The Shane Gillis SNL monologue was funny.

[u/broke_collegebitch]

The internet is erupting with the Shane Gillis monologue, criticizing him for saying "women dress like whores at the gym now." When you actually watch the stand-up monologue, it has a much different tone than what's being described. People pulled out this one little thing and are freaking out.

He also said "gyms are just full of the hottest gay guys you've ever seen" and referenced the gay guys looking at him. He also called himself fat multiple times. He also called himself "a gas station egg." He also joked about his receding hairline making him look like Hitler. He also said "I look like a lesbian" in regards to his figure & his Bud Light commercials. Nobody is coming for him about the weight jokes or the gay jokes or anything else. Only the joke about women in the gym.

People pulled out the word "whore." I'm curious to know what a better word or phrase would have been? Even saying "women's gym clothes are so small now" would have pissed these same people off.

People pulled out "artificial bait." He wasn't referring to the women - he was trying to describe the color of the clothing with a better word than just "neon." You can hear him trip over his words/pause trying to find a better & funnier descriptor on the spot.

People pulled out how he was talking about how short the shorts are. But ladies, come on... As a woman myself who works out regularly, the tiny spandex that barely cover your ass are NOT good workout attire. They ride up, they get shoved up in all the wrong places, they're uncomfortable to work out in, you're constantly having to pull them down... Wear whatever the hell you want to the gym. But let's be real here. Commenting on how tiny these shorts are & how far up people's asses they are is not insulting. It's a reasonable observation worth joking about. Workout clothes are supposed to be functional first and cute second.

People pulled out him saying "seriously don't look, they're filming. I'm definitely in the back of a lot of TikToks." But he said this after saying "you're not allowed to look." He was making a joke about not being a creep, but also how hard it is to not notice bright ass neon colors, and also making a self-deprecating joke about coming off as a creep.

He makes a joke later on about trying really hard to not look creepy or scary to a passing woman on a hike and trying to find some way to let her know she's safe.

People are saying that it's harmful because it's normalizing this language about women. But tbh, I think what's really harmful is a) to not be able to actually listen to what someone is saying, even jokingly, without throwing up your red flags at the first sign of discomfort, and b) to not be able to laugh about your own experiences.

Comedy is built on poking at everyday experiences. He's done way better performances than this, for sure, but it was funny.

EDIT TO ADD:

Woooooof okay, some of y'all are bringing some really negative energy toward each other in the comments.

My point was that Shane Gillis wasn't being offensive. Sure, people are going to disagree with me. That's why it's a hot take. That's perfectly okay (and kind of the point of the sub??). But going into the comment section to harass the women disagreeing with me is not okay.

Having a debate or a disagreement is one thing, but some of y'all are just being rude for the sake of being rude.

Having a different train of thought, a different perspective, or a different opinion, does not make someone less than you.

The people disagreeing with me are allowed to have their own thoughts and opinions, just like I am. Say what you wanna say, but goodness... Don't be nasty

Telling someone they're being dramatic and "must be on your period" because they spoke about assault is actually wild, you guys...

If you have been harassed in the comment section (I think you know by who...), I am so sorry. I am reporting as I see them.

UPDATE:

I'm definitely realizing there are more than two sides to this coin.

I'm still not personally offended by it, but I also may just be surrounded by more respectful men than most and have a different perspective on the whole thing.

It's interesting (and saddening) how this post seemed to have given "permission" to some folks to be nasty and talk down to women in a way that didn't even have anything to do with the topic in question. Which, I suppose, is a lot of the commenters entire points.

Y'all have officially reversed my hot take, or at least drawn me into the middle ground. I wasn't offended by the jokes he made, but I see now how he has created a "safe space" for negativity towards women.

Thank you all for your comments. I read as many as I could!

[u/vote4bort]

Well the gay joke was about how hot they are, not that they look like sex workers. Kinda different.

What was funny about that line in particular? Like explain like I'm an idiot what the punchline is. Because I don't see what's supposed to even be funny there, "women wear revealing clothes at the gym", why is that funny? Does referring to them as sex workers make it funny somehow?

As an aside, it's completely ridiculous that he apologised for saying fuck but apparently calling women whores is fine.

