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Shane Gillis

Shane Michael Gillis (born December 11, 1987) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and podcaster known for his Netflix comedy specials and series Tires.

Shane Gillis
Gillis performing stand-up in 2021
Birth nameShane Michael Gillis
Born (1987-12-11) December 11, 1987 (age 37)[1]
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Medium
Stand-up
EducationUnited States Military Academy
Elon University
West Chester University (BA)
Years active2012–present
Genres
Subject(s)
Websiteshanemgillis.com
John McKeever and Shane Gillis
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2020–present
GenreComedy
Subscribers898 thousand[2]
Total views106.6 million[2]
100,000 subscribers
Last updated: September 24, 2024

Gillis co-hosts, along with fellow stand-up comedian Matt McCusker, Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, the most subscribed-to podcast on Patreon as of 2024.[3][4] In 2019, the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal named Gillis one of its "New Faces".

Gillis had a controversial start to his career, when he was announced as a newly hired cast member on NBC's sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live in 2019, only to be fired five days later due to backlash over a 2018 clip from his podcast in which derogatory language, such as Asian ethnic slurs were used, sparking a discussion on context and intent when certain topics are used for comedic purposes.[5][6]

In 2021, Gillis released his first comedy special, Shane Gillis: Live in Austin, on YouTube.[7] Gillis frequently collaborates with filmmaker John McKeever on the online sketch series Gilly & Keeves. In September 2023, his second comedy special, Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs, was released on Netflix.

As of 2024, Gillis has starred in the Netflix comedy series Tires, which he co-created with McKeever. The first season premiered on May 24, 2024.

Early life and education

Gillis was born on December 11, 1987, in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, a town located outside of Harrisburg.[8][9] His parents are both of Irish Catholic heritage.[10] While attending Trinity High School in nearby Camp Hill, he played on the school's football team as an offensive tackle. He graduated in 2006.[11] He went to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, but quit shortly into his first year. He subsequently attended and played a year of football at Elon University before graduating from West Chester University.[12] After graduating, he spent six months teaching English in Spain.[13]

Career

2012–2019: Early career

Gillis began performing comedy in 2012.[14] He regularly performed in Harrisburg[11] and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.[15] To further his career, he relocated to Philadelphia. In 2015, he placed third at Helium Comedy Club's annual "Philly's Phunniest" tournament,[16] and he won the tournament the next year.[17] In 2016, Gillis began Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast with Matt McCusker. In 2017, Gillis became a frequent guest on The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson and Dan Soder, increasing his popularity. From June 2018 until August 2019, he appeared as a co-host on a weekly show on Compound Media called A Fair One with Tommy Pope.[18][19]

In 2019, after relocating to New York to further pursue comedy, Comedy Central named Gillis an "Up Next" comedian as he performed at Comedy Central's Clusterfest.[20] That same year, Gillis was recognized as a "New Face" at the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal.[21][22] During an interview for All Things Considered at that festival, Gillis was interrupted by stand-up comedian Robert Kelly, who said, "You're very funny, dude ... I mean, I wanted to hate it."[23] The interviewer, Andrew Limbong, described Gillis's set at the festival, writing: "Shane Gillis gives off post-jock energy—like someone who used to play a sport in school, then had the self-awareness to realize he wasn't cut out for it and stopped—but he isn't bitter about it at all. His friendly demeanor distracts you, while he sneaks in just a whiff of social insight within a barrage of self-deprecating sex jokes."[24]

2019: Saturday Night Live hiring and firing

Gillis's addition to Saturday Night Live (SNL) as a featured cast member was announced on September 12, 2019, along with Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman.[25][26]

