NEWSDavid Spade Tells Critics to 'Relax' as Shane Gillis Faces Backlash Over 'SNL' Joke: 'We Don't Need to Comment on Everything'
David Spade urged critics to relax following Shane Gillis' controversial comedy monologue.David Spade urged critics to 'relax' following Shane Gillis' controversial comedy monologue.
Oct. 23 2026, Published 12:42 p.m. ET
David Spade is sticking up for SNL star Shane Gillis after the comedian faced severe backlash for calling women's gym attire "w----" clothing during his opening monologue
"I will say it's almost comical that there's people that say, 'Oh, don't make fun of Only----. Don't make fun of s------. These are s-- workers. They need to be respected.' And then everyone hates Sydney Sweeney," Spade noted on his podcast, "Fly on the Wall."
"And it's like, 'Which one is it?' Like, you know what I mean? Let's all decide what we hate and don't, and how about we just relax. Sometimes people just need to mind their biz... like, we don't need to comment on everything," he added.
Dana Carvey spoke on his podcast 'Fly on the Wall' about Shane Gillis' joke.
The Monologue That Sparked the Backlash
Shane Gillis sparked fierce backlash after mocking women's gym attire during 'SNL.'
The intense social media uproar began after Gillis delivered a blunt, controversial bit regarding women's activewear during his monologue.
"I haven’t been to the gym in so long. I didn’t know women just dress like w----- now? Look, I'm sorry, there's no other way to describe … Have you seen the shorts? Those neon, they're like, artificial bait-colored [shorts], and the wrinkles go around the cheeks, and all combine at the b-------. And don’t look! You’re not allowed to look," he said.
Dana Carvey Weighs in on the Controversy
Dana Carvey defended comedic intent, claiming modern audiences misinterpret obvious stand-up jokes.
Addressing the fallout on the podcast, co-host Dana Carvey also came to Gillis' defense, expressing genuine confusion over how literally the public interpreted the bit.
"I just didn't understand the kerfuffle..." he said. "It's the idea of like – there's two things. Joke is funny – eh. Joke is not funny, joke offends me – joke should not be allowed to be said."
- Dana Carvey Admits He Never Understood the Controversy That Got Shane Gillis Fired From 'Saturday Night Live': 'I Just Saw It' as a 'Joke'
- 'Speechless' Dan Levy Slams Shane Gillis Over 'SNL' Jokes About Women Dressing Inappropriately at the Gym: 'They Are Not Objects'
- Kathy Griffin Slams 'Hack' Shane Gillis Over Controversial 'SNL' Monologue, Jokes It Sounds Like He 'Can't Get Laid'
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Off-Mic Pushback and Quality Control
Heather Santoro argues offensive humor must deliver real laughs.
The conversation took another turn when executive producer and Spade's assistant, Heather Santoro, chimed in off-mic to question whether the controversial joke was actually funny.
Santoro argued that provocative humor targeting a particular group needs a strong punchline to justify its shock value.
"The joke has to be actually funny. If you're gonna like call a woman a w----, it's gotta be funny. And it wasn't," she said.
'He Doesn't Care'
David Spade was on 'SNL' in the '90s.
Spade, who starred on SNL from 1990 to 1996, also noted that Studio 8H operates on a strict double standard regarding crowd reception, but concluded that a polarizing comedian like Gillis simply moves past the noise.
"He got some laughs, but, of course, I think he knows that one's gonna be a button pusher. But he doesn't care," he stated.
