Content Warning: Mentions of sexual assault and gender-based violence
Comedian Shane Gillis drew fire for his recent SNL monologue, where he asked if the audience was aware that “women [at the gym] dress like whores now?” — referring to short neon shorts with accentuating fabric. There was a combination of laughs and groans directed at the man, who later apologised — not for this joke, but for swearing on a show famous for its late-night slot. Americans and their fear of swear words know no bounds.
Jo Koy’s misogynistic joke about Barbie (2023) at the Golden Globes about its inferior subject matter compared to Oppenheimer (2023) was met with awkward smiles and groans, and thankfully Koy has not been asked to host again. Despite these unfunny misogynistic jokes, the folly of these men will not ruin them. Matt Rife’s 2023 joke about a domestic violence victim was still aired on Netflix, and two years later he was the face of e.l.f. ’s new ad campaign. I think we need to start looking into the track record of Netflix’s comedy lineup; surely they can get other comedians that don’t have a cloud of controversy hanging over their heads.
The use of misogyny as a punchline is a cheap shot; it always has been and always will be. Even when the misogyny is met with backlash, it rarely affects the male comedian’s career. Louis C.K. made plenty of jokes that straddled the line between self-deprecating and just weird. Therefore, in 2017, when five women accused him of sexual assault, he quickly fell from comedic grace. He was never charged or arrested, and since March 2025, he’s released a book, performed at the controversial Riyadh Comedy Festival, been on a tour, and even headlined the most recent “Netflix is a Joke” festival. A joke indeed.
It’s not the first time that SNL has come under fire for hosts making uncomfortable jokes. In 2024, when Bill Burr hosted the show, he said that Trump’s female opponents should “whore it up” and ditch the pantsuit. Make up your mind, SNL hosts — do you want us to be “whores” or not?
Yes, Shane Gillis isn’t the only comedian using women as a punchline, but the issue remains. After telling the joke, Gillis in fact admitted to glancing at these women and being caught in “at least ten TikToks.” Doesn’t that make you the “whore,” Shane Gillis?
I’m asking comedy to do better. Women are asking it to be better. Good comedy relies on not punching down on people, and frankly, it’s not hard to do. As Shakespeare said “Brevity is the soul of wit,” and so are jokes that don’t make digs at women’s fashion choices.
Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash.
