SHANE GILLIS is our Good Chair Nominee this week! Let’s just get this out of the way — if you’re clutching your pearls over Shane Gillis’ ESPYS monologue, you probably weren’t the target audience.
Yeah, some are saying his opening “bombed.” And in the room? Sure, maybe it did. Pack a room full of celebrities with a controversial guy like Shane Gillis, and you’re bound to see people holding back laughter — worried about getting canceled by the mainstream media. A tuxedoed crowd of athletes, agents, and execs isn’t exactly known for having a sense of humor.
But at home? Sitting on your couch, beverage in hand? Shane Gillis was ruthless, hilarious, and the perfect reminder that comedy is supposed to make people squirm — especially the ones sitting in the front row.
Let it be known, this wasn’t some polished, teleprompter-friendly, network-approved routine. This was a Philly guy letting it rip on national TV. And honestly, it felt like ESPN actually booked a comedian for once — not a corporate mascot in a suit.
The best part? Gillis didn’t hold back on the biggest names in sports — even if they weren’t in the building. Nobody caught more heat than Caitlin Clark.
We’re not going to sit here and type out Shane’s jokes word-for-word. Why? Because like all great comedy — it’s not just the line, it’s the delivery. The timing. The look on his face. And maybe that slight “Did I really just say that?” look in his own eyes.
But if you watched the ESPYS, you know these moments hit differently:
- Caitlin Clark Will Retire to Work at Waffle House
Ruthless… and hilarious. The room went dead silent, the internet went wild. You could almost hear ESPN’s legal team gasping. - UFC Fight on the White House Lawn
Gold. Absolutely perfect timing. Mike Pence probably didn’t like it — and neither did half of Congress. That’s what made it so good. - The WNBA Audience Call-Out
They panned to a woman during a WNBA segment and Shane called her a “four-time WNBA All-Star”… then casually revealed she was just his friend’s wife. A classic roast of both the league and the audience for not knowing the difference. - The Epstein Joke
Topical, dark, and exactly the kind of joke that makes you wonder if ESPN had a seven-second delay on standby. Did it delete itself? We may never know. Unreal. - The “Nepo Baby” Roast of Shedeur Sanders
A perfect shot at Colorado’s favorite quarterback. Cold. Direct. We’ll see if Coach Prime lets that one slide — or if we’ll be hearing from him soon. Because no one remembers the Alamo Bowl!
Honorable Mention: The Tush Push Sketch with Drewski
Not part of the monologue, but easily one of the night’s funniest bits. Philly’s signature play turned into a sketch? An absolute classic.
A Tip of the Cap to Norm
And hey — real ones caught it. Shane even threw a nod to the late, great Norm Macdonald by repeating one of Norm’s legendary ESPYS jokes. A little touch of respect for a fellow comic who knew exactly how to roast a room full of uncomfortable celebrities. You love to see it.
For roasting the room, for making jokes we wouldn’t have dared, and for delivering a monologue that hit harder on replay than it did live — Shane Gillis is this week’s Recliner Reporters Good Chair Nominee.
Now, look — this week’s nom could have gone to Kyle Schwarber. But with the All-Star break cutting the week short, and going 0-2 in the all-star game only to win the NL All-Star MVP for his swing off performance. That still wasn’t enough to get this prestigious honor! So, Shane, congrats. You earned the “The Good Chair”.
So… if the ESPYS wanted safe, they called the wrong guy. If they wanted memorable? They nailed it… just like he nailed all those 3’s.
And if you didn’t like it? Tough!
Also, As a Philly blog you gotta love the host that trashes Dallas on National TV!———– Go Birds!!
