Shane Gillis is this year’s host for the ESPYS, and the popular comedian has social media talking.
Fans were intrigued by the choice of Gillis, a noted sports fan. Of course, he was also going to work current events into his jokes. And most expected Gillis to not be politically correct.
On social media, Gillis is a hot topic, with strong reactions and some jokes from viewers that Disney executives may not appreciate what he’s saying on an ABC broadcast. Here’s a small sample of what’s being said on X (formerly Twitter).
Espn Execs meeting with Shane Gillis after the ESPY's pic.twitter.com/pmwAGBEzVt
— Jeffrey Walizer Jr (@JWalizerJr) July 17, 2025
Disney executives listening to Shane Gillis' monolgue #Espys pic.twitter.com/XM2Ytp15lc
— Josh (@jetsfan24x7) July 17, 2025
Shane Gillis is a legend pic.twitter.com/BF0O2Lxair
— Ned (@NeddyNederlandr) July 17, 2025
“Dad what was it like when Shane Gillis hosted the espy’s?” pic.twitter.com/mtVEqtam1i
— BR3ADMAN FOR SELKE (@EndZ0N3_) July 17, 2025
Shane Gillis for the ESPYs pic.twitter.com/cypYNikrnA
— alan (@jeonghansfoot) July 17, 2025
Shane Gillis ESPYS performance pic.twitter.com/WoiWo9lWCm
— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB) July 17, 2025
Gillis, of course, wasn’t going to shy away from controversy. After a joke about President Donald Trump hosting a UFC fight at the White House, Gillis quipped that a Jeffrey Epstein joke was supposed to be there, but had “deleted itself.” In a tribute to late comedian Norm Macdonald, who infamously made members of the audience uncomfortable with some of the jokes in his ESPYS monologue, Gillis repurposed an old O.J. Simpson joke, updated for Travis Hunter winning the Heisman Trophy in 2024.
NEW: Comedian Shane Gillis jokes about the Jeffrey Epstein drama while hosting the ESPYs in Los Angeles.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 17, 2025
“There was supposed to be an Epstein joke here, but it got deleted, must have probably deleted itself, right?”
“Probably never existed. Actually. Let's move on as a country… pic.twitter.com/MuFiWxDrp5
I thought Shane Gillis killed his monologue at the ESPYs. And he capped it off with a tribute to Norm Macdonald pic.twitter.com/K3WNVrJCw2
— Garrett Savage (@GarrettWSavage) July 17, 2025
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
