Kenan Thompson Says SNL Would Need a 'Real Conversation' Before Shane Gillis Hosts Again

Kenan Thompson says Saturday Night Live would need a real conversation before Shane Gillis hosts the show again. The cast member made the remark to Axios reporter Sara Fischer at Axios Media Trends Live in New York.

Gillis hosted the show on October 10, with Rosalía as musical guest. In his opening monologue, he joked about the length of some women's shorts at the gym, according to CBC. The joke set off outrage on social media, and much of the anger centred on a single word, Variety reported.

Thompson said he knows Gillis and does not necessarily think of him as a mean person. He said the rest of the monologue and the episode were overshadowed by the backlash. Grace Reiter, a newer cast member, had a well-received episode that got lost in the debate, he said. Rosalía's musical performance was also pushed aside.

On whether Gillis should be invited back, Thompson said the choice is not his. If Gillis did return, though, he said the show would need to have a real conversation about people's actions. He said the cast would talk through how the monologue went and what could have been done differently.

Others have weighed in too. Dan Levy publicly criticised the monologue and called Gillis a misogynist. Dana Carvey defended Gillis and said he did not understand the controversy. Peter Micelli, chief executive and co-founder of Range Media Partners, which represents Gillis, spoke alongside Thompson at the Axios event. Micelli defended comedians' right to test boundaries. A representative for Gillis declined to comment on Thompson's remarks.

Gillis has a complicated history with the show. Variety reported in 2024 that he was cast on SNL in 2019 but was fired after making remarks it described as racist, homophobic, Islamophobic and otherwise offensive. He has since returned to host, which is why the question of another hosting slot is being discussed now.

Thompson, who is in his 23rd season on the show, is one of its longest-serving performers. His comments put the focus back on what happens next: whether Gillis is asked back, and how the cast and writers handle the conversation he described.

Axios published its interview with Thompson on October 21, and promoted it on its official X account.