[u/Dazzling-Path6438 → u/vote4bort]

You don't get it. Whore.

That's soooo funny. Like, whore. How are you not getting this?

[u/kikibubbles85 → u/Dazzling-Path6438]

Lmao that’s a better joke right there.

[u/CGVSpender → u/Dazzling-Path6438]

I didn't see the monologue. I feel like a lot is resting on how many syllables he made the word.

Like was is just hore. Or ho-ar, or hoo-wahr, or preacher style hoe-ahr-ruh?

[u/Top-Editor-364 → u/Dazzling-Path6438]

The funny part is that it’s true. The internet’s reaction is also because it’s true and whores don’t want to be reminded that their behavior is sad. You don’t need to stick up for grown women who need male attention for validation, they are adults who can handle it themselves

[u/FlamePiranha → u/vote4bort]

You're allowed to find a joke vulgar or not funny. You don't have to laugh at a joke. But comedy is not only about making you relax and laugh. It can make you uncomfortable and it's often a way to relate to people in an absurd way. Sometimes comics have segments that are straight up storytelling.

Shane does talk about gay guys and women differently. It's because the routine is from the perspective of a straight, middle-aged guy who struggles with his weight.

He acknowledged that he hadn't been to the gym in a long time. So he's shocked at the attire woman are wearing: they're form-fitting and accentuate the sexual parts of a body. It would be disingenuous to say that booty shorts are less sexual in nature than sweatpants, for instance. The fact that women are comfortable wearing such attire says something about society: they accept their bodies and don't feel a need to hide that part of themselves anymore. To be clear, having people feel comfortable in society is a good thing.

At the same time, the male gaze is seen as predatory still. Most men are acutely aware of that fact. They're afraid of being seen as somebody who sexualizes women when it's inappropriate. It's not uncommon for guys to overcorrect and make a woman shaped blind spot in their line of sight to avoid looking at them. I don't think that discomfort is mysoginistic in nature, and using the word "whore" harkens to that discomfort.

The word whore has a sexual connotation; it's not the same as calling somebody a hot woman; it's not the same as calling somebody a sexy woman. It's a reminder of the public nature of a gym. Its vulgar. It grabs your attention. And women are right, it is an objectifying term, but a part of the routine was that he doesn't want to be seen as a man who objectifies women.

He doesn't refer to gay guys as sluts. It's because while woman do not welcome sexual attention, gay guys usually do. From my experience, gay guys are comfortable calling themselves sluts, talking about themselves sexually, or objectifying their bodies. They don't find it degrading. Shane is also not attracted to gay men, even though he may appreciate their masculine features. He's uncomfortable because they're more masculine, muscular, and confident than him, not because he needs to avert his gaze.

Now, if you're a woman and don't relate to these experiences, that's fine. That part of the show is not for you, but it doesn't make Shane a mysoginist.

[u/broke_collegebitch → u/vote4bort]

It was part of a broader joke about dreading going to the gym. The line(s) about women were part of the gym thing. How he's fat and feels extra bad about himself when he goes because as soon as he walks in, it's just hot men and hot women everywhere and he feels self conscious and watched and like he could fuck up or be insulted at any time. It wasn't a one-liner joke.

It wasn't the funniest standup in the world, but I don't think it was offensive.

[u/AdEducational8149 → u/broke_collegebitch]

Sounds like he felt insecure so decided to try and shit on other people to make himself feel better. Sounds lame!

[u/vote4bort → u/broke_collegebitch]

That doesn't explain why it was funny to call them whores. If he was making a joke about hot women and hot men, he called the men hot and the women whores. That's a bit odd, don't you think?

Whore is an insult. It is used as an insult almost exclusively. Why are you acting surprised that people are insulted by an insult?

[u/MyhraBooboo → u/vote4bort]

It's an observation that women's gym attire has focused more and more on attracting the male gaze, much like how whores are traditionally dressed.

You believing that women are so wonderful that you don't like that term being applied to gym-going women and want an apology or something is what's odd.

[u/ModeratelyOffline → u/broke_collegebitch]

If you’re trying to call women hot, you can use a lot of words other than “whore.”

[u/CaptainOwlBeard → u/broke_collegebitch]

So calling women whores didn't add to the joke at all? It was just said near a joke?

