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MAGA-Friendly ‘SNL’ Host Walks Off Show Early in Unaired Footage

Shane Gillis’ abrupt exit drew comparisons to country star Morgan Wallen’s infamous 2025 departure.

Shane Gillis became Saturday Night Live’s second MAGA-friendly comedian to walk offstage during the show’s traditional “goodnights” segment on Saturday.

In a clip obtained by LateNighter, and not shown during SNL’s live airing this weekend, Gillis can be seen walking offstage before the goodbyes are over, exiting through the center of the stage as some cast members watch him leave.

The move follows country star Morgan Wallen’s walk-off during the “goodnights” in March 2025, after which he posted to Instagram, “Get me to God’s country.”

Unlike Wallen, Gillis exchanged pleasantries with a few cast members, including Tony Hinchcliffe acolyte Kam Patterson, before stepping offstage.

The Daily Beast has reached out to representatives for Gillis and SNL for comment.

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Gillis’ abrupt exit came during his third stint as SNL host—a remarkable comeback for a comedian fired from the show in 2019 before he even made his debut, after clips resurfaced of him using racist, homophobic, and other offensive language.

His latest appearance sparked fresh backlash over “misogynistic” comments about women’s gym attire, including a joke that women “dress like wh---s now.”

Schitt’s Creek creator and star Dan Levy called Gillis out for the comments in a video posted to Instagram: “Women wearing short shorts to the gym does not make them wh---s. It makes the men calling them ‘wh---s,’ misogynists. There’s a difference there.”

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Later in the show, Gillis shocked the audience by dropping an uncensored F-bomb during a Dr. Seuss-inspired sketch that parodied Green Eggs and Ham. Before his hasty departure during the “goodnights” segment, Gillis told the audience, “Sorry about earlier,” apparently referencing the accidental F-bomb.

The “red state” comedian is a favorite of SNL boss Lorne Michaels who, according to reports, hesitated to fire him amid the controversy over his offensive comments.

“Lorne was railroaded into it,” an unnamed NBC executive told Vulture at the time. The site also reported that Michaels “always wanted” a “red state” comedian on the cast.

Though Gillis is often lumped in with the MAGA crowd, he revealed that he did not vote for Donald Trump during an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience in August.

Gillis’ swift SNL exit drew comparisons to Wallen, who revealed that he walked off last year because he was “just ready to go home.” The country singer later capitalized on the perceived snub by selling merchandise featuring his “God’s country” message.

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Gillis’ third hosting stint comes just months after he set two Guinness World Records at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field in July. It also follows backlash over “racist” jokes about lynching at Netflix’s The Roast of Kevin Hart, which drew fiery responses from his fellow comedians.

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Eboni Boykin-PattersonEntertainment Reporter

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