Kathy Griffin Slams Shane Gillis & Other “Hacks” Under “Joe Rogan’s Influence”: “They All Tell The Same Jokes”
Kathy Griffin criticised Shane Gillis’s recent Saturday Night Live monologue, while saying she supports his right to make the jokes and other people’s right to judge them. She argued that comedians influenced by Joe Rogan often repeat dated jokes about women, as Gillis faced backlash for calling women at the gym “whores”.
The monologue focused on Gillis getting fit with Rogan and Theo Von and included a mock voice aimed at gay gym-goers. The article says the set received a poor response and drew criticism from comedians and fans, amid heightened sensitivity following an alleged gang rape involving fraternity members at Cornell. Gillis has hosted SNL three times, after being dropped from its cast in 2019 following resurfaced clips containing ethnic and gay slurs.
- Kathy Griffin criticised Gillis’s jokes while defending his right to make them.
- She said Rogan-influenced comedians often repeat dated jokes about women.
- Gillis’s SNL monologue drew backlash over remarks about women at the gym.
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Saturday Night Live is an American television comedy show where a guest host performs a monologue before joining sketches. Shane Gillis is a stand-up comedian who has hosted the programme three times; he was dropped from its cast in 2019 after old clips containing ethnic and anti-gay slurs resurfaced.
Joe Rogan is a comedian and podcast host whose show features conversations with comedians, including Gillis and Theo Von. Kathy Griffin is another American stand-up comedian, known for outspoken commentary, who has criticised jokes she sees as relying on familiar stereotypes while also defending comedians’ right to perform them.
Comedy that touches on gender or sexuality can prompt debate about where humour ends and offence begins. The story places the reaction to Gillis’s material against that wider discussion and the attention surrounding an alleged gang rape involving Cornell fraternity members.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Griffin’s criticism can be understood as a defence of comedy that challenges stale gender stereotypes rather than relying on them for easy laughs. In a climate where jokes about women being “whores” can echo wider patterns of contempt, she may reasonably argue that comedians should expect audiences to assess not only their right to speak but also the ideas and effects their material carries.
The case against
Gillis’s defenders may argue that provocative, exaggerated material is part of comedy’s role, and that audiences should be free to decide whether it succeeds without treating offence as proof of wrongdoing. They could also see Griffin’s broad claim about Rogan-influenced comedians as an overgeneralisation, and contend that a weak or distasteful set is best answered through criticism and audience response rather than assumptions about a comedian’s motives.