Shane Gillis made it clear that he had nothing to do with the DeShaun Watson therapeutic massage joke on the 2025 ESPYs.
Whereas internet hosting the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 16, Gillis, 37, initially stated he needed to “skip that joke” about Watson, 29, earlier than reluctantly mentioning it on stage.
“Alright, convey it again, I'll inform that joke. I didn't write this,” he famous. “Please preserve your palms the place my eyes can see — is what they are saying when DeShawn Watson will get a therapeutic massage.”
Gillis playfully threw blame on the ESPYs writers after listening to the group's response, including, “I disagree as nicely. I swear to God, I didn't wish to inform it.”
Alison Brie then got here on stage and referenced the Watson joke, saying, “I imply, not Shane Gillis making me stroll out after that joke.”
In 2021, the previous Houston Texans quarterback was accused of sexual assault by therapeutic massage therapist Ashley Solis. She finally filed a civil lawsuit in opposition to Watson, claiming that he uncovered himself and purposely touched her hand along with his penis throughout a therapeutic massage. Within the days after Solis' accusations, greater than 20 different ladies accused him of indecent acts and filed their very own civil lawsuits.
“I've not but seen the grievance, however I do know this: I Have by no means handled any girl with something [other] than the utmost respect,” Watson wrote by way of X in 2021. “The plaintiff's lawyer claims that this isn't about cash, however earlier than submitting swimsuit he made a baseless six-figure settlement demand, which I rapidly rejected. Not like him, this isn't about cash for me — it's about clearing my title, and I sit up for doing that.”
Two separate Texas grand juries declined to indict Watson — who has denied any wrongdoing — on any legal prices after 10 ladies filed legal complaints. The civil instances remained and the NFL launched a separate investigation, which resulted in an 11-game suspension and a $5 million advantageous from the NFL.
“I wish to say that I'm really sorry to all the ladies I've impacted on this state of affairs,” he stated in an interview with Cleveland Information 5 in August 2022. “The selections that I made in my life that put me on this place, I'd positively wish to have again. However I wish to proceed to maneuver ahead and develop and be taught and present that I'm a real individual of character and I wish to preserve pushing ahead.”
Watson settled 23 of the civil lawsuits in opposition to him earlier than being traded from the Texans to the Cleveland Browns in a deal price $230 million. He kicked off his third season with the Browns in September 2024.
Gillis, for his half, has had his personal share of controversy. He was beforehand employed as a featured participant on Saturday Evening Reside in 2019 however was fired 4 days later after racist and homophobic feedback from his “Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast” resurfaced on-line. On the time, the present acknowledged in an announcement that they “weren't conscious of his prior remarks” earlier than casting, apologizing that the “vetting course of was less than our commonplace.”
Gillis addressed the controversy earlier than his exit, writing by way of social media, “I'm a comic who pushes boundaries. I generally miss. In the event you undergo my 10 years of comedy, most of it unhealthy, you're going to search out quite a lot of unhealthy misses. I'm comfortable to apologize to anybody who's really offended by something I've stated. My intention isn't to harm anybody however I'm making an attempt to be the very best comic I could be and generally that requires dangers.”
Gillis later launched a second assertion noting that he revered the choice made by the present. He has since hosted SNL twice.
In the event you or somebody has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