[u/alayeni-silvermist → u/broke_collegebitch]

How is calling a woman a whore calling her hot? Is that how you refer to hot women? So you call all attractive women whores? I’m still not getting what’s funny. Explain it like I’m five.

[u/PandaMime_421 → u/broke_collegebitch]

You didn't answer the question, "Does referring to them as sex workers make it funny somehow?"

[u/BorfDorfin → u/PandaMime_421]

Just the blunt ridiculousness of it. It's an outrageously offensive thing to say, but it's also true. There's a tension in the fact that women dress insanely sexually at the gym but it's poor taste to point it out or even notice.

Like, that is how prostitutes dress. And the reasons prostitutes dress like that is because they want you to find them outrageously attractive. And it's incredibly awkward to find someone outrageously attractive when you're an out of shape oaf with a camera pointed at you, broadcasting to the entire internet in a place where it's explicitly poor taste to be gawking at people.

The fact that there's no malice to it or anything just makes it funnier. There's nothing wrong with being proud of your body, but there's an absurdity in pretending you're just in casual wear and expecting everyone else to do the same. It's just funny to see a guy break the silence on it casually.

[u/Advanced-Pickle362 → u/BorfDorfin]

Comparing women’s activewear to something a prostitute wears is certainly a reach. If you can’t manage yourself around women wearing gym clothes I hope you don’t go to the gym. Or the beach.

[u/BorfDorfin → u/Advanced-Pickle362]

How is it a reach? Explain the distance between neon skin-tight leotards that reveal as much as possible and neon skin-tight leotards that reveal as much as possible, and also a leopardskin coat plus heels.

What's actually a reach is jumping from "finding the social norm of pretending not to be awestruck by insanely attractive gymgoers a bit silly albeit completely justified." to "can't control yourself at the gym."

[u/Advanced-Pickle362 → u/BorfDorfin]

What would you prefer women wear to the gym? What are we allowed to wear?

I wear spandex shorts so I don’t chafe because I have thicker legs and loose skin. I’m not going to dress in something uncomfortable and be miserable the entire time I’m running because men have decided spandex shorts = whore.

[u/BorfDorfin → u/Advanced-Pickle362]

You're allowed wear whatever you want.

I'm allowed find the awkwardness of ignoring it amusing.

You wear spandex shorts so you don't chafe because you have thicker legs and loose skin. Prostitutes wear spandex shorts because it makes their ass look incredible. Both of you are valid.

[u/Fun_Opposite_8869 → u/Advanced-Pickle362]

lol as someone who competed at a high level in my sport and have been around lots and lots of men and women training at various levels and even helping somewhat in their development, I must say that the kind of active wear in question is remarkably noticeably absent in my experience, it’s almost like people actually competing in a sport have decided there’s much better forms of active wear than extremely revealing and simultaneously flattering outfits.

Like if there’s a built in ass crack in your pants then let’s be real: functionality was not your primary concern when deciding what to wear.

[u/PandaMime_421 → u/BorfDorfin]

Like, that is how prostitutes dress. And the reasons prostitutes dress like that is because they want you to find them outrageously attractive.

Granted I'm not directly familiar with prostitutes, but I can't recall seeing one portrayed as wearing workout gear on the job.

[u/ModeratelyOffline → u/BorfDorfin]

So, just so you’re aware, thinking something is soooo funny because of the “blunt ridiculousness” of how “outrageously offensive” it is, is the adult equivalent of jingling keys in front of your face. It’s okay for adults to expect something a bit better than fart jokes.

[u/BorfDorfin → u/ModeratelyOffline]

Don't act like your issue is with how sophisticated the joke is.

You're not upset because it's crass or low brow. You're upset because you're offended by the premise that women dress like whores at the gym.

[u/ModeratelyOffline → u/BorfDorfin]

There’s a difference between an offensive joke and a boring joke. Calling women at the gym whores was the joke, and it’s not a good or original one. It’s like the two dozen female comedians with a very original (/s) “football is so gay! Boys tackle each other!” joke. It’s not original, and if the joke is just “hypermasculine men seem gay,” it’s pretty boring.

[u/BorfDorfin → u/ModeratelyOffline]

Yeah, still not buying that that's what your issue is. Stop being a coward and say what you mean.

