Inde Navarrette used her Saturday Night Live hosting debut to take a pointed swipe at Shane Gillis, revisiting the comedian’s controversial joke about women’s gym outfits. The Obsession actor delivered the reference during the show’s Halloween episode on October 31, while discussing her upcoming role as Rogue in Marvel’s X-Men film.
Navarrette explained that preparing for the superhero role meant getting in shape and spending more time working out. She then joked, “So every morning I put on my little whore outfit and I hit the gym.” The line drew laughter from the Studio 8H audience and echoed Gillis’ remarks from his own SNL monologue earlier in October.
Navarrette’s joke references Gillis’ earlier remarks
Gillis hosted SNL on October 10 and sparked backlash after joking that women at gyms now “dress like whores.” He went on to describe women’s workout shorts and joked about being told not to look because people might be filming.
The comments drew criticism online, with some viewers calling the joke sexist. Actor Dan Levy publicly challenged the premise, arguing that women wearing short gym clothes does not make them “whores.” Former SNL cast members also weighed in on the controversy.
Navarrette’s monologue did not name Gillis directly, but the wording and gym-workout setup made the reference clear. By using the same phrase while talking about her Marvel training, she turned the earlier joke into a punchline of her own.
Marvel role and Halloween episode
Navarrette is set to play Rogue in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men movie. The actor broke out this year with the horror film Obsession, in which she plays Nikki, a woman whose relationship takes a disturbing turn after a wish appears to come true.
Her SNL monologue also leaned into the film’s unsettling premise. Navarrette joked that she was nothing like her character, then pointed to her boyfriend, Nick Aiello, who appeared in the audience tied up and gagged as part of the bit.
The Halloween episode featured musical guest Gracie Abrams and also brought back Tom Hanks as David S. Pumpkins during the show’s opening. Navarrette’s hosting debut mixed jokes about her breakout horror role, her upcoming superhero casting and a timely reference to a controversy that had followed the show earlier in the month.
With the Gillis reference, Navarrette added a topical edge to her first SNL monologue, turning a recent debate about gym attire into a brief but unmistakable on-air response.
