WATCH: Bud Light pokes fun at marketing missteps in latest Shane Gillis ad



Just when you thought woke weirdness in commercials couldn't get any worse, along comes Jaguar as if to say, "Hold my beer."

Just as the iconic British carmaker drives its brand off a cliff with its latest ad, Bud Light continues to win back customers with its latest effort — its second spot starring stand-up Shane Gillis.

The Gillis campaign returns Bud Light to its pre-woke era, when the brand embraced comedy to appeal to its young, male customer base

As Blaze News reported in February, the beloved beer brand signed a marketing deal with Gillis in an attempt to repair the damage caused by its disastrous partnership with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney.

The latter caused conservatives to spearhead a boycott, which caused Bud Light to drop from the top-selling beer to the third, while parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev lost roughly $1.4 billion in sales. In a bit of meta-commentary, the spot — entitled "Wrong Commercial" — finds Gillis showing up at what he thinks is the set of his latest Bud Light commercial — only to encounter a snake-handling femme fatale and an existentially depressed guitarist (all shot in black and white).

"I think I'm in the wrong commercial," the flannel-clad Gillis announces, Bud Light in hand. "Yeah dude, this isn't right."

Meanwhile, the actor who is supposed to be in the avant-garde fragrance ad is at the Bud Light set: a raucous sports bar where he has the time of his life drinking beer, eating wings, and watching football.

Gillis' first Bud Light commercial debuted in September.

The Gillis campaign returns Bud Light to its pre-woke era, when the brand embraced comedy to appeal to its young, male customer base in a series of memorable ads, including "Real Men of Genius," "Bud Light Institute," "The Hitchhiker," "Paper or Plastic," "Magic Fridge," "Swear Jar," "Dog Sitter," and "Rock, Paper, Scissors."

This run ended in 2022 when the company promoted Alissa Heinerscheid to vice president of marketing, the first female to fill the role.

From the start, Heinerscheid was outspoken about her intentions to shake things up. During an interview in March 2023, Heinerscheid declared that Bud Light needs to welcome more "inclusivity."

"So I had this super clear mandate. It's like, we need to evolve and elevate this incredibly iconic brand," Heinerscheid proclaimed. "And my ... what I brought to that was a belief in, OK, what does evolve and elevate mean? It means inclusivity. It means shifting the tone. It means having a campaign that's truly inclusive and feels lighter and brighter and different and appeals to women and to men."

Heinerscheid expressed disgust for Bud Light's previous marketing campaigns.

"And we had this hangover. I mean, Bud Light had been kind of a brand of fratty, kind of out-of-touch humor, and it was really important that we had another approach," she stated.

You can watch the Shane Gillis Bud Light commercial below.

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Shane Gillis turns down 'Saturday Night Live' Trump role — five years after the show fired him



"Saturday Night Live" recently wooed comic Shane Gillis to portray former President Donald Trump on the late-night institution's 50th season — but this time around it was the short-lived cast member's turn to say "You're fired!"

Gillis revealed his former employer's offer — as well as his refusal thereof — during a recent appearance at the Skankfest comedy festival in Las Vegas.

In the last few years, Gillis has become known for his Trump impression. Last July he showed it off on the wildly popular comedy podcast "Kill Tony"; that episode garnered more than 20 million views on YouTube.

Comedian Luis J. Gomez told the crowd, “Nobody thought [Gillis] was coming to this festival this year.”

Gillis replied, "Explain why."

Gomez answered, “Because he was offered to play Trump on the entire season of 'SNL' and he turned it down to f***ing be here, folks.”

Gillis added, “They said, ‘Are you serious? You’re going to say no?’"

Gillis joked that he told "SNL" executive producer Lorne Michaels that he had to be at the comedy festival.

Almost exactly five years ago, Gillis scored his first "SNL" job offer — which was promptly rescinded just four days later after reports that Gillis had made "racist" remarks during a September 2018 episode of his "Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast."

