The Philip DeFranco Show - PDS 9.17 Shane Gillis Andrew Yang SNL Controversy, Lilly Singh's Mixed Reviews, & The GM Strike

Starting point is 00:00:00 Sup, you beautiful bastards. Hope you're having a fantastic Tuesday. Welcome back to the Philip DeFranco Show, and let's just jump into it. And the first thing that we're gonna talk about today, I can't believe we're having to talk about this again. And since apparently everybody else on the internet is scared to say it, once again,

Starting point is 00:00:14 I will preach it from the rooftops. Racism is bad. I mean, it was an honor just to be nominated. No. But the reason I'm doing this bit again is because of this controversy surrounding Saturday Night Live. As you might have seen, last Thursday you had SNL announcing three new cast members for its upcoming 45th season. You had Shane Gillis, Chloe Fineman, and Bowen Yang. And initially, it was actually Yang that had most of the spotlight.

Starting point is 00:00:50 There was a lot of praise pouring in, people excited for him to be the only Asian American regular on the show. Also joining Kate McKinnon as one of the show's two openly gay regulars. But then the focus shifted to Shane Gillis over the past few days. And that is because of a series of podcasts

Starting point is 00:01:02 that he made with fellow comedian Matt McCusker called Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast. One of the first of these clips that went viral was Gillis talking about Asian people living in cultural areas like Chinatown. All right, no one said anything. Let the live there. And the translation between you and the waiter.

Starting point is 00:01:16 Yeah. It's just such a hassle. It's like, can you, I'm pointing at it. Like this is the fucking shooter. It's actually in the note of the video being out there in the world, when this story started to break, Gillis actually deleted all the videos from his YouTube channel.

Starting point is 00:01:26 But of course, copies were soon posted. There were clips all over the place. And so in those now not so secret podcasts, Gillis can be heard making comments about Latino people, Middle Eastern people, Jewish people. You also had people sharing a clip from a different podcast, where reportedly on May 27th, Gillis seemingly used slurs directed at Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang.

Starting point is 00:01:43 Give me your next candidate Dems. Jew next. Actually they are running a Jew. You also have people calling Gillis homophobic after uncovering a podcast where he repeatedly used an anti-gay slur. In one of those instances, he uses the slur right after doing a caricatured Middle Eastern accent,

Starting point is 00:01:59 all while criticizing comedians who talk about their depression and their standup routines. Those guys are fucking gayer than ISIS. Mm-hmm. At least ISIS is out there like, for me, we need to get the pussy. After we blow ourselves up, we get the bunch of pussy. These white f***ing comics.

Starting point is 00:02:14 Oh, yeah. They're like, I'm just sad because life's hard. And, like, it turns out, and I'm gay. And with all of this happening, we had a co-owner of a comedy theater that Gillis used to perform at telling Vulture, good, good comedy theater stopped working with him within the past few years because of racist, homophobic, and sexist things he said on and off stage. Now later on Thursday, we saw Gillis kind of apologize on Twitter writing, I'm a comedian who pushes boundaries. I sometimes miss. If you go through my ten years of comedy, most of it bad,

Starting point is 00:02:38 you're going to find a lot of bad misses. I'm happy to apologize to anyone who's actually offended by anything I've said. My intention is never to hurt anyone, but I'm trying to be the best comedian's actually offended by anything I've said. My intention is never to hurt anyone, but I'm trying to be the best comedian I can be, and sometimes that requires risks." Although, I will note, with those that were not happy with Gillis here, there were criticisms, because it's not like a lot of this was from 10 years ago, with a number of them being from the past two years,

Starting point is 00:02:57 and notably the most recent, seemingly, at least according to reports, is that Andrew Yang clip from May. The main point, though, the reactions in the debate, they continued over the weekend until yesterday when you had SNL put out a statement saying, "'After talking with Shane Gillis, "'we have decided that he will not be joining SNL.

Starting point is 00:03:11 "'We want SNL to have a variety of voices "'and points of view within the show, "'and we hired Shane on the strength of his talent "'as a comedian and his impressive audition for SNL. "'The language he used is offensive, "'hurtful, and unacceptable. "'We are sorry that we did not see these clips earlier "'and that our vetting process was not up to our standards.

