Comedian Shane Gillis is scheduled to host "Saturday Night Live" before embarking on a 31-show tour across the United States, including multiple shows in Illinois.
Here is what you need to know about the 36-year-old comic, who is set to host the iconic late-night sketch show SNL at 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 24. Musical guest is 21 Savage.
A video resurfaced of Gillis from an episode of his "Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast." In the clip, Gillis made derogatory anti-Asian remarks while speaking to comedian co-host Matt McCusker, according to USA TODAY.
"SNL" creator Lorne Michaels said he was unaware of Gillis' past remarks. The show parted ways with Gillis and called the comedian's language "offensive, hurtful and unacceptable." Gillis later apologized to anyone offended by his comments and said comedians who push boundaries "sometimes miss."
SHANE GILLIS ON 'SNL':What to know about comedian's return after 2019 firing
Yes. Gillis has 31 shows scheduled between March 1 and May 11, including five Boston shows rescheduled from February to late March. Gillis is scheduled to perform five shows at the Chicago Theater on March 8-10. He recently signed with beer brand Bud Light, which will sponsor his tour.
Gillis performed a pair of sold-out shows in Peoria, Illinois, on Jan. 12 as winter weather hit central Illinois, adding more than 2 inches of snow to some 8 inches already on the ground.
On a follow-up podcast, he said, "I was in Peoria, Illinois, new No. 1 on the power rankings of (expletive) town in the entire country. Peoria, Illinois was … that was hell, dude." Gillis said because of the weather, he had to arrive a day early and had "nothing to do," adding, "just me and the bums were the only ones outside walking around. … Minus 4 in Peoria sucks."
'THAT WAS HELL':Comedian Shane Gillis blasts Peoria after frigid visit
Yes. Gillis is a native of the Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, area native and a 2006 graduate from Trinity High School, where he played football as an offensive tackle, according to a 2019 story at Penn Live. He initially committed to play at Army, but according to a story in The New Yorker "quickly realized that he did not enjoy the grueling team workouts" and transferred to play at Elon University in North Carolina. He spent a year "practicing with the team and neglecting his studies," the story read, before he was "asked to leave, and found himself back in his parents’ house, going to community college and washing dishes."
In September 2023, Gillis released a special called "Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs," which debuted on the streaming platform Netflix. His previous standup comedy special, "Shane Gillis: Live from Austin," from 2021, has been watched more than 23 million times on YouTube.
"Gillis ... often holds the microphone with two hands, more like a singer than a stand-up. His attitude is less telling you the truth about the world than stumbling through the mess of his thought process," writes the New York Times. "His appearance telegraphs rumpled ordinary guy, not polished entertainer. And he speaks to crowds as if he were messing around with friends. Few comics do more with the word 'dude.' "
source
