Comedian who slammed Peoria won't make any Illinois stops on upcoming tour
Comedian Shane Gillis has announced new tour dates for 2025 — and none of them include a stop in Illinois.
The 36-year-old comedian, known for his comedy specials and original Netflix show "Tires," visited Peoria during his tour in January. Despite having two sold-out shows, Gillis left with a less-than-satisfying experience which he shared on a podcast afterward.
The comedian is known for having a controversial background, including being fired from "Saturday Night Live" in 2019 after a video resurfaced of him making anti-Asian comments on his podcast. He later hosted the show in February 2024 and has continued embarking on comedy tours and specials despite criticism about past racist remarks and his involvement in offensive shows and podcasts.
Who is Shane Gillis? What to know about the comic who just announced his new tour
What did Shane Gillis say on his podcast?
Gillis performed two shows in Peoria on Jan. 12, coinciding with a wave of cold weather and nearly 10 inches of snow in Illinois. On an episode of "Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast," which Gillis co-hosts with comic Matt McCusker, Gillis slammed Peoria's weather, saying he had to arrive a day early because of it and had nothing to do.
"I was in Peoria, Illinois, new No. 1 on the power rankings of (expletive) town in the entire country," he said. "Peoria, Illinois was... that was hell, dude. Just me and the bums were the only ones outside walking around. Minus 4 in Peoria sucks."
'That was hell': Comedian Shane Gillis blasts Peoria after frigid visit
Where is Shane Gillis touring?
The closest tour stops to Peoria are at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 5, 2025, and Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, on May 31, 2025. The tour kicks off in January with a stop in San Antonio, Texas.
Tickets can be purchased through Gillis' website or Ticketmaster. An artist presale will begin 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13. Local venue presales will go live at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, and sales to the general public will begin at 10 a.m. Friday.
Shane Gillis tour dates 2025
Jan. 10 | San Antonio | Frost Bank Center
Jan. 11 | Dallas | American Airlines Center
Jan. 17 | Pittsburgh | PPG Paints Arena
Jan. 18 | Cincinnati | Heritage Bank Center
Jan. 31 | Vancouver, British Columbia | Rogers Arena
Feb. 1 | Seattle | Climate Pledge Arena
Feb. 22 | Minneapolis | Target Center
March 7 | Tampa, Florida | Amalie Arena
March 8 | Jacksonville, Florida | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
March 14 | Colorado Springs, Colorado | The Broadmoor World Arena
March 15 | Salt Lake City | Delta Center
March 21 | Dublin | 3Area
March 23 | London | The O2
April 4 | Columbus, Ohio | Nationwide Aren
April 5 | Indianapolis | Gainbridge Fieldhouse
April 11 | Cleveland | Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
April 12 | Washington, D.C. | Capital One Arena
April 25 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center
April 26 | Birmingham, Alabama | Legacy Arena at the BJCC
May 2 | Albany, New York | MVP Arena
May 3 | Buffalo, New York | KeyBank Center
May 9 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Lenovo Center
May 10 | Norfolk, Virginia | Scope Arena
May 30 | Omaha, Nebraska | CHI Health Center Omaha
May 31 | Des Moines, Iowa | Wells Fargo Arena
June 7 | San Diego, California | Pechanga Arena San Diego
June 28 | San Jose, California | SAP Center at San Jose
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Controversial comedian skipping Illinois during upcoming tour