Night Live on October 10. He joked that he had not been to the gym in a long time and was surprised by how women dressed for workouts. He used the word “wh***s” to describe women wearing revealing athletic clothes. Gillis then commented on women’s short workout shorts and joked that men were not supposed to look at them because people might be filming.

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The reaction continued in the comments under Saturday Night Live’s post of Gillis’ monologue on X. Several users criticized his remarks about women’s gym clothes, while others defended the comedian and argued that jokes should not be taken so seriously.

Another user questioned the joke, writing, "The women at the gym dress like wh***s. That's supposed to be funny?” Other viewers expressed frustration with the show. One user wrote: “Ugh I usually love SNL but the misogynistic jokes are exhausting and remind me that we’re living in hell.”

Another user criticized the material, saying, "Seriously?? SNL, this isn’t funny, it’s cheap shots at women from this asshole.” However, not everyone agreed with the criticism. One user defended Gillis, writing, "The amount of soft-ass people in here is fucking hilarious. Comedy is comedy. Shane Gillis is funny.”

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Nwodim, who left SNL in 2025 after seven seasons, appeared to respond to Gillis’ comments with a gym mirror photo on social media. She captioned the picture: “Wh**e reporting for duty.”

The caption appeared to turn Gillis’ own wording back on him. Nwodim did not need to name him directly for the post to be read as a response to the monologue, according to TheWrap.

Actor Dan Levy has also criticized Gillis’ comments about women’s gym clothes. In an Instagram Reel posted on Sunday night, the Schitt’s Creek star said women wearing short shorts to the gym did not make them “whores.” He argued that the problem was men who used that word to describe them.

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“Women wearing short shorts at the gym does not make them whores. It makes the men calling them wh***s misogynists,” Levy said. He also called on more men to speak out against such comments. “More men need to be standing up in opposition to it,” he said.

Levy argued that treating women as objects in the media can affect how others see and treat them. He added that sexual assault should be treated as a crime, not simply as a topic for debate. Levy’s comments received support from other celebrities too, including actor Elizabeth Banks, who wrote “Nailed it” in the comments. Other recognizable personalities who showed their support in the comment section included Hannah Einbinder, Sophia Bush, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyssa Milano, Laraine Newman and Flavor Flav.