Multiple right-leaning stand-up comedians shared their thoughts about the news of popular Trump-friendly comedian Shane Gillis partnering with Bud Light for his 2024 comedy tour and hosting "Saturday Night Live."
Gillis has been a prominent example of a comedian who has bounced back from cancelation. Shortly after it was announced he had been hired to join "Saturday Night Live" in 2019, old racial jokes he made on his podcast resurfaced and he was quickly fired. Since then, he has become popular with conservatives, particularly for both his praise and impersonations of former President Trump in the recent Netflix special "Beautiful Dogs," itself named in tribute to a purported Trump quote.
Meanwhile, Bud Light, after massive consumer backlash for associating with transgender influencer and activist Dylan Mulvaney, appears to be trying to restore its popularity with conservatives by using pro-America advertising and sponsoring Gillis.
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"Excited to announce partnership with Bud Light #budlightpartner," Gillis wrote on his Instagram account last week. Todd Allen, Vice President of Marketing for Bud Light, told Fox News Digital that they are indeed partnering with him for his 2024 Live Comedy Tour.
Over the weekend, it was revealed Saturday Night Live would have Gillis host an episode of the show Feb. 24.
While some conservatives have responded negatively to Gillis’ partnership with Bud Light, accusing the comic of selling out, others have made the case that it was instead Bud Light that has capitulated and "sold out" to conservatives by doing an anti-woke U-turn by partnering with UFC and Gillis.
Fox News Digital spoke to a few right-leaning stand-up comedians to hear what they think about the partnership.
Chrissie Mayr, who is known for irreverent and politically-incorrect humor, is no stranger to the Bud Light controversy. In May, she shared video of herself poking fun at Dylan Mulvaney at Hyena’s Comedy Nightclub at the height of the Bud Light controversy. Mayr joked about Mulvaney not having gender reassignment surgery a year after transitioning and then locked horns with some left-wing hecklers who objected to her jokes. The table of offended patrons got up and left the show, with one yelling, "F--- you, transphobe!"
Mayr praised Gillis for getting the deal, but doubted it would save Bud Light’s brand.
"It's absolutely pandering. It's too little too late for Bud Light. Whether the response to Shane is good or bad, the press alone will be a net positive for him. Take their money, Shane!" she said. She went on to suggest one particularly bold tactic Bud Light could do to redeem their brand from association with Mulvaney.
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"He's a hilarious comic and not a p---y so I think he can handle any potential backlash. I could see some people on the right just seeing him as a tool for Anheuser-Busch no matter how likeable he is. It'll be interesting to see what kind of a script they come up with for Shane," she added. "If they were smart they'd let him really make fun of what a dumb decision Dylan Mulvaney was. Maybe he could help AB save face in the public eye, but nothing is going to help Bud Light sales at this point. It will forever be the trans beer."
She went on to argue, "Americans have always embraced anti-woke, politically incorrect humor. It's just that the mainstream management and agencies which are in bed with Hollywood seem slow to come around."
"It might take Hollywood another 10-20 years before they have the balls to write another comedy film," she said and added that in the meantime, conservative outlets or independent content creators should "get better and better and take advantage."
Tim Young, a SiriusXM radio personality and political comedian, told Fox News Digital that Gillis hosting SNL is retribution after being fired.
"That's awesome that he's hosting SNL... maybe the team at NBC has realized how much of a loss they created for themselves with his woke-based firing," he said. "I think Gillis is an awesome comedian and this is a great development and retribution for him to now host SNL."
Young argued that while he’s happy a fellow comic is making money, he doubts it will actually redeem Bud Light’s brand.
"It won't fix their problem, but I'm happy Gillis is cashing in on it - and I don't blame him for it," he said. "This will not win back a single Bud Light drinker on the right who dropped them for their attempt at woke marketing. By now, everyone has shifted off of Bud Light to another near-water tasting garbage beer and have no desire to go back to their old, default brand."
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"Gillis absolutely isn't selling out - I would've taken the piles of cash that Bud Light gave him to hock their garbage. Also, I don't think it's confirmed anywhere that Gillis is even conservative - his comedy skews right and libertarian, but there's nothing there that would even lead me to believe he would be selling out politically. Even if he is conservative, why not let Bud Light blow their money on him and still not gain back fans," Young said.
Stand-up comedian and conservative commentator Stephen Kruiser shared that Gillis would only be a sellout if he "compromised" his stand-up routine.
Kruiser argued that Gillis partnering up with Bud Light was a "smart move," stating he would do the same thing if the money was right.
"It's only selling out if his humor has to be compromised as part of the sponsorship deal, which doesn't seem to be the case," he said.
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Like the other comedians Fox News Digital spoke to, Kruiser argued that the damage to Bud Light’s brand cannot be undone, at least for now.
"I do not doubt that Bud Light is trying to get back in the good graces of at least a few conservatives. The damage is done though, and I don't [know] if it will blow over as quickly as Anheuser-Busch InBev execs hope," he wrote. "The Mulvaney thing was a monumentally stupid move that essentially gave the finger to their entire customer base."
However, Kruiser noted that Gillis’ controversy may have been precisely what propelled him to stardom, writing that "Gillis probably got more notoriety and work out of being fired from SNL than he ever would have as a bit player in that huge cast."
Even so, Kruiser said that comedy as an industry is not becoming any friendlier to right-wing or heterodox performers.
"The business isn't any more tolerant of conservatives. In fact, it's getting worse," he said. "I don't even do political material in my act but I'm still labeled and blackballed in some places. Mainstream stand-up is timid and bland now. Anybody who wants a lot of television time has to be safe, woke, and leftist. Thankfully, there are plenty of opportunities outside of the mainstream. My good friend Kevin Downey Jr. and I are putting together a tour called ‘Unwoke.’ We'll be avoiding the coastal leftist hellholes and entertaining regular Americans in flyover country who won't have any interest in canceling us."
