SNL UK’s Ania Magliano Roasts Shane Gillis’s Sexist Monologue With Unfiltered Profanity

Key points

• Ania Magliano, a Weekend Update co-host on SNL UK, directly criticized Shane Gillis for his recent U.S. SNL monologue.
• Gillis’s monologue included a joke about women’s gym attire, which drew widespread backlash from celebrities and former cast members.
• Magliano’s segment referenced Gillis’s accidental use of the F-word during a live sketch, a violation of U.S. SNL standards.
• The U.S. version of SNL was off the air during the weekend, allowing the UK version to address the controversy without direct network interference.
• Social media reactions praised SNL UK for being 'funnier' and more bold than the U.S. original, with some calling for a global SNL competition.

Background

Gillis’s October 10 monologue sparked immediate controversy, with critics like Dan Levy and former cast members Ego Nwodim and Cecily Strong condemning the remarks. His ex-girlfriend, Grace Brassel, also responded publicly. While Michael Che defended the joke as standard comedy, Lorne Michaels’s repeated hosting of Gillis has drawn scrutiny for failing to vet offensive material. This is Gillis’s third hosting stint, following previous appearances in 2024 and 2025, after his removal from the featured cast in 2019 due to resurfaced offensive videos.

How outlets are covering it

HuffPost and Deadline emphasize the viral nature of Magliano’s unfiltered response, noting that SNL UK’s looser language restrictions allowed for a direct and profane critique of Gillis. The LA Times, through columnist Robin Abcarian, offers a more nuanced view, arguing that while Gillis’s joke was sexist, the backlash was 'over the top' and that the issue of women’s gym attire is complicated by broader cultural trends in fashion and objectification. Abcarian suggests that the controversy highlights a tension between personal choice and societal expectations, rather than simply condemning the joke as outright misogyny.

Why it matters

The incident underscores the differing standards of comedy and censorship between U.S. and U.K. television, with SNL UK’s bold response drawing praise for its willingness to address controversial topics without the same level of network caution. It also highlights the ongoing debate over the boundaries of comedy and the role of media in shaping public discourse on gender and sexuality.

What to watch

Gillis has not yet publicly responded to the ongoing backlash, and it remains to be seen if the controversy will affect his future hosting opportunities or public standing. The viral success of Magliano’s segment may also influence the direction of SNL UK’s future content, potentially leading to more direct commentary on U.S. media events.