Starting point is 00:03:26 All right, so you had the show pulling Gillis' offer. You then had Gillis making another statement, writing, it feels ridiculous for comedians to be making serious public statements, but here we are. I'm a comedian who was funny enough to get SNL. That can't be taken away. Of course, I wanted an opportunity to prove myself at SNL, but I understand it would be too much of a distraction.

Starting point is 00:03:42 I respect the decision they made. I'm honestly grateful for the opportunity. I was always a mad TV guy anyway." And among the people responding to this news, we saw former cast members and an SNL host chime in. You had Sandra Oh, who hosted the show earlier this year, saying, "'Glad to see NBC-SNL decision to not legitimize

Starting point is 00:03:57 slash give platform to purveyors of racist homophobic content. Risks? Lazy ass unoriginal." You also had the likes of David Spade talking about the ouuse with guests on his Comedy Central late night show. Notably there, you had those guests bringing up SNL's past history with racist skits,

Starting point is 00:04:10 with them specifically referencing John Belushi portraying a samurai back in the 70s. In the 90s, you had Mike Myers playing a host on a Japanese game show skit where people cut off their fingers, and with Spade himself saying, I think when I was younger on SNL, when you get hired, the first move wasn't to rifle through your past to make sure you get fired right away.

Starting point is 00:04:28 You also had Rob Schneider, who was on the show in the 90s, saying, Dear Shane Gillis, as a former SNL cast member, I am sorry that you had the misfortune of being a cast member during this era of cultural unforgiveness, where comedic misfires are subject to the intolerable inquisition of those who never risked bombing on a stage themselves. Notably there, he was challenged by another user who wrote, but he knew what he was doing. He wasn't treading the line, he was crossing it. He was using derogatory and racist language on a public platform. He should accept the consequences and learn from it. To which Rob Schneider responded, I felt sad when I saw the clip, but I was even more sad that he went there and it wasn't funny, just an ugly conversation.

Starting point is 00:04:59 He has the right to say it, cancel culture is wrong, but people have the right to call racist things racist as well. And soon after adding, last thought on this. There's a difference between exposing truths through free speech and just being ugly. It's not okay to say racist things under the guise of comedy. Just because you have a mic in your hand doesn't make the racist things you say any less racist. Following those comments, we saw a number of users sharing old photos of Rob Schneider dressed as people from different cultures. So people seemingly saying, who are you to criticize? Also, very notably, you had Andrew Yang jumping into the mix, with Yang saying on Twitter,

Starting point is 00:05:27 "'Shane, I prefer a comedy that makes people think "'and doesn't take cheap shots. "'But I'm happy to sit down and talk with you if you'd like. "'I think we have, as a society, "'become excessively punitive and vindictive "'concerning people's statements and expressions "'we disagree with or find offensive. "'I don't think people should be losing jobs

Starting point is 00:05:41 "'unless it's truly beyond the pale and egregious.'" And then also adding, "'It's also the case that anti-Asian racism is particularly virulent because it's somehow considered more acceptable. If Shane had used the N-word, the treatment would likely be immediate and clear. And it appears that that message may have resonated

Starting point is 00:05:54 with Gillis because Yang has said that the two will be sitting down with each other. And so that's where we are right now, but with all of that said, I pass the question off to you. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think it was right or SNL is smart in removing Gillis? Or do you think it's maybe hypocritical

Starting point is 00:06:05 that SNL is getting rid of Gillis given their past? Or is it not because the sketches being referenced are decades old? Yeah, I'd love to know your thoughts on this. I mean, as far as how this goes forward, I know that I've seen a lot of people cheering that Gillis isn't getting this job. They think that it's gonna be bad for his career.

Starting point is 00:06:18 I really don't think so. This has potentially given him way more attention that he would have gotten as being kind of just one of the new guys on SNL. He's been gaining followers since this started. He could definitely ride this wave of people that see this as PC culture run amok. I mean, I would honestly be surprised

Starting point is 00:06:31 if this whole situation doesn't get him thrust onto the Joe Rogan experience, and or maybe some other large podcasts, but there's definitely gonna be an audience for him. Especially if other comedians like Tony Hinchcliffe, who was vouched for how funny Shane is, are correct. Yeah, I guess give it enough time, we'll see. But of course, once again,

Starting point is 00:06:46 I'd love to know your thoughts on this. Then, in interesting internet-y slash mainstream business news, we had Lilly Singh. And Lilly Singh, if you don't know, is a long-time YouTube creator, a popular creator, and you may remember when we last reported on this, she got a late night show with NBC. And the reason we're talking about it today

Starting point is 00:07:00 is that it launched last night. And as one might expect, there are a number of reactions. You know, we saw praise and support from a number of her fans, you know, excited that she was kind of shaking up Late Night, excited that because she's different from what we've seen from Late Night, she can tell different jokes.