At the time, Gillis apologized to "anyone who was actually offended" and said, "I respect the decision they made. I am honestly grateful for the opportunity."

Gillis was quick to rebound from his public "SNL" dismissal. Along with fellow comedian John McKeever, he created the sketch show "Gilly and Keeves," which racked up tens of millions of views and featured a sketch with Gillis portraying Trump attending a speed-dating event.

In September 2021, Gillis released his very first comedy special – "Shane Gillis Live in Austin." The special has more than 33 million views on YouTube.

In 2023, Gillis released his "Beautiful Dogs" special on Netflix, which introduced his impressive Trump impression to the masses. The special has a 92% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was the third-most-watched comedy special on Netflix.

In February, Gillis got a deal with Netflix for six episodes of his self-funded comedy series titled "Tires." "Tires" boasts an 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and was the top show on Netflix for a couple of days. In May, Netflix announced it would renew "Tires" for a second season and air another Gillis comedy special.

In the last few years, Gillis has become known for his Trump impression. Last July he showed it off on the wildly popular comedy podcast "Kill Tony"; that episode garnered more than 20 million views on YouTube.

Gillis finally made it to the "SNL" stage last February, when he hosted the show — and performed as the 45th president hawking his limited-edition sneakers.

In lieu of Gillis, "SNL" has comedic actor James Austin Johnson playing Trump this season. Alec Baldwin previously played the role.

In September, Michaels said there was a need to "reinvent" Trump because of his performance at the presidential debate.

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Was the 'Bud Light Boycott' effective? — Is the company STILL WOKE?



Bud Light essentially lost its fan base in 2023 when it partnered with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney — and it’s now attempting to correct course.

The company recently released a football-themed ad starring Shane Gillis that appears to be an attempt to shake off its disastrous LGBTQ-themed partnership, but Jill Savage and Matthew Peterson of “Blaze News Tonight” aren’t convinced the change is an honest one.

“The company apparently took notes,” Savage comments.

“You went from a transvestite to a canceled, red state-coded comedian who’s made a ferocious comeback and is incredibly popular,” Peterson says. “It’s very obvious; it’s transparent, in a way, what they’re doing.”

“I’m very suspicious of all of this,” he says. “What these companies have done for decades is subvert their brands and therefore America’s image.”

“That’s nice you have Shane Gillis on,” he adds, “we like that. And you’ve rejected some craziness and are showing that to us, but have you really changed as a company? What else are you hiding from me? I don’t know, I want to know, and I need to know as a consumer before I start making those choices with my dollars so that I’m not held hostage by woke capital.”

This is important because these companies fund the ideology that most Americans inherently disagree with.

“Something we need to do more of is shame these people with the power of media,” Peterson tells Savage. “You all out there can do that too. We’re going to do that together. We just shame these people and say, ‘What are you doing? Why are you doing this?’ and a lot of them will fold like a cheap suit.”


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Bud Light ditches fake chick for Shane Gillis



Bud Light has taken off its beer goggles.

The massive brand has learned a few lessons from its costly Dylan Mulvaney experiment. Among them: Fake chicks don't sell beer.

In a bid to transition from the ensuing boycott, Bud Light has hired comic Shane Gillis to star in a commercial that hearkens back to the kind of campaign that helped make it a household name.

Bud Light owner Anheuser-Busch had this to say about the partnership with Gillis:

Bud Light and football just go together. From the tailgate to the celebratory cheers in the stands to the round for friends at the bar, Bud Light is showing up for 21+ fans on gameday. Now, to rally college football fans across the country, Bud Light is introducing a new campaign in partnership with actor and comedian Shane Gillis, who stars and co-writes alongside longtime comedy partner John McKeever, who also directed the new content rolling out throughout the college football season.

'Bud Light came all the way back – UFC, Shane Gillis. Let's go!'

Titled "The Dean’s Office," the spot depicts a star football player called before college authorities to answer accusations of plagiarism. The dean offers him a bucket of Bud Light if he makes a confession.

