Emmy-winning Schitt’s Creek creator and star Dan Levy is publicly condemning comedian Shane Gillis following his opening monologue as host of Saturday Night Live.
During the live broadcast, the 38-year-old stand-up comedian delivered several polarizing jokes targeting women’s athletic attire and national political culture, including remarks that sparked immediate backlash: “Also, I haven’t been to the gym in so long I didn’t know women just dress like whores now?” and “You’re either gay or you’re Hitler, and isn’t that where we’re at as a country?”
Taking to social media, Levy published an extensive video response directly addressing the language used on the NBC comedy platform and calling for greater male accountability.
“Women wearing short shorts at the gym does not make them whores. It makes the men calling them whores misogynists. There’s a difference there. By the way, I’ve seen more men’s nipples at the gym than I’ve ever seen women showing their bodies off,” Levy stated in the video.
Levy expressed dismay that such commentary aired without pushback on network television, stressing that dismissive language contributes to broader societal harms against women.
“But I’m speechless that something like that can exist on live national television. And to be perfectly honest, more men need to be standing up in opposition to it because it’s complacency that has created the environment in which women are sexually assaulted and it’s a ‘conversation’ as opposed to a ‘crime,’” Levy continued.
He emphasized that addressing misogyny in entertainment requires active participation from male allies: “men need to be defending women more.”
“This is not a women’s issue, this is an everybody issue. Because the more that men objectify women in the media, the more that other men see them as objects and treat them as objects. They are not objects. They are superior human beings to men, OK? And I’m sorry if this gets me in trouble with the internet, but ****,” Levy concluded.
Levy’s passionate message drew widespread praise from fans and industry peers, reigniting discussions around media responsibility and comedy standards on live television.
