Classic ‘SNL’ vs. Today’s Cast Captures Show’s Shocking Decline

Dana Carvey has seen it all during his decades in Hollywood.

The “Saturday Night Live” alum has headlined major films, toured the country and was part of one of the show’s greatest casts.

Rob Schneider. Adam Sandler. Phil Hartman. Jan Hooks. Chris Farley. And more.

Carvey still can’t understand the week-long hand-wringing over a single quip on an “SNL” monologue. The joke, from guest host Shane Gillis, poked fun at the way some women dress at the gym.

“I haven’t been to the gym in so long, I didn’t know women just dress like whores now.”

The Legacy Media and woke comics decried the line. Yet Carvey can’t understand what the fuss is all about. He shared his confusion on his “Fly on the Wall” podcast.

“I just didn’t understand the kerfuffle, only because to me, I saw it as what we call – I’ll just say it – a joke … Like, when you say jokes, you’re not literally saying women are whores. You are literally joking. Isn’t that kind of the idea? No? Did I just get canceled? Wasn’t it a joke?”

Yes, it was. Carvey came of age during the 1990s, a time when comedians were allowed to tell jokes and they weren’t treated like heads of state. He also knows “SNL” was once a daring comedy showcase, allowing all kinds of gags without worrying about apologizing for any.

That approach got shelved during the woke era, a time when comedy came under direct attack. Film comedies also crumbled under the movement. “The Hangover” director Todd Phillips said as much, one reason he pivoted to superhero fare with two “Joker” films.

That woke fog has begun to lift in recent years. Roast comedies came roaring back, and comic actors attempted to revive old-school, R-rated comedies with very mixed results.

Gillis’ crack invited woke warriors to resume censoring comedy and curbing free speech. They crave a return to the speech police, and by “They” we mean Legacy Media outlets and the Left.

The former fueled the cultural toxicity and the latter enforced it. Sadly, the latter includes current “SNL” player Kenan Thompson.

The “SNL” veteran has been a cast member on the series for 23 years. That gave him a ringside seat for the show’s shocking decline. A program that once minted comedy superstars on the regular no longer does so.

“SNL” also once hit both sides of the political aisle. That went the way of the pager and 8-track tape.

Worst of all?

“SNL” is no longer brave, cutting edge or counter-culture in any fashion. It’s Regime Comedy, attacking the “approved” targets and ignoring those that the mainstream Left promotes.

• Vice President Kamala Harris
• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
• Rep. Ilhan Omar
• Hunter Biden
• Hasan Piker
• President Joe Biden

“SNL” now stands for safe comedy, which may explain Thompson’s reaction to GillisGate.

If Shane Gillis were to come back to SNL, “I’m sure we would have a conversation … like a little kid” about what he could have done differently, @nbcsnl cast member @KenanThompson tells @sarafischer at #MediaTrendsLive. https://t.co/Y6wFcpC9dH

— Axios (@axios) October 20, 2026

“If [Gillis] were to come back [on ‘SNL’] I’m sure we would have a conversation of like, ‘how do you think that went?’ … like a little kid, ‘what do you think we could change there, pal, and just figure it out.”

That “little kid” broke a Guiness World Record for most tickets sold to a comedy club. Has Thompson done anything remotely comparable?

He wasn’t done with his scolding. Here, he examines the balance “SNL” seeks when it comes to comedy.

“It’s allowing creative liberties and also watching your step as far as harmful words are concerned,” Thompson said, adding that the controversy overshadowed the rest of the show.

That’s likely what he cares about the most, not allowing a guest host to overshadow him or his fellow cast members. And what’s a harmful word? Is there a list?

If Gillis were to host the show for a fourth time, Thompson adds, “We would have to have a real chat where people’s actions don’t overly wavepool the rest of us.”

He cares more about his ego, and the egos of his castmates, than a nation-wide conversation on comedy and free speech that could restrict artists from speaking their minds.

The next time you watch “SNL” and notice you’re not laughing, Thompson’s response to GillisGate will help explain why.