Shane Gillis: Smashing Records, Selling Out Arenas, and Hosting the ESPYs Amid Controversy
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Shane Gillis: Smashing Records, Selling Out Arenas, and Hosting the ESPYs Amid Controversy
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Shane Gillis is in the midst of a banner run, fast cementing his status as one of the biggest names in live comedy right now. The most headline-grabbing news is his record-breaking theater and arena tour, “Shane Gillis Live,” which just added a third date at Madison Square Garden after the first two nights sold out instantly. TicketNews reports presale queues topped 90,000 for each 19,000-seat show, and this comes after Gillis shattered attendance records at iconic venues like London’s O2 Arena and Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. His upcoming fall show at Notre Dame Stadium will see him sharing a bill with Zach Bryan and Dermot Kennedy—a stadium event that’s expected to pull 80,000 fans, a rare feat for any comedian.
Beyond stand-up, Gillis’s mainstream presence is expanding. He’s set to host the 2025 ESPY Awards live on July 16, a gig that has predictably revived debate about his past controversies but also spotlights his crossover appeal into network TV. The ESPYs booking drew mainstream attention from outlets like AOL, which detailed both his SNL firing in 2019 over resurfaced offensive remarks and his return as an SNL host in February 2024 and March 2025. While his edgy material and boundary-pushing persona still trigger mixed reactions and social media flare-ups, the controversy does not appear to be slowing him down professionally. His Netflix stand-up specials, especially 2023’s “Beautiful Dogs,” have been major hits, charting in top ten lists globally. And his Netflix sitcom “Tires” dropped its second season in June to strong streaming numbers, though there’s no official word yet on renewal for a third season.
In terms of industry relationships, Shane Gillis’s dynamic with SNL co-star Bowen Yang made the news again after Yang described to Marc Maron a “mutual respect” between them, despite being pitted against each other by media during the 2019 SNL scandal, a sentiment echoed by The Independent and Cracked. Gillis himself, in several high-profile interviews and on his own widely listened podcast “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast,” continues to acknowledge his risky comedic style and past missteps—while also reveling in his current success. Business-wise, Gillis’s tour is a runaway financial hit, with shows in major American cities selling out months in advance—next up Baltimore, Vegas, and multiple Florida dates according to ticket outlets like SeatGeek, Stereoboard, and Comedy Tickets. On social media, much of the chatter in recent days predictably revolves around ticket rushes, the ESPYs host announcement, and debate over his legacy as both a polarizing and in-demand star. There is unconfirmed buzz in the entertainment trades about Gillis being courted for roles in upcoming films with the likes of Christian Bale and Vince Vaughn, but nothing has been formally announced as of today.
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