Democratic presidential candidateAndrew Yangis weighing in onSaturday Night LivenewcomerShane Gillis‘s resurfaced racial slurs.
On Thursday, just hours after the comedy show revealed its newest stars, who also include Chloe Fineman and Bowen Yang,a clip from September 2018began to circulate online, showing Gillis using racial slurs in his comedy.
On Saturday, the Democratic presidential candidate retweeted Gillis’response to the backlashof the clip. “My intention is never to hurt anyone but I am trying to be the best comedian I can be and sometimes that requires risks,” Gillis had tweeted in a message.
The politician addressed Gillis in his retweet, writing “I prefer comedy that makes people think and doesn’t take cheap shots.”
He added, “But I’m happy to sit down and talk with you if you’d like.”
Gillis used a slur against Yang in his comedy before. In anepisodeof theReal Ass Podcast, which aired in May, the comedian calls Andrew a “Jew ch—.” (The episode has since been taken down.)
While the clip immediately outragedSNLviewers and social media users with many of themcalling for him to be fired, Yang expressed that he does “not think he should lose his job.”
“We would benefit from being more forgiving rather than punitive. We are all human,” he explained.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic; Steven Ferdman/Getty Images
“Chinatown’s f—— nuts,” Gillis says to Matt McCusker in the clip. “Let the f—— ch— live there,” he adds.
Gillis continues his remarks when talking about eating at Chinese restaurants. “The translation between you and the waiter is such a f—— hassle, I’m pointing at it,” he says in the clip, mimicking Chinese accents.
Reps for both NBC andSNLdid not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
source: people.com
