Actor Shane Gillis was pulled out of "Saturday Night Live" programming less than a week after NBC announced his new hires for season 45.
The announcement came amid growing criticism of a widely-publicized video of Gillis speaking on a podcast in 2018. The clip repeatedly shows him using Asian insults and grossly mocking the Chinese. He allegedly tried to delete the video and others.
"After talking to Shane Gillis, we decided that he would not join" SNL, "the statement said." We want SNL to have a variety of voices and points of view within the series. We hired Shane for the strength of his comedic talent and his impressive audition for SNL. "
He continues: "We were not aware of his previous remarks that have resurfaced in recent days, his language is offensive, hurtful and unacceptable.We are sorry that we have not seen these clips earlier and that our process does not live up to our standard. "
Gillis also reacted to the news by writing on Twitter: "It's ridiculous for comedians to make serious public statements, but we're now, I'm a comedian who had the fun of doing" SNL ". can not be removed, of course, I wanted to be able to prove myself to "SNL", but I understand that it would be too distracting.
Adding that he "respects[s] the decision they've made ", and is" honestly grateful for the opportunity ", he then said," I've always been a guy from MAD TV anyway. "
Gillis, from Pennsylvania, played in major clubs around the country. Two clubs in Philadelphia have confirmed in recent days that they refused to continue to do so because it was often based on jokes "racist, misogynist, xenophobic and homophobic".
The comic book was hired alongside two other newcomers to "SNL", Chloe Fineman and Bowen Yang. Yang will be the first Asian actor in the series.
It is unclear whether "SNL" will hire an extra person to complete the casting without Gillis.
38PICTURES
Evolution of the monologue Saturday Night Live
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SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 1 – In the photo: Steve Martin in the October 13, 1979 monologue – (Photo: Fred Hermansky / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY LIVE NIGHT – Episode 3 – In the photo: Hugh Hefner in the Oct. 15, 1977 monologue – (Photo: NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 11 – In the photo: Garrett Morris and Cicely Tyson in the February 10, 1979 monologue – (Photo: Al Levine / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
Live Saturday Night – Episode 2 – Pictured: Malcolm McDowell at the Opening Monologue & # 39; of November 22, 1980 – Picture of: NBC / NBCU Photo Bank
Saturday night live – Episode 13 – On the photo: Host Ray Sharkey during the April 11, 1981 monologue – Photo by: Fred Hermansky / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank
Saturday night live – Episode 11 – Pictured: Charlene Tilton during the soliloquy on February 21, 1981 – Photo by: Alan Singer / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 13 – In the photo: Host Alec Baldwin during the monologue of February 13, 1983 (Photo by Al Levine / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY LIVE NIGHT – Episode 6 – On the photo: Jerry Lewis in the November 19, 1983 monologue – (Photo by: Alan Singer / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 15 – On the photo: Host Billy Crystal in the Monologue March 17, 1984 (Photo by Alan Singer / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
Saturday night live – Episode 2 – In the photo: Malcolm-Jamal Warner in the Oct. 10, 1986 monologue – Photo by: Alan Singer / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 18 – In the photo: Geena Davis in the April 22, 1989 monologue (Photo by Raymond Bonar / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 17 – Pictured: Dolly Parton in the April 15, 1989 monologue – (Photo: NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 15 – Pictured: Mary Tyler Moore at the 25 March 1989 monologue (Photo by Raymond Bonar / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 14 – Pictured: Oprah Winfrey at the April 14, 1986 monologue (Photo by Alan Singer / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
Saturday night live – Episode 20 – On the photo: Candice Bergen during the monologue of May 19, 1990 – Photo by: Raymond Bonar / NBCU Photo Bank
Saturday night live – Episode 19 – In the photo: Tom Hanks during the monologue of May 9, 2010 – Photo by: Alan Singer / NBCU Photo Bank
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 18 – Pictured: Jerry Seinfeld in the April 18, 1992 Monologue (Photo by Al Levine / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
Saturday night live – Episode 17 – In the photo: Sharon Stone (right) during the April 11, 1992 monologue – Photo by: Alan Singer / NBCU Photo Bank
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 15 – On the picture: Nancy Kerrigan on stage during the 12 March 1994 monologue – (Photo: Alan Singer / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 17 – In the photo: Steve Forbes in the April 13, 1996 monologue – (Photo: Alan Singer / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 9 – Released 01/23/1988 – Pictured: (right) host Robin Williams at the opening monologue on January 23, 1998. (Photo by Alan Singer / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 25 – In the photo: Will Ferrell as Steven Seagal and Jackie Chan at the May 20, 2000 monologue – (Photo: Mary Ellen Mathews / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 19 – Release Date 5/11/2002 – In the photo: Kirsten Dunst, host, during the monologue of May 11, 2002 – Photo by: Dana Edelson / NBCU Photo Bank
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 13 – Broadcast 03/02/2002 – On the photo: Host Jonny Moseley in the monologue on March 2, 2002 (photo by Dana Edelson / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 4 – Released on 10/30/2004 – Pictured: Kate Winslet on the stage during the monologue (Photo by Mary Ellen Matthews / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 17 – Broadcast 04/10/2004 – On the photo: host Janet Jackson in the April 10, 2004 monologue (photo by Dana Edelson / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 8 – Released on 12/10/2005 – On the photo: Alec Baldwin during the monologue on December 10, 2005 (Photo by Dana Edelson / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY LIVE NIGHT – Episode 2 – Released on 10/06/2007 – On the picture: actor Seth Rogen during the monologue on October 6, 2007 (Photo by Dana Edelson / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 15 – Released on 17/03/2007 – On the picture: Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the monologue of March 17, 2007 (Photo by Dana Edelson / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 22 – In the photo: Will Ferrell at the May 16, 2009 monologue (Photo by Dana Edelson / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 22 – On the photo: Justin Timberlake in the May 9, 2009 monologue (Photo by Dana Edelson / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 1612 of "Zooey Deschanel" – Pictured: Zooey Deschanel during the February 11, 2011 monologue– (Photo: Dana Edelson / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Jimmy Fallon / Justin Timberlake Episode 1651 – Pictured: Jimmy Fallon – (Photo: Dana Edelson / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 1647 of "Lady Gaga" – Pictured: Lady Gaga – (Photo: Dana Edelson / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode "Chris Hemsworth" 1691 – Pictured: Chris Hemsworth at the 12 December 2015 monologue – (Photo: Dana Edelson / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – "Tina Fey" Episode 1746 – Pictured: (left) Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan at the "Opening Monologue" at Studio 8H on Saturday, May 19, 2018 – (Photo by: Will Heath / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 1745 of "Amy Schumer" – Pictured: introduce Amy Schumer at the opening monologue in the 8H studio on Saturday, May 12, 2018 – (Photo by: Will Heath / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – Episode 1765 "Adam Sandler" – Pictured: Adam Sandler, Monologue Leader "I Fired Fired" on Saturday, May 4, 2019 – (Photo: Will Heath / NBC / NBCU Image Bank via Getty Images )
