Shane Gillis wasted no time stirring controversy during his opening monologue at the 2025 ESPY Awards—and yes, he took a veiled jab at President Trump while mocking the ongoing Epstein firestorm.
“Donald Trump wants to stage a UFC fight on the White House lawn. The last time he staged a fight in D.C., Mike Pence almost died. Alright. You don’t have to do that. It was fine, I didn’t write it. Actually, 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 and ignore that.”
Watch the moment here:
Cue the awkward silence.
The joke landed with an uneasy mix of laughter, groans, and a few scattered claps—highlighting just how raw the Epstein topic still is, especially after Trump’s recent remarks calling the entire scandal a “hoax started by Democrats.”
The implication was clear—and the timing was no accident. Just days earlier, Trump called out “stupid Republicans” for falling for the Epstein “psyop,” which has caused a deep rift among supporters.
It’s not uncommon to see the host start to light up the crowd with some playful jabs here and there at award shows, but Gillis’ biting humor drew some jeers along with cheers inside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Gillis, no stranger to controversy himself, was fired from Saturday Night Live in 2019 over edgy comments on his podcast. But he’s since rebounded, earning a loyal following that thrives on political incorrectness—which made his swipe here even more surprising.
Some online applauded the jab. Others weren’t so amused.
At a time when more Americans are demanding answers and transparency about Epstein’s powerful connections, brushing it all off with a smug joke isn’t sitting well.
