‘SNL UK’ Takes Aim At Shane Gillis On ‘Weekend Update’: “You Stupid F*cking C*nt”
SNL UK’s “Weekend Update” mocked Shane Gillis after he drew criticism for saying women “just dress like whores now” at the gym during a recent US SNL monologue. Co-host Ania Magliano linked his remarks to a story about free cycling shorts for female Oktoberfest ride-goers, then used an insult to satirise US broadcasting rules after Gillis accidentally swore during a sketch.
Gillis apologised for the broadcast expletive but has not responded to the backlash over his comments about women. The article says criticism has come from fellow comedians and fans, and notes that it intensified after an alleged gang rape involving fraternity members, referred to as the “Cornell 7”. Gillis has hosted US SNL in 2024, 2025 and 2026; he was removed from its cast in 2019 after videos resurfaced of him using ethnic and gay slurs and mocking Asian accents.
- SNL UK’s “Weekend Update” mocked Shane Gillis over his gym comments.
- Gillis apologised for swearing during a US SNL sketch.
- He has not addressed the wider backlash over his remarks.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The joke can be defended as pointed satire: Gillis made a public remark judging women’s clothing, and Magliano used the moment to challenge the attitudes behind it while also mocking US broadcast restrictions. Comedy often relies on sharp language to expose perceived hypocrisy, and the target was a prominent comedian whose own material has provoked controversy.
The case against
The segment can be criticised for answering an offensive remark with a personal obscenity, which may shift attention from the substance of the criticism to the insult itself. Viewers may also argue that the joke’s timing and framing risk drawing a serious sexual violence case into a punchline, or reinforcing a style of public debate that prizes humiliation over persuasion.