Hi Contrarians,
Welcome to Issue #2 of Culture Clash, the newsletter in which, every other week, I’ll bring you exclusive interviews, deep dives on what is happening across the cultural sphere, and recommendations for what to read, watch, and listen to next.
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If you’ve been anywhere near the internet this week, you’ve probably heard more than you ever thought possible about two celebrity controversies — one involving an American Idol winner and a $15,000 animatronic bird at a twee Brooklyn magic shop, the other involving a schlubby comedian and his thoughts on how women should dress when they’re working out.
Since the Kelly Clarkson vs. the Art of Play discourse has already been exhausted, I’ll focus on the latter.
Over the weekend, comedian Shane Gillis hosted Saturday Night Live for the third time. The thirty-eight-year-old stand-up was hired to star in the sketch comedy show back in 2019, then quickly fired when offensive remarks from his past resurfaced. Getting axed from SNL somehow propelled Gillis and his regular-guy schtick to far greater popularity: in July, he set a record for the largest audience ever for a solo comedian, drawing more than 70,000 people to a show in Philadelphia.
Lorne Michaels, who said he was “angry” that NBC made him fire Gillis in the first place, has since invited him back to host SNL multiple times, with each appearance drawing both strong ratings and heightened scrutiny.
In his monologue Saturday night, Gillis was riffing about his efforts to get in shape when he went off on a tangent about women’s clothing. “I haven’t been to the gym in so long, I didn’t know women just dress like whores now. Look, I’m sorry. There’s no other way to describe — have you seen it? The shorts — have you seen the shorts?” he asked, going on to describe a style of butt-hugging shorts worn by a small subset of female gym-goers.
The monologue was an awkward misfire for many reasons, including a pointless story about hanging out in Joe Rogan’s sauna. But Gillis’s decision to take a misogynistic swipe at women, especially at a time when many of us are feeling outraged and deeply vulnerable, was particularly bad. The joke was not only sexist — it wasn’t remotely funny. Numerous celebrities, including Dan Levy and some SNL alumnae, have spoken out critically about the monologue, while Weekend Update co-anchor Michael Che tepidly defended it.
Alas, all this attention and free publicity will probably ensure that Gillis will return to host SNL next year.
Instead of spending more time dissecting one mediocre comedian, I wanted to highlight the work of performers who are a) funny, and b) not prone to using demeaning slurs to describe half the population. Maybe SNL can call up one of these talented comedians the next time they’re looking for a host?
Here are a few suggestions. (Please weigh in with your own!)
Julio Torres, a former writer on The Tonight Show and SNL, is known for his delightfully eccentric comedy (he is the genius behind the “Papyrus” sketch starring Ryan Gosling, easily one of the funniest things on SNL in the last decade). Check out his HBO series Los Espookys and Fantasmas.
Kate Berlant is another comedian known for her absurdist style. As luck would have it, her new stand-up special, Parmesan, premieres today on HBO. You should also check out her collaborations with the equally brilliant John Early, including the special Would It Kill You To Laugh (on Peacock) and the surreal influencer satire Maddie’s Secret.
Jaboukie Young-White first gained notice as a correspondent on The Daily Show and a favorite on pre-Musk Twitter, where he got in trouble for impersonating the FBI and CNN. He is currently on tour in the U.S.
Chris Fleming gained an online following through the web series Gayle, in which he starred as a middle-aged suburban mom. More recently, he starred in a stand-up special, Chris Fleming: Live at the Palace for HBO.
Ziwe blew up during the pandemic by conducting pointed interviews with celebrities on Instagram Live, then moved to Showtime with a variety show that lasted for two seasons. These days she’s still doing her iconic thing on YouTube and Substack.
Gus Heagerty does brilliant, hyper-specific characters on Instagram and TikTok (think: “Long Island Mom moving through something before her son’s game”) and is also on tour right now. Follow him; you won’t be sorry.
Highlights from The Contrarian
An interview with Julia Loktev, director of the gripping documentary My Undesirable Friends: Part II — Exile, which follows a group of young Russian journalists forced to flee their country after the invasion of Ukraine. They face peril at every turn, including assassination attempts, while continuing their vital work from abroad. Loktev describes the film as a “living history” chronicling the rise of fascism in Russia. “So much of what happened in Russia is now being echoed in the U.S.,” she said.
30 Rock turned 20 this week. Here’s a look at how the absurd comedy turned out to be eerily prescient.
Musk, a four-hour documentary about the world’s richest (and arguably most powerful) man, is tough but essential viewing. (It’s also expanding to theaters nationwide this weekend.)
Patricia McCormick, author of the YA novel Sold, talked about having the most banned book of the year in American schools. “I am really quite mystified as to why this book is banned,” she said.
Other news from the culture front:
In a statement released Wednesday, Faber announced it would no longer be able to sell novels by Sally Rooney in the United Kingdom. One of the best-selling and most acclaimed writers of her generation, Rooney has vowed to donate proceeds from her books to Palestine Action, which has been designated a terrorist group by the U.K. government. (The U.S. recently followed suit.) Faber is therefore unable to pass along the earnings from future book sales in the country, which it described as an “unconscionable” situation. “We remain the proud publisher of her remarkable body of work, which we will continue to sell in other territories,” said Faber.
In other Irish news, Mark Zuckerberg was roasted online this week for his apparent inability to enjoy a pint of Guinness like a normal person. Ironically, the viral clip of the Facebook co-founder barely masking his distaste for the bitter stout got far more attention than The Social Reckoning, Aaron Sorkin’s follow-up to The Social Network, which flopped at the box office last weekend.
This week, Lena Dunham announced that she’s bringing Girls back to HBO for a limited, five-episode run a decade after the series finale. The revival will reunite Dunham with original cast members Zosia Mamet, Jemima Kirke, and Allison Williams. Much like what happened the last time HBO brought back a generation-defining comedy about four women in New York City, fans are both excited and apprehensive.
This weekend marks the premiere of You Can See Everything, the wild Elizabeth Holmes documentary that’s getting rave reviews — or so I’m hearing. (I’m avoiding reading anything about the movie until I get the chance to see it for myself.)
Also in theaters this weekend is Once Upon a Time in Harlem, an absolutely spectacular documentary chronicling a 1972 gathering of artists and writers from the Harlem Renaissance. I’ll have a piece about it next week.
Thanks for reading! Culture Clash will be back in two weeks.
"Alas, all this attention and free publicity will probably ensure that Gillis will return to host SNL next year." I'll meet your alas and raise you an alack, Meredith. I'm old enough to have watched SNL's debut and used to be a faithful viewer, but the show has given the spotlight to WAY too many untalented, gratuitously offensive "comics" for me to tune in regularly. Clearly, I'm not SNL's target demographic.
No--he is tragic.