No sooner is he about to oblige then his football coach (Gillis) butts in to confess his own embarrassing secret — and claim his reward.

Soon, everyone including the dean is making confessions — anything for a precious Bud Light.

The new beer ad was co-written by Gillis and longtime comedy partner John McKeever. The commercial also stars Steve Gerben — who co-stars with Gillis on the "Tires" sitcom.

"I like football and beer, especially Bud Light. It was fun to work with McKeever and Steve on this," Gillis said of the advertisement.

The commercial began airing August 31 during college football games on NBC, ABC, and ESPN.

Following the Dylan Mulvaney debacle, Bud Light dropped from the top-selling beer to the third, while parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev lost roughly $1.4 billion in sales since the transgender activist controversy.

Alissa Heinerscheid, marketing VP behind the ill-fated Mulvaney campaign, has said she chose the bizarre spokesman as a way to correct the brand's "fratty ... out-of-touch humor."

"And we had this hangover. I mean, Bud Light had been kind of a brand of fratty, kind of out-of-touch humor, and it was really important that we had another approach," Heinerscheid declared before being replaced.

Despite many celebrities dumping Bud Light over the Dylan Mulvaney boycott, Gillis continued to drink the controversial beer brand.

"Bud Light came all the way back — UFC, Shane Gillis. Let's go! I mean, that's a good move," Joe Rogan noted on his podcast. "Listen, I'm so happy. It just made so much sense. You never let them go. You never bailed on them," Rogan told Gillis. "In the heart of all the craziness, you never bailed on them. Kid Rock is shooting cases of it."

Rogan pitched the idea of Gillis being the new spokesperson for Bud Light during an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" in May 2023.

In March, Bud Light became the official beer sponsor of UFC.

The red-hot stand-up comedian has been on a massive winning streak after he was fired from "Saturday Night Live" in 2019. Gillis was fired from "SNL" just four days after being hired after it was reported that he made remarks deemed to be racist during an episode of his "Matt & Shane's Secret Podcast."

The talented comedian self-funded his first comedy special — “Shane Gillis: Live in Austin” — that has garnered more than 31 million views on YouTube. His comedy special “Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs” was a top-10 Netflix show in 2023. The Gillis-led scripted comedy series "Tires" debuted as Netflix's second-most watched show in May and has already been renewed for a second season.

Gillis stars in the online "Gilly and Keeves" comedy skit show. "Matt & Shane's Secret Podcast" is the most popular podcast on Patreon. Despite being terminated by "SNL," Gillis hosted "Saturday Night Live" in February. And he just capped off a successful stand-up tour — sponsored by Bud Light.

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The Obi-Wan factor: 5 celebs whose cancellation made them stronger



A classic “Star Wars” line speaks volumes about today’s culture. Two, actually.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Han Solo warned in “Star Wars,” a sentiment that applies to virtually every part of America in 2024.

Wallen’s fans recognized both his contrite nature and the two-tier approach to his 'crime.' A Biden family member? Move along, nothing to see here. A beloved country star? Get ‘em!

The other? “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine,” Alec Guinness’ Obi-Wan Kenobi told Darth Vader moments before the villain did just that.

And, spoiler alert, Vader regretted it.

The modern left has tried to cancel several prominent personalities in recent years. Yet, one by one, they not only survived but came back stronger than ever.

In no particular order.

Bari Weiss

The New York Times scribe famously fled the paper in 2020 via a scathing open letter. The left-leaning journalist had had enough of the Old Gray Lady’s extreme bias. The newspaper, in turn, refused to defend her against fellow employees. They called Weiss a Nazi, a racist, and more.

The paper likely figured Weiss would wish she had clammed up and took the abuse.

Hardly.

Weiss picked herself up and joined the Substack revolution. Her newsletter quickly became one of the platform’s most popular feeds. And she wasn’t done.