Later that day, however, several clips surfaced from a since-removed 2018 episode of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, in which Gillis and co-host Matt McCusker jokingly discussed Chinatown, Manhattan in mock East Asian accents and used the word "chink", an ethnic slur for Chinese people. Gillis argued that although the jokes were regrettable, especially when taken out of context, the intent behind them had been misunderstood; in using the slur, specifically, he was imitating an imagined 1940s white landlord, not expressing a view of his own.[27][9][28][29] In other clips, Gillis and co-host Matt McCusker ranked comedians by race, gender and sexual orientation, which included the use of gay slurs.[28] Later that night, Gillis posted a tweet saying that "I'm a comedian who pushes boundaries" and that "if you go through my 10 years of comedy, most of it bad, you're going to find a lot of bad misses. I'm happy to apologize to anyone who's actually offended by anything I've said."[30] Four days later, a spokesperson for SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels announced that Gillis had been removed from the cast.[6]

Afterward, Gillis maintained that the clips had been misleadingly divorced from their context, and that he was misquoted in the majority of articles reporting the story. Gillis also expressed regret for his "corny" description of himself as "a comedian who pushes boundaries", noting he had "literally 5 minutes of being pressured to write anything", and stating that he officially retracted it.[31][32]

Five years after the incident, Michaels revealed that the decision to fire Gillis was not his, and it was forced on him by NBC executives.[33]

2020–present: Career expansion

In January 2020, Gillis was named "2019's Stand-Up Comedian of the Year" in Theinterrobang's Sixth Annual Comedy Awards.[34] In December 2020, Gillis and comedian John McKeever launched the web series Gilly and Keeves, featuring comedy sketches starring Gillis and McKeever such as "ISIS Toyota", "Uncle Daycare", and "Trump Speed Dating".[35] On September 7, 2021, Gillis released his first live comedy special, Shane Gillis: Live in Austin on YouTube. Comedy website The Laugh Button ranked Gillis's special in second place in their top 20 comedy specials of 2021.[36] Since 2021, Gillis has made a series of appearances on Joe Rogan's podcast The Joe Rogan Experience alongside comics Mark Normand and Ari Shaffir, known as the "Protect Our Parks" episodes.[37] Gillis released his second live comedy special, Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs on September 5, 2023, on Netflix.[38]

In 2023, Gillis had a recurring role on the Peacock series Bupkis, starring Pete Davidson. In 2024, Gillis hosted the February 24 episode of Saturday Night Live (season 49, episode 12), nearly four and a half years after his firing from the show in September 2019.[39] Gillis's hosting received mixed reviews.[40]

In February 2024, Gillis struck a deal with Netflix for a scripted workplace comedy as well as his second special with the streamer. Gillis will serve as an executive producer, a writer and co-creator of the show Tires based on his pilot on YouTube. The six-episode series premiered on May 23 on the service.[41] Tires was renewed for a second season on May 21, 2024.[42][43] In 2024, Gillis also appeared in the music video for Eminem's new single Houdini.

In October 2024, during a comedy festival entitled Skankfest in Las Vegas, Gillis stated that he turned down an offer to impersonate Donald Trump for the entire 50th season of SNL to attend "Coke Magic", one of the shows at the festival.[44][45]

Gillis appears in the upcoming movie Easy's Waltz, in a supporting role that was originally written for late comedian Norm Macdonald, who died before the film began production.[46]

Personal life

Gillis is a fan of Philadelphia sports teams: the Phillies, Eagles and 76ers.[47]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2016 Delco Proper Voice Episode: "For the Troops"
2020–2021 Gilly and Keeves Various roles Also writer; 12 episodes
2023 Bupkis Gilly 2 episodes
2024 Saturday Night Live Himself/Host Episode: "Shane Gillis/21 Savage"
Tires Shane Netflix series

Standup specials

Year Title Notes
2021 Shane Gillis: Live in Austin YouTube comedy special
2023 Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs Netflix comedy special

Influences

Gillis has stated that his stand-up influences are Louis C.K., Norm Macdonald, Dave Chappelle, Patrice O'Neal, Bernie Mac, and Bill Burr.[48]

