Shane Gillis, known for his stand-up career and Netflix comedy specials, is set to host Saturday Night Live on March 1. The choice is a bit of a head-scratcher for some, given his very brief stint as an SNL cast member in 2019 – which ended with his firing. But he was invited to host in February 2024 and clearly the show’s producers liked him enough to have him back a second time.
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Despite getting the boot from his original SNL gig, Gillis has made a successful career as a comedian, with a net worth in the millions. Here’s how he got his start and how much money he’s made along the way.
Shane Gillis started doing stand-up in 2012 in his home state of Pennsylvania. After moving to Philadelphia, he created a podcast with his roommate and fellow comedian Matt McCusker – called Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast – which he still runs today.
Over the next several years, he slowly built up his career by appearing on podcasts like The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson and Dan Soder and A Fair One with Tommy Pope. In mid-2019, he performed at Comedy Central’s Clusterfest, and on Sept. 12 he was added as a feature cast member on SNL along with Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman.
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Why did Shane Gillis get fired from SNL?
Gillis joined the SNL cast in September 2019, but was fired just days later when controversial comments he’d made on his podcast went viral. In the podcast episodes, he used slurs against the Chinese and LGBTQ+ communities and mocked East Asian accents.
The show was quick to part ways with Gillis, a decision which he reportedly understood. However, SNL creator Lorne Michaels disagreed, saying it was NBC executives who wanted to let go of Gillis and that it was an overreaction to the situation.
Gillis made a joke about it when he debuted as a host on SNL in 2024. “If you don't know who I am, please don't Google that,” he said in his opening monologue. Though some critics called the performance “uncomfortable” and “middling,” he’s back for a second round in March.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Shane Gillis (@shanemgillis)
Shane Gillis has an estimated net worth of $8 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He’s accrued his wealth through podcasting, comedy tours and projects like the Netflix series Tires, which he created and starred in.How much is Shane Gillis getting paid to host SNL?
Gillis revealed how much he was paid to host SNL in 2024 on The Joe Rogan Experience. “Guess how much money you get paid to host SNL?” he asked, answering his own question just a few seconds later: “$5,000.”
The $5,000 was for “a week of work,” as he said, which includes prep time for the show and the performance itself.
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How much does Shane Gillis make per comedy show?
It’s hard to say exactly what Gillis makes on tour, but he commands a high price for events. His page on Celebrity Talent International states the starting fee to book Gillis is in the $300,000-$499,000 range.
Although that may be an unimaginable fee to the average person, Gillis has proven himself worth it. His recent show at San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center set a record for comedy show ticket sales, with 16,868 tickets sold; breaking the previous record set by Dave Chappelle.
Related: The Real Story Behind Shane Gillis' 'SNL' Firing
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