[u/thehammockdistrict24 → u/BorfDorfin]

"Stop being a coward and say what you mean."

Posting from an account with a hidden post history is pretty cowardly.

[u/OnlyACsNoFans → u/ModeratelyOffline]

You sound like you're fun at parties

[u/EnvironmentalDog- → u/OnlyACsNoFans]

Yeah, I mean… it sounds like they have the sense of humour of someone who’s legal drinking age.

[u/vote4bort → u/BorfDorfin]

It's not really that ridiculous, women hear shit like that all the time. Maybe that's why women aren't finding it very funny. But then again, just saying "shocking" things isn't particularly funny after a certain age for most people.

What does "insanely sexually" mean? Leggings and a sports bra? Men go shirtless at the gym all the time, is that insanely sexual?

[u/BorfDorfin → u/vote4bort]

I'd say anything showing bulge would be insanely sexual for dudes. Shirtless becomes insanely sexy when there's oil involved, like the sax guy from The Lost Boys.

Just because something's ridiculous doesn't mean it's bad. Women have the right to dress however they want without men interpreting it as permission to be lecherous. Men know it's inappropriate to stare at women at the gym because it makes women uncomfortable.

The result is an absurd situation where a woman who takes incredibly good care of her body is in a skin tight leotard flexing in front of you and you have to pretend like it's not in any way worth looking at or even noticeable in the first place.

And that's fine. All the ingredients that led up to this absurd situation are good and proper. Women should get to dress how they want. Men shouldn't make them feel weird about it.

It's just funny to break the kayfabe for a second and blurt out "Ok, but you are dressed like a literal prostitute." before softening it with some jokes about how "Yes, I absolutely am the creepy weirdo here".

[u/alayeni-silvermist → u/BorfDorfin]

These sound like your fetishes, not what’s actually sexual.

[u/BorfDorfin → u/alayeni-silvermist]

Don't act like Bowie in Labyrinth does nothing for you.

[u/alayeni-silvermist → u/BorfDorfin]

He’s not my type, so no, he doesn’t.

[u/BorfDorfin → u/alayeni-silvermist]

I really don't know what I'm meant to take from this exchange but alright. Do you I guess.

[u/vote4bort → u/BorfDorfin]

Oh so like those really tight shorts that men wear to the gym then? Or what about those super short shorts which bunch up with any movement? So oil is sexy, but not sweat? Hate to tell you dude but lots of women find a sweaty man sexy. And yet we don't seem to find it absurd to be in a gym with them.

But they're not dressed like a "literal prostitute" though... They're wearing gym clothes.

And I still don't see why that in particular is funny. So they're wearing clothes you think are revealing. And you said so... So you've just made a statement, But why is it a funny statement? Like what's the gag here?

[u/BorfDorfin → u/vote4bort]

Yes but there's no tension in men being sexual. We're not afraid of unwanted female attention so if women want to stare it's no big deal.

The humour comes from the abrupt breaking of the social norm of pretending you don't notice women wearing outfits that are functionally identical, if not the exact same as prostitute street wear. Followed by the finesse of taking such an offensive and provocative statement and talking through it until you arrive at yourself as the punchline.

This has all been explained already. You won't get it because you don't want to get it. There's no reward for you in understanding this because it just makes you a joyless stick in the mud instead of a righteous crusader for whatever it is you think you're righteously crusading about.

[u/vote4bort → u/BorfDorfin]

That's a weird argument. I don't think it's very fair to men to assume that they're just okay with unwanted attention.

Why is an abrupt breaking of a social norm funny? You've not explained that.

But again, it's not the exact same as what prostitutes wear. It's gym clothes. You've got things the wrong way round. Maybe some sex workers wear gym clothes, but it's them wearing gym clothes not others wearing sex worker clothes. You see the difference? You've got the order of things wrong. They're gym clothes first, if people wear them outside of gyms that's secondary to their actual function. Sex workers also wear business attire sometimes, doesn't make wearing a twinset dressing like a whore.

I understand why you think it's funny, I just want you to spell it out properly. So we can all see. Why whore? Why not "hot women"? Or sexy clothes? Nothing you've explained about the joke necessitates the use of the word whore.

