Shane Gillis, the comedian set to host “Saturday Night Live” on February 24, is facing calls for an apology and donations from Asian advocacy groups. This comes after his past racist remarks led to his firing from the show in 2019.
Key Takeaway
Asian-American organizations are urging Shane Gillis to apologize for his past racist remarks and make donations as a step towards making amends for the hurt caused to the community.
Bad Timing and a Path Forward
Jo-Ann Yoo, the executive director of the Asian American Federation, expressed that Shane’s hosting is ill-timed, especially considering the hardships faced by the Asian community during the COVID-19 pandemic. She emphasized that Shane has the opportunity to make amends by contributing to the organization’s Hope Against Hate campaign and participating in their food tours to experience authentic Asian cuisine.
Norman Chen, the CEO of The Asian American Foundation, hopes for a sincere apology from Shane during his ‘SNL’ appearance. He stressed the impact of derogatory jokes on the Asian American community, highlighting the real-world consequences of such remarks.
Reaffirming Apology
While Shane previously apologized on social media after his ‘SNL’ firing, Norman Chen mentioned that the apology seems to have been removed from Shane’s account. The foundation is seeking confirmation of the apology’s validity and hopes that ‘SNL’ will provide a platform for Shane to reaffirm his regrettable comments.
Anticipated Response
All eyes will be on Shane’s opening monologue and any interactions with Bowen Yang, the first Asian-American cast member of ‘SNL.’