Weiss went on to create The Free Press, a news outlet dedicated to news, not narrative. The platform became so successful, the New York Times ran a snippy profile on Weiss and her new creation earlier this month.

The newspaper that couldn’t defend her against gross accusations now sees her as more than a rival. Her Free Press is a threat to its news monopoly.

Joe Rogan

The Spotify superstar already stood atop the podcasting world in 2021. And then the usual suspects — as well as a posse of aging rock rebels — allied to bring him down.

Rogan took an adversarial tone to the left’s pandemic response. "Wait," he said. "Why can’t we talk to vaccine critics like Dr. Robert Malone? Should young, healthy people take an experimental vaccine? And if Rogan’s doctors said to take ivermectin as part of a 'kitchen sink' approach to battling COVID-19, why not?"

Rogan didn’t get every pandemic-related item right. Neither did any corporate media outlet, and Rogan never claimed to be a news source.

But by questioning The Narrative(TM) he drew the ire of Neil Young and, by extension, the left. Young yanked his music from Spotify, demanding the company release Rogan. Fellow AARP icons Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, and David Crosby followed suit.

The left, smelling blood in the water, unearthed old footage during which Rogan used the N-word. He said it without malice and never taunting a person of color, but the lowlight reel forced a rare apology from the comic podcaster.

Things looked grim, and the liberal press piled on.

Except Spotify CEO Daniel Ek stood by Rogan. And, when the smoke cleared, the podcaster renewed his contract and returned to outside platforms like iTunes and YouTube, drastically expanding his cultural reach.

Rogan later spearheaded a comedy revolution in Austin, Texas. His Comedy Mothership is the city’s unofficial stand-up hub, and major talents like Roseanne Barr, Tyler Fischer, Tom Segura, and Tony Hinchcliffe relocated to Austin to partake in Rogan’s free expression revolution.

The 2024 Rogan is bolder than ever, exposing media bias and pushing free speech from his Spotify perch.

Shane Gillis

The husky stand-up forged his fame via his self-deprecating delivery and apolitical musings. He even caught the eye of Lorne Michaels, the guru behind “Saturday Night Live.”

Gillis signed on to join the show’s 45th season, giving the show a voice that wasn’t part of the doctrinaire left.

He had arrived, but social justice warriors begged to differ. They found some of his old podcast routines featuring crude Asian imitations. Gillis was gone, having never set foot on “SNL’s” hallowed stage.

Some SNL regulars fade into the Hollywood woodwork following their show exit. Surely Gillis would fare the same, if not worse.

Except he refused to slink away.

Gillis leaned on YouTube, his loyal fan base, and social media to rebuild his brand. And it worked. He became part of the comedy rebellion, stand-ups who refused to play by the left’s rules. He was neither conservative nor liberal. He was ... funny.

And his star just kept rising.

Need proof? SNL swallowed its corporate pride and invited Gillis on to host an episode earlier this year. That, plus a starring role in the Netflix comedy series “Tires,” proved Gillis out-hustled his critics.

Megyn Kelly

The Fox News superstar left the channel in 2017 for a cushy daytime gig at NBC. Her self-titled talk show struggled in the ratings, leaving her vulnerable on two fronts.

Her Fox News fame had left a permanent target on her back. Weak ratings meant the Peacock network’s investment wasn’t panning out.

So when during a discussion about "offensive" Halloween costumes Kelly wondered aloud why blackface was out of bounds, the left pounced. Kelly’s apology wasn’t enough.

That gave NBC an excuse to cut ties with Kelly even though the network was on the hook for part of her remaining salary.

It seemed unlikely Kelly would slink back to Fox News, and the blackface “scandal” meant no mainstream outlet would take a chance on her. She turned to podcasting, marshalling her velvety voice and hard-news chops to lap the competition.

It worked. The show caught fire, attracting major news players and celebrities alike. The podcast grew and grew, catching the eye of SiriusXM suits.

