Who Is Shane Gillis? Meet the Ex-'SNL' Star
Shane Gillis has found himself in hot water before.
Oct. 12 2026, Published 1:50 p.m. ET
Shane Gillis is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and podcaster who rose to fame after being fired from Saturday Night Live in 2019, just days after being announced as a new cast member. He never made his debut on the sketch comedy show, but continued to build his career through stand-up specials, online sketches, and television.
Gillis returned to SNL as host in 2024, 2025, and October 2026. He’s also formed a successful partnership with Netflix. His comedy series Tires and stand-up special Beautiful Dogs have been seen by audiences all around the world.
RadarOnline.com can reveal more about Gillis.
What Is Shane Gillis’ Background?
Gillis was fired from 'SNL' due to making racist remarks and mocking Asians.
Gillis was born on December 11, 1987, in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He played football in high school and had a short stint at the United States Military Academy at West Point before getting into comedy. He later played football at Elon University and earned a degree in history from West Chester University.
Following college, Gillis taught English in Spain for six months and was a car salesman.
Around 2012, he began performing stand-up regularly and became a familiar name on the comedy circuit in Philadelphia. He won the Philly’s Phunniest competition at the Helium Comedy Club in 2016. That year, he also started Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast with fellow comedian Matt McCusker.
Why Shane Gillis Was Kicked Off ‘Saturday Night Live’?
Grace Brassel and Gillis were seen together at ESPY 2025.
In September 2019, Gillis was announced as a featured player for SNL's 45th season, alongside Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman. However, soon afterward, clips of earlier podcast appearances resurfaced, attracting criticism for racial slurs and derogatory remarks, including comments about Asian people.
NBC said Gillis would not be part of the cast, saying his language was "offensive, hurtful and unacceptable."
Gillis said he was a comedian who pushed boundaries and sometimes missed the mark and was willing to apologize to people who were offended. He was released before the season began and never appeared as a cast member.
Which Comedy Shows and Specials Has He Worked On?
Gillis in his stand-up comedy special 'Beautiful Dogs' on Netflix
In 2021, Gillis released his first stand-up special, Shane Gillis: Live in Austin on YouTube. His next special, Beautiful Dogs, premiered on Netflix in 2023 and landed in the Top 10 in five countries.
Together with John McKeever, he also co-created the sketch series Gilly & Keeves. In 2024, Netflix picked up Tires, a sitcom co-created by Gillis, McKeever, and Steve Gerben.
Gillis plays Shane, an auto repair shop worker who gives his cousin Will a hard time as Will tries to improve the family business. Netflix gave the series a third season renewal.
When Did Shane Gillis Come Back to ‘SNL’?
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Season 3 of Tires featuring Gillis is available on Netflix
Gillis hosted SNL for the first time on February 24, 2024, nearly five years after his firing. He returned in March 2025 and hosted again on October 10, 2026, with Rosalía as the musical guest. During the latest episode, he accidentally swore during a "Green Eggs and Ham" sketch and apologized before the show ended.
Gillis was previously in a relationship with influencer Grace Brassel. In November 2025, reports emerged that the pair had separated months before. Gillis has kept his personal life largely hidden.