[u/BorfDorfin → u/vote4bort]

I've written twelve paragraphs on why it's funny. I'm beginning to suspect you read somewhere that asking someone to explain a distasteful joke makes them feel awkward. Evidently that hasn't worked out in your favour here.

[u/PandaMime_421 → u/BorfDorfin]

It's only funny to people who think it's funny to call women whores.

[u/Godeshus → u/vote4bort]

He wasn't calling women whores. He was calling whores whores.

Shane Gillis is great because he doesn't have his head in the sand. He knows people will take him out of context and purposefully misrepresent him because they just desperately want to be outraged.

Yes, loads of women at the gym just there to work out and get fit. Most, even. But you're being deliberately obtuse if you think there aren't women there being attention seekers using their bodies to gain attention from men. That's who he's calling out.

Men going to the gym and hitting on women are creeps and pervs, and they deserve to be called out for it. It doesn't mean all men that go to the gym are creeps and pervs. Most men at the gym are there for fitness, but there are some who are gross. We've been told countless times that "not all men" is old and tired. We're supposed to understand that when women call men pervs and creeps you're referring specifically to the men who are pervs and creeps.

Same with Shane Gillis. If you're like most women, at the gym for fitness, you're not who he was talking about.

[u/ModeratelyOffline → u/Godeshus]

I guess my challenge to this would be the idea of a man’s bit being based on “men vs women at the gym” is punching down. Gyms still skew male quite a bit. I’m not saying you can’t punch down in comedy (I gave the example of Mary Beth Barone’s queer/trans owned businesses bit as a good example) but you need to have tact. I don’t think Shane demonstrated this with calling women “whores.”

It’s not like Shane can’t make a joke about a marginalized community, his best known jokes are about his relatives with Down syndrome and I’ve never personally seen anyone upset at those. In my opinion, they’re well written. I just don’t think the “whores” joke was.

[u/Godeshus → u/ModeratelyOffline]

That's an entirely fair point.

[u/OnlyACsNoFans → u/ModeratelyOffline]

Punching down is perfectly fine

[u/ModeratelyOffline → u/OnlyACsNoFans]

So, did you read the rest of my comment? I said if it’s done correctly it can be funny. Shane has proved in the past that he can. He just didn’t execute it properly this time.

[u/OnlyACsNoFans → u/ModeratelyOffline]

Waahhhh

[u/vote4bort → u/Godeshus]

Do you not know what the word whore means? It doesn't mean woman going to the gym who you think is wearing too revealing clothes. Even if they are seeking attention, it still doesn't mean that.

It means sex worker. And has historically and is currently used as a perjorative word (that means a word that is intended to disparage someone). So not only is it just wrong in the literal sense, it is a deliberately insulting word. What kind of dumbass acts surprised when people are insulted by an insult?

[u/Godeshus → u/vote4bort]

Yes that's one definition. Another one is that it refers to a specific type of woman who is desperate for attention from men and will do anything to get it.

I've heard plenty of women call eachother whores and none of them were actually saying to their friend they think they're a prostitute going out to exchange sex for money.

It can mean provocative, it can mean promiscuous and can be said endearingly for both of those things.

Context matters with this word. Shit I'm a guy and have had guy friends call me a whore for gaming and wasn't even a little bit insulted by it cuz they're right.

[u/vote4bort → u/Godeshus]

I mean.. no that's just not the definition of the word. That's just another concept entirely. "Attention seeker" and "whore" aren't the same thing.

You see how that's different from a man standing up there are calling women going to the gym whores though right? Women don't call each other whores for working out.

Whore is rarely used as a perjorative against men, even "man whore" didn't exactly last long before men just thought it was a compliment. If you care so much about context, why are you ignoring the you know, massive contemporary and historical use of the word whore as a specifically gendered insult against women?

[u/Dazzling-Path6438 → u/Godeshus]

He's not offensive. He's unfunny, and that is offensive 

[u/PandaMime_421 → u/Godeshus]

women there being attention seekers using their bodies to gain attention from men

Even if this is true, that doesn't make them whores. It definitely doesn't make it ok to call them whores on national tv.

[u/OnlyACsNoFans → u/PandaMime_421]

It's a joke.

