A-list comedian Shane Gillis returning to host 'SNL' for second time since being fired from sketch show

Fox News

21-02-2025

Stand-up comedy phenom Shane Gillis is in such high demand that the famous sketch comedy show that fired him is bringing him back to host for a second time.
NBC announced on Tuesday that Gillis would be the celebrity host for "Saturday Night Live" on March 1. The episode will also feature musical guest Tate McRae.
Gillis previously hosted the long-running comedy show in February 2024 – a testament to the comic's meteoric rise on the scene despite him getting fired from "SNL" in 2019 after past racially charged comments he made on a podcast resurfaced.
"SNL" creator Lorne Michaels said he was "not aware" of Gillis' past remarks when casting him on the show in 2019, describing them as "offensive, hurtful and unacceptable."
During the opening monologue of his "SNL" appearance a year ago, Gillis joked about the controversy. "Yeah, I'm here," he said, telling the audience that many of them probably didn't know who he was. "I was fired from this show a while ago, but don't look that up, please."
He continued, "If you don't know who I am, please don't Google that. It's fine. Don't even worry about it."
Gillis' "SNL" firing has not seemed to hamper his comedy career, which so far has seen him top the streaming charts and break touring records.
His Netflix special, "Beautiful Dogs," reached the platform's Top 10 list in five countries, spending two weeks in the U.S. Top 10. His 2024 arena tour also broke multiple industry records, setting a record for most tickets ever sold for a live event at Toronto's famous Scotiabank Arena, as well as becoming the most well-attended comedy event in the history of Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center.
More recently, the comic starred alongside musician Post Malone and NFL legend Peyton Manning in Bud Light's 2025 Super Bowl ad. According to YouTube, the star-powered Bud Light ad had the sixth most gameday views among global audiences this year. USA Today's AdMeter also revealed it was one of Bud Light's most successful ad campaigns in the company's history.
Gillis' scripted comedy series "Tires" is also returning for a second season on Netflix later this year. The show, which had its first season debut in Netflix's Top 10, boasts a cast of other comedy legends, including Jon Lovitz, Vince Vaughn, and Ron White.
In addition to his Netflix success, Gillis co-hosts "Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast," alongside comedian Matt McCusker. The show is the No. 1 Patreon podcast in the world, and boasts over 5.5 million downloads each month.
The comic is currently on his international "Shane Gillis Live" standup tour. Upcoming stops include Washington, D.C., Salt Lake City, and the UK.