References

  1. ^ The Bonfire [@TheBonfireSXM] (December 11, 2018). "Wishing @Shanemgillis a very Happy Birthday from #TheBonfire!! #CrackleCrackle" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ a b "About Gilly and Keeves". YouTube.
  3. ^ Sanneh, Kelefa (September 26, 2022). "The Joker: The Fall and Rise of Shane Gillis." Annals of Comedy. The New Yorker, vol. 98, no. 30, pp. 30–36. Audio online.
  4. ^ Jason Zinoman (September 16, 2023). "How Shane Gillis Both Plays to and Mocks Red Staters". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Wikidata Q122656232. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  5. ^ Romo, Vanessa (September 16, 2019). "Comedian Shane Gillis Fired From 'Saturday Night Live' For Racist Remarks". NPR. Retrieved September 17, 2019. 'After talking with Shane Gillis, we have decided that he will not be joining SNL,' a spokesperson said in a statement on behalf of producer Lorne Michaels.
  6. ^ a b Drury, Shrahreh; Porter, Rick (September 16, 2019). "Shane Gillis Out at 'Saturday Night Live' Following Racial, Homophobic Slurs in Podcast". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  7. ^ "Shane Gillis Live in Austin Review: New Standup Special Is Dark, Funny and Free on YouTube". MovieWeb. September 5, 2021.
  8. ^ Vadala, Nick (September 13, 2019). "New SNL cast member Shane Gillis, a Pennsylvania native, responds to outrage over past racist, homophobic comments". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  9. ^ a b Coleman, Nancy (September 12, 2019). "Shane Gillis, New 'S.N.L.' Cast Member, Used Racial Slur in Podcast". The New York Times. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  10. ^ Ep 422 - The Professional (feat. Billy McCusker), December 23, 2022, retrieved February 22, 2024, 3:30 talking about ancestry
  11. ^ a b Hatmaker, Julia (September 12, 2019). "'SNL' casts Mechanicsburg comedian, first Asian American performer". PennLive. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  12. ^ "Saturday Night Live fires Shane Gillis: Father of central Pa. comedian reacts". PennLive. September 16, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  13. ^ Sannek, Kelefa (September 19, 2022). "Shane Gillis's Fall and Rise". New Yorker. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  14. ^ George, Means; Christopher, Linvill (June 11, 2018). "Comedy: Laughing Matters". Philadelphia Neighborhoods. Lew Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  15. ^ The Chameleon Club [@Chameleon_Club] (January 4, 2015). "TONIGHT in the Lizard Lounge! Comedian Joe DeRosa returns with locals Brendan Krick, Shane Gillis, and Wes Williams! 7pm" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. ^ "Philadelphia Comics Are Killing It! Helium Picks Philly's Phunniest This Week". The Interrobang. Orange Pop Media. July 13, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  17. ^ Vadala, Nick (September 13, 2019). "New SNL cast member Shane Gillis, a Pennsylvania native, responds to outrage over past racist, homophobic comments". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  18. ^ Romano, Aja (February 23, 2024). "Shane Gillis's SNL hosting gig is an unearned rehabilitation". Vox. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  19. ^ Pope, Tommy [@TommyJPope] (June 20, 2018). "Hot news for hot boys. Me and @Shanemgillis have a New weekly show, records live every Wednesday night at 7pm on @TheCumiaShow. Go to http://compoundmedia.com/ to subscribe" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  20. ^ "Comedy Central Selects 18 Comics as the Most Promising Emerging Talent". The Interrobang. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Orange Pop Media. May 31, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  21. ^ Porter, Rick (September 12, 2019). "'Saturday Night Live' Adds Trio to Season 45 Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  22. ^ Wright, Megh (July 22, 2019). "Just for Laughs Announces Its 2019 New Faces". Vulture. New York City: Vox Media. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  23. ^ Limbong, Andrew (July 27, 2019). "New Faces At This Year's 'Just For Laughs' Comedy Festival". All Things Considered. Washington, D.C.: NPR. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  24. ^ Limbong, Andrew (July 30, 2019). "New Faces Emerge At The World's Biggest Comedy Festival". NPR. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  25. ^ Stevens, Matt (September 17, 2019). "Andrew Yang Knows You May Disagree With Him About Shane Gillis". The New York Times. p. C1. Retrieved September 18, 2019. Then, about an hour after the announcement, Mr. Yang tweeted again, suggesting that Mr. Gillis had taken him up on his offer to talk things out. 'Shane Gillis reached out,' Mr. Yang said. 'Looks like we will be sitting down together soon.'
  26. ^ Otterson, Joe (September 12, 2019). "'Saturday Night Live' Adds Three New Cast Members for Season 45". Variety. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  27. ^ Andrew Yang sits down with comedian Shane Gillis. Forward with Andrew Yang. July 11, 2022 – via YouTube.
  28. ^ a b Wright, Megh (September 12, 2019). "New SNL Hire Shane Gillis Has a History of Racist and Homophobic Remarks". Vulture. New York City. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  29. ^ Husband, Andrew (September 13, 2019). "'SNL' Wanted Shane Gillis And They Probably Don't Mind All The (Bad) Press". Forbes. New York City. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  30. ^ Bradley, Laura (September 13, 2019). "SNL Hire Shane Gillis Doesn't Quite Apologize for Racist, Homophobic Remarks". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  31. ^ #173 – Shane Gillis | The Tim Dillon Show. The Tim Dillon Show. November 9, 2019 – via YouTube.
  32. ^ Cancelled feat. Shane Gillis – Full Episode. Flagrant. December 11, 2019 – via YouTube.
  33. ^ Evans, Greg (October 25, 2024). "SNL creator Lorne Michaels says Shane Gillis firing was forced by NBC". The Independent.
  34. ^ "2019 Comedy Awards! Here Are Your Winners (As Voted For By You!) For the Sixth Annual Comedy Awards". January 7, 2020.
  35. ^ Ellis, Francis (December 15, 2020). "Shane Gillis, Comedian Cancelled Off SNL, Is Making Phenomenal Sketches".
  36. ^ "The 20 Best Comedy Albums and Specials of 2021". The Laugh Button. December 20, 2021. Archived from the original on August 7, 2022.
  37. ^ Burton, Jamie (June 1, 2023). "Comedian Says Kid Rock Should Be Bud Light Spokesperson After Violent Video". Newsweek. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  38. ^ Rice, Lynette (August 22, 2023). "Shane Gillis To Make Netflix Comedy Debut In September". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  39. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (February 25, 2024). "Shane Gillis Finally Appears on 'Saturday Night Live'". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  40. ^ Multiple sources:
  41. ^ "Netflix Orders Shane Gillis Scripted Series Based on His YouTube Pilot 'Tires'". The Hollywood Reporter. February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  42. ^ Otterson, Joe (May 21, 2024). "Shane Gillis Series 'Tires' Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix Ahead of Series Premiere". Variety. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  43. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (May 21, 2024). "Shane Gillis' Netflix Comedy 'Tires' Nabs Early Season 2 Renewal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  44. ^ "Shane Gillis Turned Down SNL’s Offer to Impersonate Trump", Deadline, October 2024.
  45. ^ "SNL Trump Impersonation: Shane Gillis Claims He Turned Down Season 50 Role", TVLine, October 2024.
  46. ^ "The New Shane Gillis Movie Role". YouTube. September 26, 2024.
  47. ^ Cass, Brian (May 16, 2024). "WATCH: Shane Gillis hits Cowboys brass with a 'Go Birds' during schedule release video". Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  48. ^ "From Decorated Veteran to Saturday Night Live with Shane Gillis | OOPS Full Episode 52". March 11, 2020 – via YouTube.
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