Lighten up

[u/GeneralAudience8427 → u/vote4bort]

Because he isn’t allowed to say fuck on tv. He is allowed to say whores on tv. He was apologizing for breaking the rules of the show he was on, not because he actually thinks fuck is a bad word. He says fuck all the time in other formats where it is allowed.

[u/vote4bort → u/GeneralAudience8427]

Yeah I know, and that's completely ridiculous. One that he's not allowed to say fuck on TV. Late night TV as well! Let grown adults say fuck. And two that somehow whore isn't against the rules but fuck is? It's not like you'd say whore in front of a kid, generally it's held as a really rude word.

[u/GeneralAudience8427 → u/vote4bort]

You have problem with FCC then not Shane Gillis

[u/mrcsrnne → u/vote4bort]

Simply veing outrageous can constitute the funny in a controversial joke

[u/teabagalomaniac → u/vote4bort]

There were a couple of punchlines as part of that bit and they came after the comment about how women at the gym look like whores now. One of the jokes discussed what I believe is referred to as a butt scrunch. It's a clothing innovation for women's leggings that was popularized around the time of the pandemic. Instead of the fabric spanning the gap between two butt cheeks, it actually shows the topography of the inner butt cheek. He just kind of describes what this thing is, the existence of such a development is funny enough that just describing it is a sort of joke.

The second punchline was actually set up by the discussion of the butt scrunch and came after that when he discussed how these attractive women at the gym are often filming themselves and you don't want to get caught looking at them on film. This is humorous because the existence of a garment specifically designed to display the topography of the inner butt cheek suggests that they would like people to look at them. The punchline here was when he said "I'm in the background of like ten tik toks now" and then made a face as though he was gawking. This got a much bigger laugh than the first punchline.

[u/vote4bort → u/teabagalomaniac]

Why is the existence of that funny though?

You know the butt scrunch doesn't actually go in-between the butt cheeks right? It's still just spanning the gap, it's not showing off any topography it's just an illusion. The male equivalent is those compression tops that have strategic seams or colour gradients that emphasise certain muscles.

"Suggests that they want people to look at them". But does it though? It's gym wear, it's comfortable to wear at the gym. Tighter garments like that are usually sweat wicking, meaning you're not working out in soggy, heavy, sweat laden clothes. Maybe it just suggests that they don't want to be really sweaty?

[u/YourDreams2Life → u/vote4bort]

I think this is such a bs argument. It's being worn because it looks good and people are vain.

I was hooking up with my massage therapist and she was complaining about how guys on dating apps objectify her. A month later she popped up on my feed, and her profile was just her sticking her as out in skin tight clothing at the gym. Didn't even have a text bio.

Most women at the gym aren't doing any sort of strenuous activity that would necessitate skin tight clothing. It's something said for plausible deniability. 

[u/teabagalomaniac → u/vote4bort]

I think to find it funny you have to accept the premise, that they're doing it to show off the topography of the inner butt cheek. I don't know if you're familiar with these leggings, but they definitely have a seam that goes up the butt. There's no way they are more comfortable and I think you know that. You compared them to a men's garment that uses colors to emphasize certain muscles, you wouldn't make such a comparison if you thought women were only wearing those clothes for their sweat wicking ability.

But if you've convinced yourself that this style of legging is worn for reasons that aren't aesthetic and that the leggings themselves don't actually have the feature that's being described, then that's probably why you don't think the joke is funny. It's not that you don't understand the joke, you're just operating with a different set of facts.

[u/MathAffectionate5867 → u/teabagalomaniac]

I don’t think I can post a picture of the shorts but the marketing for those scrunch butt or v-wrinkle shorts is for “shaping/lifting the glories.” Glad you called her out on the typical retort these women give which is that it’s just for comfort or to prevent sweating like thats the only thing they can wear. Yes, people should be able to wear gym clothing and be free from harassment but I’d appreciate it if women would stop playing dumb about some of the clothing they wear.

[u/TurkGonzo75 → u/vote4bort]

I didn't think the monologue was all that funny. I also think the reaction is over the top and is far more funny than the jokes he told. People need to get a grip and stop worrying about comedy that's clearly not for them. I can't believe we're still doing this shit in 2026.