New 'SNL' member Shane Gillis apologizes for using anti-Asian slur in resurfaced video

Shane Gillis, one of three new featured players on "Saturday Night Live," is apologizing for a resurfaced video from 2018 showing him using a racial slur.

"I’m a comedian who pushes boundaries. I sometimes miss," he wrote in a statement posted to Twitter Thursday night. "I’m happy to apologize to anyone who’s actually offended by anything I’ve said."

In a clip from an episode of his "Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast," Gillis made derogatory remarks about Asians while chatting with comedian co-host Matt McCusker.

"Chinatown’s (expletive) nuts," Gillis said. "Let the (expletive) live there," he added, using a racial slur.

His apology continued: "If you go through my 10 years of comedy, most of it bad, you’re going to find a lot of bad misses. … My intention is never to hurt anyone but I am trying to be the best comedian I can be and sometimes that requires risks."

Meet three new 'SNL' cast members: Chloe Fineman, Shane Gillis and Bowen Yang

Gillis deleted the video from his YouTube Channel but not before journalist Seth Simons shared the clip on Twitter Thursday, writing, "Today SNL announced the hiring of its first cast member of East Asian descent, and also this guy."

In the clip, Gillis and McCusker slammed "dishonest" Chinese food and eateries. "The translation between you and the waiter is such a (expletive) hassle, I’m pointing at it," Gillis added. He went on to mock stereotypical accents and admitted "an Asian trying to learn English bothers me."

The video of Gillis' anti-Asian remarks came to light the same day he joined "SNL" with Chloe Fineman and Bowen Yang, the show's first Asian cast member.

The video sparked instant backlash on social media, with many Asian comedians and writers calling NBC's decision to hire Gillis into question.

South Korean comedian Amy Anderson tweeted: "@Shanemgillis referring to Chinese Americans as (expletive), mocking their accents. Also says 'retard' on stage. Nice choice @nbcsnl. I bet he’s excited to work w that (expletive) @bowenyang."

Daniel Chun, a Korean American comedy writer who wrote for "The Office" and "The Simpsons," said, "This is stupid and racist, but at least it’s also unfunny."

Jeff Yang, a Chinese journalist and father to "Fresh Off the Boat" star Hudson Yang, added: "Yeah if you want to know what being a person of color is like, it’s literally that for every Bowen Yang-shaped step you take forward, you also take one racist (expletive) Shane Gillis-shaped step back."

USA TODAY reached out to NBC for comment.

The 45th season of "Saturday Night Live" premieres on Sept. 28.

See our full coverage of entertainment news

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New 'SNL' member Shane Gillis apologizes for anti-Asian slur in video