Shane Gillis apologizes on air after dropping F-bomb during ‘Saturday Night Live’ sketch
The comedian's on-air slip-up happened during a Dr. Seuss-themed sketch, years after he was fired from the show's cast.
Comedian Shane Gillis apologized on air after accidentally dropping an F-bomb during his hosting gig on Saturday Night Live on October 10.
The slip happened during a live broadcast, as reported by multiple outlets including Us Weekly and TMZ. Gillis was hosting the NBC sketch show for the third time, with Rosalía as the musical guest.
What happened during the sketch
The moment occurred in a Dr. Seuss-inspired sketch about “Green Eggs and Ham,” according to TheWrap. Gillis played the son of a character portrayed by cast member Mikey Day, who was being bothered by Andrew Dismukes as Sam I Am.
During the scene, Gillis said the line, “He said he doesn’t f–king, jeez, like them.”
The comedian immediately realized his mistake, exclaiming, “Oh no!” and raising his hand in apology, TheWrap and Parade reported. The live studio audience gasped at the expletive, and Dismukes was seen with a “stunned face,” according to Parade.
Day quickly improvised, telling Gillis’s character, “You’re a loser, and you said a bad word!” Gillis replied, “Yes, I did.” At the end of the sketch, Gillis turned to the audience and said, “Sorry about that.”
How people reacted
The unplanned moment quickly went viral on social media, as noted by Parade and Bleeding Cool. Uncensored clips were shared widely, while the official Saturday Night Live YouTube channel uploaded a version of the sketch with the word bleeped out, according to Cinemablend.
A complicated history with SNL
Gillis’s return to the show is notable given his history with it. He was originally hired as a cast member in September 2019 but was fired just five days later, before ever appearing in an episode, according to reports from KCUR.org and The Washington Post.
His dismissal came after clips from a 2018 podcast resurfaced in which he used racist and homophobic slurs. At the time, a spokesperson for executive producer Lorne Michaels called Gillis’s language “offensive, hurtful and unacceptable” in a statement reported by Just Jared and KCUR.org.
Gillis first returned to host SNL on February 24, 2024. TheWrap reported that the October 10 show was his third time as host.
What we know now
It is not yet known whether NBC or Saturday Night Live will issue a formal statement about the on-air incident, or if there will be any professional repercussions for Gillis from the network.