The satellite service snatched “The Megyn Kelly Show” up, acknowledging its power in an increasingly cluttered media landscape.

Why? Kelly’s brand of reportage is smart, sophisticated, and backed by facts. She slices through corporate media lies and offers transparency at a time when it’s sorely needed.

She even snagged a voice gig on “Mr. Birchum,” the Daily Wire’s irreverent cartoon series to cap her improbably comeback.

Morgan Wallen

The country music star angered the left by defying COVID-19 protocols early in the pandemic. And, as a straight, white country crooner, he checked more unwelcome boxes on the identity politics ledger.

In February 2021, TMZ leaked footage of a drunken Wallen uttering the “N-word.” He didn’t target a person of color, it was just dumb talk amongst friends. Very dumb talk.

Wallen’s career evaporated overnight.

Radio stations boycotted his music. His representatives cut ties with him. Country music awards shows blocked him from attending their galas.

Wallen apologized, went to rehab, and appeared genuinely forlorn about the matter.

Few stars have fallen that far, that fast, for a word uttered away from the stage and without malice. Months later, we’d learn that first son Hunter Biden repeatedly used the N-word in text messages.

Zero repercussions.

Wallen’s fans recognized both his contrite nature and the two-tier approach to his “crime.” A Biden family member? Move along, nothing to see here. A beloved country star? Get ‘em!

Wallen gingerly crept back into the spotlight, and his fans were waiting for him. And how.

“Morgan Wallen Dominated The American Music Industry In 2023 Like No One Else Could,” screamed the Forbes.com headline.

Joe Rogan is not funny



This article is bound to provoke strong reactions, so let’s not waste any time angering the masses. Joe Rogan’s stand-up comedy is not very good. Some could argue that it’s objectively awful.

For those in doubt, feel free to check out his latest Netflix special, "Burn the Boats." After a six-year hiatus, following 2018’s "Strange Times," itself an underwhelming affair, "Burn the Boats" was highly anticipated. Rogan spent four years preparing for this moment, even opening his own comedy club in Austin to refine his material.

Consider the output of Rogan’s close friends — Mark Normand, Shane Gillis, and Tony Hinchcliffe. Watching them perform feels like seeing a fleet of F1 cars zoom by while an old Lada stutters along in the background.

Unfortunately, the special fails to live up to expectations, leaving fans and critics alike questioning whether Rogan has lost his comedic edge entirely — or if he ever had one to begin with.

Old jokes

One of the most glaring issues with "Burn the Boats" is Rogan’s reliance on old material and tired jokes. For a comedian of his stature, all these years of preparation should have resulted in fresh, original content. Instead, the special feels like a retread of his past work, with recycled jokes and premises that longtime fans have already heard.

This includes a masturbation joke that Rogan first told in his 2010 special, "Talking Monkeys in Space." Repeating old content is considered a cardinal sin in comedy, yet Rogan shamelessly resorts to it, betraying the trust of his audience. For a comedian with his reputation, this laziness is inexcusable.

To be clear, the 57-year-old is a phenomenal podcaster, a skilled interviewer, and an affable personality who can engage with a wide range of guests, from UFC fighters to philosophers. However, the qualities that make him a great podcaster do not translate to stand-up comedy.

The sad reality is that Rogan is not a great comic; he’s not even a good one. In "Burn the Boats" he attempts to make up for his lack of content by shouting and making weird faces, but these antics only serve to highlight the weakness of his material.

'Meathead nonsense'

Rogan recently angered many of his fans by essentially endorsing RFK Jr. and praising a speech by Kamala Harris. While Rogan is certainly entitled to his own political opinions, his latest special risks alienating not just his fan base but also comedy purists in general. "Burn the Boats" has effectively burned Rogan’s credibility as a comedian. With an IMDb rating of just 4.8, the special has been met with brutal — and accurate — criticism from viewers.

