Shane Gillis: From SNL Scandal to ESPYs Host - Comedy's Controversial King Rises Again cover art

Shane Gillis: From SNL Scandal to ESPYs Host - Comedy's Controversial King Rises Again

Shane Gillis: From SNL Scandal to ESPYs Host - Comedy's Controversial King Rises Again

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 Shane Gillis BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.

Shane Gillis has rocketed even higher into mainstream visibility this week, grabbing headlines as the newly announced host of the 2025 ESPY Awards. The ESPYs, airing July 16, mark another major cultural signpost for Gillis, who just a few years ago was best known for his abrupt firing from Saturday Night Live over controversial podcast comments. According to AOL, the announcement of him hosting the ESPYs immediately ignited social media debate, with fans and critics alike resurfacing conversations about his earlier controversies and style that pushes boundaries, but also reviewing how those past incidents haven’t derailed his ongoing rise. His recent hosting gigs on SNL—February 2024 and March 2025—had already signaled Hollywood’s growing embrace, despite persistent criticism from some quarters.

For biographical impact, this ESPYs hosting slot is pivotal—joining a lineage of top-tier entertainers and signaling Gillis’s bona fide arrival in the mainstream after years as something of an outsider. Meanwhile, the Netflix sitcom “Tires,” which he co-created and stars in, continues its strong run, with a second season released just this past June. The show remains in Netflix’s Top 10 comedy series, with renewal for a third season still unconfirmed, but strong buzz persists around its future. Gillis’s profile as a touring comic is bigger than ever: just this past weekend, he appeared alongside Grammy-winner Zach Bryan and Dermot Kennedy at a massive Notre Dame Stadium show, as reported by the official Notre Dame events site. He’s now lined up headlining arena gigs at venues including Resorts World Las Vegas on September 7-9 and Orlando’s Kia Center later this month.

Longtime listeners to his Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast have seen him turn that show into the number one Patreon podcast worldwide, according to Resorts World Las Vegas, logging millions of downloads a month. Social media this week exploded with speculation about the ESPYs gig, with some Twitter and Reddit users applauding his career resilience and others questioning ESPN’s move. Coverage on Cracked again brought up his SNL firing, juxtaposing the climate of cancel culture in 2019 with today’s seemingly more forgiving environment. Meanwhile, fellow SNL alum Bowen Yang addressed their widely discussed media rivalry, telling The Independent US this week that he and Gillis actually have mutual respect, countering persistent social rumors of animosity.

There have been no credible reports of new scandals or controversies this week. Unverified rumors on social media about future collaborations with other controversial comedians remain just that—speculative noise with no confirmation from Gillis, his management, or reputable entertainment outlets. The focus now is squarely on his ESPYs performance and whether he can leverage this moment into even more mainstream opportunities. With Netflix, arena shows, and ESPN all in his corner, this stretch may go down as the most consequential phase of Gillis’s career since his infamous SNL moment.

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