This archive report was first published on 17 September 2019.
On September 16, 2019, 'Saturday Night Live' announced that Shane Gillis, a comedian named to the cast just days earlier, would not be joining the show.
The decision came after videos surfaced of Gillis using racist and homophobic language in podcasts and interviews.
According to a spokesperson for the show, the language used by Gillis was 'offensive, hurtful and unacceptable.' The spokesperson also acknowledged that the show's vetting process had failed to uncover the clips earlier.
Gillis, 31, had been a rising star in comedy, performing in major clubs in New York, Los Angeles, and elsewhere. However, two clubs in Philadelphia had stopped working with him due to his racist and homophobic jokes.
On Twitter, Gillis wrote that he respected the decision to drop him from the cast.
