The growing feud between comedians Shane Gillis and Chelsea Handler intensified this week after Gillis appeared to mock Handler’s criticism of his controversial performance during the Kevin Hart roast special.
Videos by Suggest
The dispute began after Handler publicly condemned Gillis and fellow comic Tony Hinchcliffe for jokes they made during Netflix’s The Roast of Kevin Hart. During an appearance on Deon Cole’s Funny Knowing You podcast, Handler accused both comedians of relying on offensive humor and said some of the material crossed the line.
“I knew enough about Tony and Shane, they’re racists, they’re bigots, they’re sexis,” she said. “I don’t find those jokes funny.”
“Lynching Black people is not a joke,” she went on to say. “It’s worse than rape.” Handler had expected a “gross vibe,” and didn’t enjoy Gillis’ more shocking jokes.
Gillis isn’t one to ignore an opportunity to make a cheeky or sarcastic statement, however, and responded in two ways.
Shane Gillis Undermines Chelsea Handler’s Criticisms
Although Tony Hinchcliffe shied away from giving a statement about Handler’s comments, Shane Gillis took the opportunity to jab back.
In a statement to Page Six, Shane Gillis said through a representative, “This is a big moment for Chelsea. I am glad she’s capitalizing. Good for her. We’re all rooting for her. Anyway come see me July 17th at the football stadium in Philly.”
You read that in his voice, didn’t you? Don’t lie to me.
Neither Gillis nor Handler has indicated any desire to end the public spat. Fans continued dissecting the exchange across social media platforms throughout the week, with clips from the roast and Handler’s radio interview circulating widely.
The controversy also reignited broader conversations about the boundaries of modern comedy. Gillis has built a career on edgy stand-up material and previously faced backlash in 2019 after resurfaced podcast clips led to his removal from “Saturday Night Live” before his first episode aired. Since then, he has remained a polarizing figure while continuing to grow his audience through stand-up specials and podcast appearances.