About Shane Gillis

Shane Gillis is a stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and podcaster from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, who has become one of the fastest-rising and most culturally significant voices in comedy. After winning Philly's Funniest at Helium Comedy Club in 2016 and being named a Just For Laughs "New Face" in 2019, he was famously hired and fired by Saturday Night Live within five days, a controversy that ultimately accelerated his independent rise. His self-funded debut special Shane Gillis: Live in Austin (2021) accumulated over 30 million views on YouTube and Netflix, his Netflix follow-up Beautiful Dogs (2023) reached the Top 10 in five countries, and he returned to host SNL in 2024, a full-circle moment that confirmed his cultural arrival. His Netflix comedy series Tires, which he co-created and stars in, returned for a second season in 2025 to strong reviews. He co-hosts Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, the number-one podcast on Patreon by subscriber count. In 2026, Gillis is headlining arenas and stadiums normally reserved for rock concerts and sporting events: two nights at the United Center in Chicago (April 3–4), Bridgestone Arena in Nashville (April 17), three consecutive nights at TD Garden in Boston (May 7–9), Hollywood Bowl as part of Netflix Is A Joke (May 4), and a stadium show at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on July 17, one of the largest stand-up comedy events ever staged, in front of 67,000-plus fans.

Frequently Asked Questions about Shane Gillis

What can fans expect from a live Shane Gillis show?

Shane Gillis's live shows are known for their conversational, unfiltered delivery and a comedic voice rooted in working-class Pennsylvania life, small-town America, and the absurdity of everyday experience. His material tackles difficult topics with a directness that his fans find refreshing, and his arena performances have been praised for maintaining the intimate energy of a small club despite the massive scale. Shows run approximately 75–90 minutes of stand-up with no opening act on most dates.

What are Shane Gillis's comedy specials and projects?

His catalog includes Shane Gillis: Live in Austin (2021, 30M+ views on YouTube/Netflix), Beautiful Dogs (Netflix, 2023, Top 10 in five countries), Gilly & Keeves: The Special (2022, with John McKeever), and the Netflix comedy series Tires (Season 2, 2025). He co-hosts Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast with Matt McCusker — the number-one Patreon podcast by subscriber count, and hosted SNL in February 2024.

How did Shane Gillis go from being fired by SNL to headlining stadiums?

Gillis was hired and fired by Saturday Night Live in September 2019 after offensive podcast comments resurfaced. Rather than retreat, he leaned into independent comedy, self-funding specials, building a podcast empire, and developing his own TV projects. SNL creator Lorne Michaels later acknowledged he was unhappy with the firing, and Gillis returned to host the show in 2024. His trajectory from comedy club to Lincoln Financial Field is now cited as one of the defining stories of the podcast-era comedy boom.

Image Credit: “Shane Gillis at MOA” © Nemo1080 (Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0)

This cropped version is also licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.