Travis Kelce has drawn fresh scrutiny from Taylor Swift’s fanbase after the NFL star publicly endorsed Shane Gillis’ divisive “Saturday Night Live” monologue.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, 37, tapped the like button on the NBC program’s official Instagram video of Gillis’ six-minute opening set this past weekend, according to multiple reports. The gesture surfaced as social media users began cataloguing celebrity reactions to the comedian’s inflammatory remarks about women.
A source close to Kelce exclusively said that “he’s always been a massive fan of the show and he was supporting a friend.” The insider’s explanation did little to quell the backlash from Swift’s devoted followers, who flooded social platforms with criticism of the athlete’s apparent endorsement.
Gillis, 38, has cultivated an unlikely friendship with Kelce through the tight end’s annual Tight End University summit in Nashville. The comedian made a surprise appearance at the June gathering, joining Kelce, San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle and retired tight end Greg Olsen onstage. Gillis later participated in the post-event festivities following Swift’s concert in the city.
The Pennsylvania native has now hosted “SNL” three times, a remarkable rehabilitation given his brief and tumultuous history with the program. He was originally cast in 2019 but fired within a week after podcast clips resurfaced in which he deployed racist and homophobic slurs.
Kelce’s own “SNL” tenure has been considerably smoother. The three-time Super Bowl champion made his hosting debut in March 2023, and both he and Swift appeared as cameos during the Season 49 premiere that October.
The controversy ignited by Gillis’ latest monologue extended well beyond Kelce’s social media activity. The comedian’s remarks about female gym-goers drew immediate condemnation from fellow entertainers.
“I haven’t been to the gym in so long, I didn’t realize women just dressed like whores now,” Gillis told the studio audience, eliciting a scattered response of laughs and groans. He pressed further, describing the athletic wear as “neon” and “like artificial bait color,” before adding, “The wrinkles go around the cheeks and all combine at the butthole.”
“And don’t look, you’re not allowed to look. For real, don’t look because they are filming. I’m in the background of about 10 TikToks right now,” he continued. Gillis also let slip an uncensored f-bomb during the broadcast, then broke character to apologize for the profanity.
Dan Levy was among the most prominent voices condemning the routine. The Emmy Award winner took to Instagram on Sunday to label Gillis a “misogynist” in a video addressed to his followers.
“Women wearing short shorts to the gym does not make them whores,” Levy stated. “It makes the men calling them whores misogynists. There’s a difference there.”
“By the way, I’ve seen more men’s nipples at the gym than I’ve ever seen women showing their bodies off,” he added. “I’m speechless that something like that can exist on live national television.”
Levy concluded his remarks by declaring that “more men need to be standing up in opposition” to such behavior.
Former “SNL” cast member Ego Nwodim responded with pointed satire, posting a workout photo to her Instagram Stories on Monday alongside the caption “whore reporting for duty.” In the image, she flashed a peace sign while dressed in a black long-sleeve top, leggings and sneakers.
Country-pop artist Maren Morris also registered her disapproval through Instagram, sharing a Reel of herself giving Gillis the middle finger with the written message, “leave my gym short wedgie out of it.”
Not all reactions were condemnatory. Radio personality Bobby Bones praised the monologue on his Monday podcast, admitting that “for the most part,” he found the bit “pretty funny.”
“He just kind of goes at it,” Bones said about Gillis. “Got to respect that he takes chances up there.”
The divide in responses has kept the story circulating across platforms, with Kelce’s involvement amplifying attention given his high-profile relationship with Swift. The singer’s fans have historically scrutinized her romantic partners’ public behavior, and the tight end’s social media activity has proven no exception.
The outlet has reached out to Kelce’s representative for comment.
The Chiefs are scheduled to open their regular season on September 4 in Kansas City against the Baltimore Ravens.