Starting point is 00:07:12 Also support from fellow creators like Timothy DeLaGhetto, Adelaine Morin, iJustine. You also had articles popping up like this one from the Metro with the headline, "'Lily Singh Takes Down the Boys Club' in the Premiere of Her Talk Show A Little Late." Mashable giving us, "'Lily Singh's Feminist Music Video Slays Late the premiere of her talk show, A Little Late. Mashable giving us Lilly Singh's feminist music video

Starting point is 00:07:26 slays late night stereotypes on the first A Little Late. But at the same time, there was criticism of the show and content. With some of the top comments on the videos that they posted to YouTube reading, wow, race bait much? This was disappointing but more so disturbing. That was unfunny and extremely uncreative.

Starting point is 00:07:39 Another writing and asking, all the jokes are based on color? On her first episode, was it deliberately written by a saboteur of hers? And then some who seemed supportive but felt like the content fell short. You know, as far as that content, it included kind of a skit and rap at the beginning. Hello, my name is Lily and I ain't no white man. My skin got some color and it ain't a spray tan.

Starting point is 00:07:57 I know you're used to only jimmies in the spotlight, but I'mma throw some melanin up in your late night. She also had an opening monologue. But I get it because it's also tough for you. Listen, I understand that for some people, white people, seeing someone like me host a show is terrifying. Hashtag not my Carson Daly. She also had Mindy Kaling on as a guest.

Starting point is 00:08:20 I am so thrilled to be your first guest. Only for you would I be here at 1.30 in the morning. I don't know who's watching my child. And I don't care. Rainn Wilson, also hot by... What is that? I don't recognize that sound. It's Birkenstocks. It's Birkenstocks walking across the floor of an REI to go buy a Patagonia jacket.

Starting point is 00:08:40 It's a white noise machine. Okay, I get it. Right, and I'll link to the videos they have up on their YouTube channel so you can come to your own conclusions based on the full content. But, as far as my personal opinion on it, I'm reserving it for the kind of first one to three months. But if you're a fan of late night shows, even daytime shows, where a show is now compared to where it started, it's usually vastly different.

Starting point is 00:08:59 In the beginning it's about one, introducing yourself, differentiating yourself from other people in the marketplace. Three, establishing the content. Or figuring out what works, what doesn't work, what feels more comfortable, authentic. Right, and I say that because I believe at this moment, it could be incredibly easy to criticize something as being one note, but if you kind of pull back, right,

Starting point is 00:09:17 the picture becomes bigger. I see this as kind of the first note in a much larger song. Granted, time may reveal that the song is one note, but I guess to kind of close out this analogy, I guess I'm just waiting for the beat to drop before I also drop an opinion. That said, for me, just pure analytics, marketing, business standpoint, I am so fascinated.

Starting point is 00:09:34 I mean, you had a lot of people kind of crapping on this show because they're like, "'It's on at 1.30 in the morning. "'It's not a big deal.' "'But it really is.' You know, yes, on TV, you're gonna have live viewership, but the whole system has evolved. You know, whether it be someone watching on TV,

Starting point is 00:09:45 you know, they DVR it, when they wake up they watch it, or YouTube. Probably the most symbiotic relationship we've seen evolve has been late night and YouTube. I have watched more late night TV, thanks to YouTube, than ever before. They chop up the content, they upload it to YouTube, they give you the ultimate a la carte experience,

Starting point is 00:10:00 each piece having the potential to blow up. With Lilly Singh in this show, that is more apparent than ever, since they actually premiered it on YouTube before it aired on TV. But yeah, I guess the main point here is I'm excited to see the successes and failures that stem from this and just how the ecosystem in general changes. And then let's talk about the big General Motor Strike,

Starting point is 00:10:17 which if you do not know is entering its second day. It is a very massive deal in the auto industry. And that's because in addition to there being nearly 50,000 employees that are striking and reports saying that that could cost the company up to $90 million a day, it's also because this is the first strike led by US auto workers since 2007.