One disgruntled viewer expressed frustration: “You expect a certain amount of meathead nonsense and conspiracy talk which may or may not be genuine. But the thing I've always found grating has now become a constant in this show: yelling everything as though he doesn't have a microphone.”

Another viewer echoed this sentiment: “'Burn the Boats' ... is a colossal disappointment. The performance is plagued by excessive yelling and exaggerated expressions, which quickly become tiresome.”

But all is not lost. Rogan still has at least one high-profile fan. Adam Sandler recently appeared on "The Joe Rogan Experience" and lauded the special.

However, it’s important to note that the Brooklyn-born banterer is an actor — and a very good one at that. The manner in which he praised Rogan as a comic — without actually laughing — was so convincing that it was almost Oscar-worthy. Sandler’s commendation felt more like a courtesy nod to a fellow entertainer than a genuine endorsement of Rogan’s comedic abilities.

Movieweb aptly labeled the special a “boring showcase for the Dunning-Kruger effect," and frankly, it’s hard to argue with that assessment. The whole affair felt like a master class in how not to be self-aware. Rogan stumbled through jokes that landed with the thud of a bad Yelp (or IMDb) review.

Sycophant psych-out

In stark contrast, consider the output of Rogan’s close friends — Mark Normand, Shane Gillis, and Tony Hinchcliffe — all comedic powerhouses in their own right. Watching them perform feels like seeing a fleet of F1 cars zoom by while an old Lada stutters along in the background. The contrast in speed, skill, and sheer entertainment is undeniable. Normand’s rapid-fire wit, Gillis’s razor-sharp observations, and Hinchcliffe’s caustic jabs only serve to accentuate Rogan’s deficiencies.

Jay Mohr, another stand-up comic renowned for his comedic dexterity, astutely observed that Rogan is surrounded by sycophants — individuals who either lack the courage or are too eager to perform at his comedy club to tell him when he's missing the mark. One can't help but think this insular, emperor's-new-clothes bubble of adulation has allowed Rogan's ego to inflate unchecked, leading to audience frustration and scathing reviews.

As far as comedy goes, I am no longer interested in buying what he’s selling. The ship has sailed, and that boat has been thoroughly burned. Joe Rogan is talented, but he's certainly not funny.

Shane Gillis rocks Austin, Texas, as Donald Trump



Former president Donald Trump made a triumphant return to the spotlight at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Tuesday, his bandaged ear a reminder of the assassination attempt he'd survived just two days earlier at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, the latest episode of the popular comedy podcast "Kill Tony" featured the triumphant return of comic Shane Gillis' famous impression of the 45th president — this time performed in full Trump regalia.

The episode, as usual recorded live at Austin, Texas, venue Comedy Mothership, started with a special, top-secret guest: "Joe Biden" (portrayed by comic Adam Ray). After slowly walking out on stage with a vacant grin, Ray joined host Tony Hinchcliffe and his producer Brian Redban on the dais to watch show regular Casey Rocket warm up the crowd.

Ray's Biden-esque rambling was then cut off by patriotic, MAGA-themed video montage, leading into Gillis' entrance as Trump.

As in Milwaukee, the crowd erupted.

While the episode was prerecorded on July 8, the timing for its release could not have been better.

'This man, showered with his daughter. Do you believe this?'

Gillis and Ray stayed in character for nearly two-and-a-half hours, exchanging presidential jabs, with Gillis honing in on certain creepy allegations about the incumbent.

When a guest comedian revealed getting married at 17 years old, Gillis joked that it was a great age for "showering with your dad, the way [Biden's] daughter did."

"Look it up! You're going to be very, very surprised that this guy, this man, showered with his daughter. Do you believe this? Till she was 13," he added.

"I love my family!" Ray replied, displaying the trademark Biden smirk.

Gillis was referring to the diary of Biden's daughter Ashley, in which she recorded a disturbing childhood memory of showering with her father.

"Was I molested? I think so," she wrote.

