Comedian Shane Gillis' controversial Saturday Night Live monologue continues to draw reactions from around the entertainment industry. That includes two former stars of the show, as Ego Nwodim and Cecily Strong made not-so-subtle references to Gillis' comments.
During his October 10 hosting appearance, Gillis devoted part of his opening monologue to complaining about women's gym attire. The comedian went on to describe the shorts women wear while working out, making crude remarks about how the clothing fits their bodies. He also joked about women filming themselves at the gym and the difficulty of knowing where he could look without appearing in someone's TikTok video.
While the comedian's material drew some laughs in the studio, the bit quickly generated backlash online. Critics argued that the joke relied on shaming women for their clothing choices while framing their appearance as a problem for men.
Ego Nwodim, who spent seven seasons on SNL before leaving in 2025, appeared to respond directly to Gillis' comments with an Instagram Story featuring a photo of herself at the gym. "W*** reporting for duty," she captioned the image, turning the insult Gillis used in his monologue back on itself.
Strong, another former SNL star, also took to Instagram with a response that echoed the controversy while adding a reference to another recent news story. Strong shared an Instagram Story featuring her workout attire, writing, "On my way to Pilates in my new slutty ass orange shoes and rainbow socks. Might sell sex on the way not sure."
But Strong didn't stop there. She added more commentary, referencing the alleged assault involving a former Cornell student and seven men, questioning how New York's consent laws might be applied in the case.
The responses are notable not only because of the controversy itself, but also because criticism of Saturday Night Live from its own former cast members is relatively uncommon. That is especially true when it comes from performers who only recently stepped away from Studio 8H, like Nwodim and Strong.
Neither post necessarily indicates a broader issue with the show or its leadership. Still, the fact that two prominent SNL alumni independently chose to respond suggests Gillis' monologue touched a nerve beyond the usual online argument over whether a joke went too far. Nwodim and Strong understand how to push the envelope and still find humor at SNL. Clearly, they both believe Gillis' attempt completely missed the mark.
The bigger question is how the relationship between Gillis and SNL will evolve going forward. Beyond the controversial monologue, Gillis also slipped up and dropped an F-bomb during a sketch. After hosting in three consecutive seasons, Gillis may get a timeout from Saturday Night Live.
At the same time, the writers and producers at the show knew what Gillis wanted to say for his monologue. Only time will tell if the backlash from the SNL family and beyond is enough to convince them to sideline Gillis.
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