Starting point is 00:10:32 Notably, that strike was also led by GM workers, lasting about three days. But that said, as far as the strike now, which is taking place across dozens of factories and facilities in nine states, it reportedly started because over the weekend, GM and the United Automobile Workers Union couldn't settle on a collective bargaining agreement,

Starting point is 00:10:46 and the UAW's vice president, Terry Dittes, announced they would not be extending the current agreement from 2015 that expired on Saturday night. And this reportedly because the workers' requests were not met in their negotiations. And in a statement he said, "'While we are fighting for better wages, "'affordable quality healthcare, and job security,

Starting point is 00:11:00 "'GM refuses to put hardworking Americans "'ahead of their record profits of $35 billion in North America over the last three years. We are united in our efforts to get an agreement our members and their families deserve. Union leaders then met and planned a strike starting Sunday at midnight with employees demanding fair wages, affordable healthcare, their share of profits,

Starting point is 00:11:18 job security, a defined path to permanent seniority for temps, and following the demands or the requests, whatever you want to call it, GM responded. And in fact, on Sunday, they publicly shared this offer, which they said would give over $7 billion in investments and over 5,400 jobs. It would also boost wages and benefits with wage or lump sum increases in every year of the four year contract

Starting point is 00:11:37 and improved profit sharing formula and new coverage for things like autism therapy, chiropractic care, and allergy testing. But obviously, because we're talking about it today, GM workers, or at least the union, they still wanted more as they proceeded with the strike. With D'Tess adding in a statement, "'We stood up for General Motors when they needed us most.

Starting point is 00:11:52 "'Now we are standing together in unity and solidarity "'for our members, their families, and the communities "'where we work and live.'" And yesterday we also saw GM saying that negotiations were back on the table with the UAW, with the company saying, "'Our goal remains to reach an agreement "'that builds a stronger future

Starting point is 00:12:05 for our employees and our business. And with all of this happening, we've seen a fair amount of support behind the workers, with numerous politicians tweeting out, applauding the workers. We have the likes of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeting, incredibly inspired by GM's almost 50,000 workers for having the courage to strike

Starting point is 00:12:19 for the dignified work they deserve. In a time of record profits, workers should prosper, not suffer. That's why unions play a key role in an economy that works for everyone. Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang tweeted, "'Unions and the UAW have been a force for worker equity

Starting point is 00:12:30 "'and fair treatment for decades, "'even as our economy has grown more inhuman and punishing. "'GM should value its workers fairly "'and compensate them what they deserve.'" And I mean, as far as how the employees are doing now, because right, we talked about the consequence for the company, but there are consequences for the employees.

Starting point is 00:12:44 For example, according to a Fox Business report, strikers have to wait until day 15 to receive their assistance pay, which is a pay that strikers can receive from the union while they're striking and not at their jobs. But a key note there is reportedly that comes to just $250 a week, which would barely cover rent in Detroit, which is the city that hosts

Starting point is 00:12:58 a lot of GM's employees. And regarding that, one employee told Fox Business that the one thing that she's afraid of is that we might be here for a while and we can't make it on $250 a week. You know, GM might not want to budge. So I'm just here trying to prove a point, that's it. But ultimately, that's where we are

Starting point is 00:13:11 with this story right now. It's gonna be interesting to see how long this strike will last. This of course has the potential to be devastating to both sides, obviously to different degrees. And so of course, like with everything we talk about, I'd love to know your thoughts on this. And that's where I'm going to end today's show.

Starting point is 00:13:23 And hey, if you like jumping into it with me today, let us know, hit that like button. Also, if you're new here, be sure to hit that subscribe button. Definitely click that bell to turn on notifications. Also, if you're not 100% filled in, you wanna watch some more, we got a brand new deep dive you can check out,

Starting point is 00:13:35 or maybe you just missed yesterday's Philip DeFranco show, you wanna catch up, you can click or tap right there to watch either of those. But with that said, of course, as always, my name's Philip DeFranco, you've just been filled in. I love yo faces and I'll see you tomorrow.

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The Philip DeFranco Show - PDS 9.17 Shane Gillis Andrew Yang SNL Controversy, Lilly Singh's Mixed Reviews, & The GM Strike

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