The faux presidents also touched on foreign policy. After a performance by a former Army Ranger, who revealed he had been deployed to Afghanistan three times, host Tony Hinchcliffe remarked that Trump did not get the credit that he deserved for ending the war in the Middle East.

Gillis as Trump then jabbed at Biden's botched pullout from Afghanistan: "I wanted out of there and then what Joe did ... what an absolute disgrace, this was horrible."

The Ranger agreed and said that he would be voting for Trump in 2024, as he did in 2020.

The crowd's genial reaction to Gillis' antics revealed something "Kill Tony" fans have known for a long time: The liberal, anti-Trump stranglehold on comedy is weakening.

Just contrast Gillis' generally affectionate ribbing of Trump with the tone-deaf attempt at humor by Jack Black's Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass. While playing a concert in Australia the day after the shooting, Black sang "Happy Birthday" to Gass, then asked him to make a wish.

Gass jokingly asked that any future would-be assassin not "miss Trump next time." The chilly response to Gass' remark, both at the venue and online, would seem to indicate that the appetite for such ideologically driven Trump "humor" has dwindled.

Instead of tired Orange-Man-Hitler material, Gillis and Ray both offered exaggerated yet fundamentally accurate portrayals of Trump and Biden, respectively. If Gillis' Trump came off better, it wasn't because of some kind of partisan bias on the part of the show.

In other words, it's funny because it's true. The raucous response that night from an audience in one of America's most notoriously liberal towns offers a hopeful sign that real comedy — the type that puts laughter before politics — will never go out of style.

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World Famous Comedians Shane Gillis, Adam Ray Parodied Trump And Biden Last Night — It Was Absolutely Hilarious

'I can't wait to smell her head'

Anti-woke comedy wins as Matt Rife, Tom Segura, and Shane Gillis specials dominate Netflix viewership



The biggest comedy specials on Netflix are predominantly from the most politically incorrect comedians, according to recent numbers released by the platform.

Comedians Matt Rife, Tom Segura, and Shane Gillis had the biggest streaming numbers for stand-up comedy specials on Netflix in the latter half of 2023, capitalizing on what most feel like is a return to uncensored comedy.

Rife has been particularly successful after "Matt Rife: Natural Selection" dominated streaming with a total of 13.5 millions hours watched on Netflix. Variety reported the special garnered over 10 million views in its first few weeks. It also reached the Netflix top 10 in 42 countries.

This parlayed into two more comedy specials on the platform for Rife, and according to Deadline, he is in the development stage for a sitcom with Netflix.

Rife had previously faced cancelation attempts for making a joke about a Baltimore waitress with a black eye. After the media's attempt to re-educate him, Rife posted an image from his stand-up special on his social media page with the caption, "If you've ever been offended by a joke I've told — here's a link to my official apology."

The link read, "Tap to solve your issue." Anyone who clicked was sent to a website selling "special needs helmets."

'It seems to me that there's always been policing of comedy, of there being ... guardrails.'

Second on Netflix's stand-up viewership was Segura's "Sledgehammer," which was watched for 12.2 million hours.

Not only has Segura had a slew of successful specials and two top-50 comedy podcasts, he has also managed to take unique ideas on the road. Along with athletes and fellow comedians, Segura recently hosted a "Punt, Pass, and Kick" event that blurred the lines between comedy and live entertainment.

The comic successfully capitalized on Super Bowl week in Las Vegas by holding the football-themed event. He also did promotions with MGM, hosted a blackjack tournament, and performed a stand-up show.

While Segura is rarely seen as offensive, he certainly does not play by the rules. His circle of friends that include Bert Kreischer, Joe Rogan, and more, also do not appeal to woke audiences

The same cannot be said for the third-highest ranking special on Netflix, Gillis' "Beautiful Dogs."

The words "retarded," "gay," and impressions of Donald Trump all make it into Gillis' typical shows, and that included his appearance as the host of "Saturday Night Live" in February 2024.

