Shane Gillis Drew Backlash Over Joke That Women Dress Like 'Whores' as Dan Levy Responds

Shane Gillis is facing backlash after joking that women dress like 'whores' at the gym during his Saturday Night Live (SNL) monologue, prompting actor Dan Levy to criticise the remarks and urge men to challenge misogyny.

Gillis hosted the NBC sketch comedy show on 10 October. Levy responded in an Instagram video on 11 October, arguing that women's workout clothes do not justify derogatory labels and that men should speak out against the objectification of women.

The criticism has centred on Gillis' wording and the attitudes towards women that critics believe such jokes can reinforce.

What Gillis Said During His SNL Monologue

Gillis discussed his experiences at the gym before joking that he had been away so long that he did not know women 'dress like whores now'. He referred to women's short gym clothes and joked about men being told not to look at them while they worked out.

The remarks drew criticism, with reports describing groans from the studio audience. Critics argued that the joke demeaned women over their clothing, while others viewed it as provocative comedy.

A separate incident occurred during a Dr. Seuss-inspired 'Green Eggs and Ham' sketch, when Gillis swore on air. He later apologised for the expletive. That apology concerned the slip-up, not the joke about women's clothing.

Dan Levy Calls for Men To Challenge Misogyny

Levy, the co-creator and star of Schitt's Creek, addressed the monologue in an Instagram video.

'Women wearing short shorts at the gym does not make them whores', he said. 'It makes the men calling them whores misogynists. There's a difference there'.

Levy said he was 'speechless' at the remarks and called on men to defend women more actively. He also criticised the double standard in how women's bodies and clothing are judged.

His broader argument was that objectification in the media can influence how women are treated. He urged men to challenge those attitudes rather than leaving women to confront them alone.

Jessica Valenti and Other Critics React

Feminist writer Jessica Valenti also criticised Gillis' remarks, connecting them to wider concerns about the demeaning and dehumanising treatment of women.

'When you demean and denigrate and dehumanise women ... What do you think rape culture is?' she said, according to reports.

Valenti's comments reflected critics' concerns about misogynistic language. They do not establish a direct link between Gillis' joke and any specific act of sexual violence.

Former SNL cast member Ego Nwodim appeared to respond with a gym selfie captioned 'Whore reporting for duty'. Actors Elizabeth Banks and Hannah Einbinder were also reported to have supported Levy's criticism.

Online Reaction Focuses on the Joke's Wording

Reactions on Threads included criticism of Gillis' language. In a Threads post, a user wrote, 'The irony of "joking" that women dress like whores when you're dressed like someone who has to pay for sex'.

In another Threads post, another user wrote, '"NORMALIZE NOT BEING OFFENDED" babe I'm not offended. I'm bored and unimpressed. Offended would imply I expect better from someone like this'.

The posts illustrate individual objections to the joke's wording, not audience opinion overall.

Gillis was announced as an SNL cast member in 2019, but his invitation to join the cast was rescinded before the season began after backlash over resurfaced podcast remarks. He later returned as a host. Levy's response has renewed attention on the language used to judge and objectify women.