Shane Gillis's ESPYs Monologue Sparks Widespread Division Among Viewers and Critics

Comedian Shane Gillis hosted the 2025 ESPY Awards on Wednesday, July 16, delivering an opening monologue that elicited sharply polarized reactions from both the live audience and online observers. His performance, characterized by edgy and often controversial humor, quickly became a central topic of discussion across social media and news outlets. The comedian himself acknowledged the mixed reception, quipping during his set, "I see a lot of you don't like me and that's okay. That went about exactly how we all thought it was going to go."

Gillis targeted various prominent figures and topics within sports and beyond, including WNBA star Caitlin Clark, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, soccer player Megan Rapinoe, former President Donald Trump, and even a reference to Jeffrey Epstein. One joke about Caitlin Clark's post-retirement plans drew particular scrutiny, as did his quips about women's sports. ESPN personality Sarah Spain publicly criticized Gillis, stating via X that he "doesn’t even try to make clever jokes about women athletes."

The audience inside the Dolby Theatre displayed a range of reactions, from laughter to noticeable silences and scattered boos. Gillis notably tested the audience's knowledge of the WNBA by introducing a fake "four-time WNBA All-Star Brittany Hicks," to whom the crowd applauded, before revealing she was his friend's wife. This moment underscored his commentary on the perceived superficiality of some reactions.

Online, the sentiment was equally divided. While some social media users echoed the critical views, others, like the user "Keyboard Monkey -KBM-," praised Gillis, stating, "Shane Gillis absolutely killed it at the Espy’s last night 🤣… finally someone doing real comedy again. Audience were a bunch of cucks tho." This sentiment reflected a segment of viewers who appreciated his unvarnished comedic style.

Despite the significant backlash and widespread debate, reports indicate that ESPN remained "unbothered" by the polarizing nature of Gillis's monologue. The comedian, known for his boundary-pushing humor and having previously been dropped from Saturday Night Live before returning to host, seemed to embrace the contentious reception, aligning with his established comedic persona. His performance has been framed by some as a "litmus test" for contemporary cultural sensitivities in comedy.