Stand-up comedian Shane Gillis shined a spotlight on Down syndrome last week when he made it much of the topic of his stand-up monologue on Saturday Night Live (SNL).
Gillis, who says he has an uncle and a niece with Down syndrome, cracked some jokes about his family members while noting that though the diagnosis can be scary, people with Down syndrome can lead fulfilling lives like everyone else. It’s a point he’s brought up in previous comedy routines as well.
WARNING: Profanity in video below.
During his SNL monologue, Gillis made a similar point as in previous stand-up sketches, but this time, in front of a much larger audience.
You can tell who’s never been around Down syndrome when you bring it up. ‘I have family members with Down syndrome.’ People who have never been around it are always like, ‘Oh.’ Like it’s the end of the world. ‘Are they OK?’
They’re doing better than everybody I know. They’re the only ones having a good time pretty consistently. They’re not worried about the election.
… No, my niece has Down syndrome. It’s a funny thing that happens when someone in your family has Down syndrome. My sister was pregnant. Everyone was very, very scared. [Then] they come into your life, you realize they’re the only good member of your entire family. It’s crazy. Your family gets too proud. My family’s group text, it’s pictures of my niece. Every day, somebody else in the family comments, ‘She looks exactly like uncle Shane.’
While some people didn’t like the fact that Gillis poked fun at Down syndrome, others contend that he was actually making fun of people who fear the condition. This could be a big portion of the population — in the United States, an estimated 67% of babies who receive a prenatal diagnosis are aborted.
One person who stepped up in support of Gillis was actor Chris Burke, who has Down syndrome. “[P]eople with Down Syndrome are just like everybody else and shouldn’t be excluded from being joked about by comedians,” Burke said, noting that it would be more offensive for comedians to exclude them. Burke said he’s happy that Gillis is starting a conversation about Down syndrome, especially since he says it’s something many people are afraid to talk about.