Gillis explained that he chose to hide some of his choice words from his rehearsal but added that "the right people" knew what he was going to say. The earth-shattering appearance landed him a new special on Netflix, along with the platform picking up his show "Tires," which debuted in May 2024.

Rounding out the top-viewed comedy specials was a surprising entry called "Where Was I" from former Comedy Central host Trevor Noah. It had 6.3 million hours watched.

Not so surprising, however, was Ricky Gervais' "Armageddon" and Dave Chappelle's "The Dreamer."

The numbers for those two were actually shocking given Gervais' special came out Christmas Day 2023 and Chappelle's a few days later on New Year's Eve. The specials garnered 8.4 million and 2.1 million hours watched, respectively, before 2023 ended.

Gervais, who has always been against political correctness, recently said he felt like the left wing has positioned themselves as the arbiter of comedy.

"It seems to me that there's always been policing of comedy, of there being ... guardrails," he told Fox News. "I think the difference is that it used to feel like it was the Right that was policing it. It feels like it’s the Left that’s doing it now, and it’s allowed the Right to become the arbiters of free speech. Which does feel like quite a significant shift."

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'I didn't do it at rehearsal': Shane Gillis explains how he got his hilarious uncensored SNL monologue to air

'I didn't do it at rehearsal': Shane Gillis explains how he got his hilarious uncensored SNL monologue to air



Comedian Shane Gillis explained that the only reason he was allowed to perform his allegedly offensive monologue was a combination of omitting certain words and keeping his content close to his chest.

Gillis' 2024 return to "Saturday Night Live" after being fired in 2019 was met by an incredible outpouring of praise and support. The appearance was immediately followed by Netflix picking up his self-funded sitcom.

The comedian's monologue was not well received by all, however. For example, radio host Dean Obeidallah said that Gillis' jokes "ridicule vulnerable communities," calling him racist and offensive and claiming that he operates in a "world of bigotry."

Gillis made a post-"Saturday Night Live" appearance on the "LOS Podcast," hosted by popular comedians Jay Oakerson, Luis Gomez, and Dave Smith.

Gomez asked Gillis about his monologue and whether the NBC powers that be knew that he was going to use words typically forbidden on network TV.

"Did they know you were going to say 'gay' and 'retarded' in the monologue? They had to, right? They knew it [and] said do what you're going to?"

"No, I didn't do it at rehearsal," Gillis explained. "There was a lot! There was like 'nobody's ever worn a T-shirt, you can't wear a T-shirt, you got to wear a jacket,'" Gillis recalled being told.

"I was like 'I'll wear a watch with it,' they like 'fine,'" he added.

"They didn't know you were going to say gay and ... did they say anything afterwards?" Gomez continued to ask.

"Some people knew. I told the right people," Gillis revealed.

After he was asked if executive producer Lorne Michaels — the man who inspired the character Dr. Evil — knew about the particulars of the jokes, Gillis said "no," with a coy wink.

Gillis further explained, however, that when he tried to reveal the content of his jokes to Michaels, the producer said he didn't want to know.

"He was very supportive, 'cause I kept telling him what I was going to say and he was literally just like 'don't tell me, just do it.' 'Cause he doesn't want to have, I'm sure he didn't want to have any —"

"He wants no accountability?" Gomez interjected as he laughed.

"He was like 'you're here, I trust you,'" Gillis concluded.

Gillis told jokes on the NBC sketch-comedy show about how he has many people with Down syndrome in his family. He then used the word "retarded" in a joke about how it would be a great moment for the country if three black children defended his young niece (who has Down syndrome) after she was insulted by a white child.

Despite apparent offense being taken by some media critics, actor Chris Burke came out in defense of Gillis.

Burke appeared on the TV show "Life Goes On" from 1989 to 1993 as the first actor with Down syndrome to star in a TV series.

TMZ reported that Burke said it would be more offensive for comedians to exclude people with Down syndrome from jokes. He also noted that it didn't seem like Gillis was making jokes out of ignorance.

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