Easy Come, Easy Go.

From L to R: Chloe Fineman, Shane Gillis, Bowen Yang

So many people are talking about this next Cancel Culture Moment.  It was recently released that SNL has new cast members coming,  and it was to be quite exciting.  The first gay Asian-American as an SNL regular, Bowen Yang, is about to have a moment.  I just hope he has some reverence for Alec Mapa.  Comic Actor, Chloe Fineman,  is set to have a great time this season, especially if Melania Trump or Marianne Williamson make more news.  Finally, this leaves Shane Gillis.  The comedian whose past not only caught up to him, but it took a sledgehammer to his career knees, and has left him unemployed as quickly as he was announced. 


Within a day after his announcement, the previous comments of Shane started to surface, even after his team tried to scrub the internet clean of his more memorable moments.  People have had a field day talking about him and raking him  over the comedy coals.  Why should I be any different?  I will own that there is a HUGE part of me that is dancing in the streets because hate speak and toxic masculinity gets another slap. There is a part of me that is worried that if I am ever on the brink of something fabulous like a SNL moment, it could be taken away from me because of something that I may have said or may have written in a moment of being a "crazy comedian."  It is scary.   It seems that our Cancel Culture makes comedic navigation tough.  Yet, as in the case of Mr. Gillis, he showed us ALL of his splendor. The ranting of a cis gender, heterosexual, white male comic,  sadly was not seen as funny.  It was disturbing and shady, just like his "apology".

 

I love social media, but the boomerang effect of social media is killing careers left and right.  You would think that the younger ones would take a moment before speaking in front of a hot mic or a camera and posting it.   I guess if you feel empowered by your rights of free speech, then the basic rule does not apply to you.  Free Speech is absolutely guaranteed to all of us, but we need to remember that it does not free you from the consequences of how it lands.  He says that he was "always a Mad TV guy anyway." We must admit that comment is a bit juvenile, and I bet he still does not think it was fair that he was fired.    Of course, Ms. Swan would have some choice words for him. 

It is really wonderful to watch the rising moments of folks who are finally making the great strides in the industry. The landscape is constantly changing, and to quote the lyrics of Stephen Sondheim, "you gotta get a gimmick", but is being seen as a homophobe and a racist a great career move?  Clearly the way he tried to scrub his internet presence, I would say NO. The other question that I have with the discovery of his "history", would it have been better if he owned up to it, and said "yeah I said it" , and just moved on without apology?  I think that more people would have respect for him and his "artistic choices", if he did.  The take away lesson is, don't be a D*****Bag.  It's not 1965 anymore, and this is not MAD MEN.   You cannot just say all of that foolishness and not get called on it.  As a performer, I empathize with the loss of a great gig, but from his apology, it doesn't really seem that he's learned anything from the experience. Just like with 45, he has a fan base, and something tells me that the Straight Pride people may have found a comedian to headline their next event.  Good Luck to Chloe Fineman and Bowen Yang.  I am sad that this event is clouding their great fortune, but as long as the check clears, they will work through it.