Shane Gillis Reveals He Immediately Deleted Social Media After Controversial Gym Joke Sparked SNL Backlash: 'I Had a Severe Cortisol Spike'
Shane Gillis revealed he deleted his social media apps after facing backlash over his controversial SNL monologue.
Nov. 15 2026, Published 5:45 p.m. ET
Shane Gillis revealed he immediately deleted his social media apps after facing a wave of backlash over his controversial joke on Saturday Night Live, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The comedian admitted he never expected the reaction to be so intense, later discovering through that the fallout had taken a physical toll.
Shane Gillis Didn't Expect the Backlash
Shane Gillis recalled telling SNL producers he wasn't worried about controversy.
During the November 13 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Gillis reflected on the controversy surrounding his October 10 hosting appearance on SNL.
"The funniest part was… [the SNL producers] were like, 'What's going on with the monologue?' And I was like, 'It's not great. But I don't say anything bad,'" he told Rogan.
Gillis then joked about how he had assessed the material, saying, "Fellas, I'm giving you a solid C- of a monologue, but I promise there's no controversy. I call myself fat for f-----' ten minutes, that's it."
Shane Gillis spoke on Joe Rogan's podcast on November 13.
Shane Gillis' Controversial Gym Joke
Shane Gillis spoke about women's gym clothes in his SNL monologue on October 10.
The controversy erupted when Gillis took aim at women's gym attire during his opening monologue.
"I haven't been to the gym in so long, I didn't know women just dress like w----- now?" he started.
"I'm sorry, there's no other way to describe it. Have you seen it? I've seen it. The shorts? Have you seen the shorts? Those neon... they're like artificial bait colors. The wrinkles go around the c-----, and all combine at the b-------." Gillis added,
"And don't look. You're not allowed to look. For real, don't look, because they are filming. I'm in the background of, like, 10 TikToks right now," he went on.
Dan Levy Condemned Shane Gillis' Joke
Dan Levy condemned Shane Gillis' comments in a fiery Instagram Reel.
Among those who publicly criticized Gillis was Schitt's Creek star Dan Levy, who addressed the comments in an Instagram Reel on October 11.
"Women wearing short shorts at the gym does not make them whores. It makes the men calling them whores misogynists," Levy declared.
He also pointed out that he had witnessed more men exposing themselves at the gym than women showing off their bodies.
"I'm speechless that something like that can exist on live national television," he continued.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Shane Gillis' Blood Test Revealed Stress Spike
Shane Gillis told Joe Rogan that a blood test revealed a 'severe cortisol spike' following the backlash.
Following the uproar, Gillis said he immediately removed social media apps from his phone after being inundated with negative reactions.
He also told Rogan and fellow comedians Ari Shaffir and Mark Normand that a blood test revealed an unusually high cortisol level.
"It's crazy, I had a severe cortisol spike. I thought that was just 'looksmaxing' talk, I didn't know that was a real thing," Gillis admitted.
