David Spade Urges Calm Amid Comedy Backlash, Defends Shane Gillis

Comedian David Spade has called for a more relaxed approach to public reactions to controversial jokes, suggesting that critics have become too quick to take offense. Speaking on his podcast "Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade," Spade defended the comedic tradition of pushing boundaries, even when material does not land as intended.

His comments come amid backlash over a joke made by comedian Shane Gillis during his "Saturday Night Live" monologue. Gillis's remarks targeted women at the gym, with lines such as, "I just didn't know women just dress like whores now?... Have you seen the shorts? Those neon, they're like, artificial bait-colored [shorts], and the wrinkles go around the cheeks and all combine at the butthole."

Co-host Dana Carvey suggested that the outrage missed the point of comedy, stating, "when you say jokes, you're not literally saying women are whores. You are literally joking. Isn't that kind of the idea?"

However, Spade's assistant and podcast producer, Heather Santoro, offered a counterpoint, emphasizing that offensive humor must still be genuinely funny. "The joke has to be actually funny," she said. "If you're gonna like call a woman a whore, it's gotta be funny. And it wasn't."

Carvey conceded that while the joke might have performed well in a comedy club setting, "Saturday Night Live" may not have been the appropriate venue. Spade acknowledged that Gillis's joke was intended to be provocative but suggested the comedian is unconcerned with the fallout.

Spade also highlighted what he perceives as double standards in Hollywood, questioning why certain public figures or topics draw criticism while others are seemingly exempt. He pointed to the differing reactions to jokes about sex workers and the criticism faced by actress Sydney Sweeney. "Let's all decide what we hate and don't and how about we just relax," Spade urged.

Carvey observed that audiences often conflate a joke being unfunny or offensive with the idea that it should not be told at all. Spade, who was a cast member on "SNL" from 1990 to 1996, noted that the show's comedians face particular scrutiny when controversial jokes fail.

"I think at ‘SNL,’ If something kills, it gets a pass. If something totally bombs, then they get a lot of trouble," Spade said. He added that Gillis is the type of comedian who delivers his material and allows the audience and critics to debate it afterward.