Longtime “Saturday Night Live” cast member Kenan Thompson said he would sit Shane Gillis down “like a little kid” to discuss the comedian’s controversial joke about women’s gym attire during his recent hosting stint, which drew criticism from fellow entertainers earlier this month.
Speaking at the Axios Media Trends Live summit on Tuesday, Thompson addressed the criticism of Gillis and discussed how he would handle the comedian’s potential return to host the show for a fourth time.
“If he were to come back, I’m sure we would have a conversation of like, How do you think that went? You know what I mean? And what do you think you could have done? Like a little kid, you know? Like I would just sit him down and be like, Yeah, so what do you think we could change there, pal? And just figure it out,” Thompson said.
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Thompson, who is now in his 24th season of the show, stopped short of condemning the routine, but suggested performers must strike a balance between taking “creative liberties” in comedy and avoiding “harmful words.”
“I guess it’s just finding the balance of both things, like allowing creative liberties, but also kind of like watching your step as far as harmful words are concerned,” Thompson said.
“Because I think everybody’s focusing in on this one specific word or one specific part of the monologue, and then the rest of the monologue, or even the rest of the show, is getting overshadowed.”
Thompson also said the decision to invite Gillis back was not up to him, but he suggested the two would need to talk if the comedian returned.
“But if he were to come back, then yeah, I think we would have to have some sort of like, a real chat where, you know, people’s actions don’t, you know, kind of overly like wave pool the rest of us, if you will,” he said.
Sitting alongside Thompson on the panel, Range Media Partners CEO Peter Micelli defended Gillis, arguing that fear of offending audiences is stifling comedy.
Calling Gillis a “lovely human being” and a “wonderful man” who spent most of his opening monologue poking fun at himself, Micelli argued that comedians need room to take risks without fear of backlash.
“There’s so much focus on what makes you angry and afraid. And there needs to be more focus on what makes you laugh and love and enjoy life,” Micelli said.
“Comedians need some space to do some stuff to make us laugh. And if every time they step a little too far, in your opinion … then we’re gonna shut the whole thing down, then what kind of world are we [going to] live in?”
Gillis drew criticism from entertainment figures after joking during his opening monologue earlier this month that women at gyms “just dress like whores now.” The appearance marked hi
