Boys will be boys: Shane Gillis’ record-breaking Philadelphia show was more than just a comedy set

Shane Gillis put on a night that his fans will never forget last week in Philadelphia, and it wasn’t an anomaly, it was the new normal.

Gillis broke two Guinness World Records at a sold-out Lincoln Financial Field that night, a venue that typically hosts NFL games.

‘I put all of your lives at risk.’

Gillis not only set a new mark for the largest audience for a comedian with 73,946 attendees, but he also sold the most tickets for a comedy show ever for a single billing with 77,047 tickets.

Moreover, what Gillis was able to do with nearly a city-sized group of fans sitting all around him was culminate almost 15 years of hard work into a cultural moment. Gillis brought with him everything he loves, a protest in its own right given how he was treated by the media for simply being a regular guy.

The Gillis tribute opened with a flyover followed by Millennials’ favorite rambunctious skateboarder Bam Margera, a Pennsylvania native, announcing a new season of Gillis’ Netflix comedy “Tires.”

A festival for the rest of us

Gillis tapped two of his friends and fellow comedians from the area to open for him, Matt McCusker and Jay Oakerson. While they were the only other comedy acts on the card, a series of unannounced appearances followed, each more surprising than the last.

For a comedian who was unilaterally labeled a bigot, racist, and homophobe just seven years ago, Gillis had no shortage of celebrities willing to appear under his banner.

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Making appearances from the sports world were two Philadelphia Eagles players: offensive tackle Jordan Mailata and defensive back Cooper DeJean.

Former Eagles center Jason Kelce — brother of Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift’s husband — was also in the mix, coming on stage and screaming into the microphone to hype up the crowd.

The night also featured performances from rappers Meek Mill and Three 6 Mafia, and although Kanye West was rumored to make an appearance (he did not), in the end the biggest cameo came after Gillis’ 30-minute set.

Unexpected improv

Like a boxer on his way to the ring, Dave Chappelle walked down the aisle to screaming fans and joined Gillis for 20 minutes of off-the-cuff banter.

Chappelle immediately became that friend who brings up politics when he came to the stage and commented on what he described as an Air Force flyover.

“Y’all n*****s should be at the Straight of Hormuz, opening that s**t up. But I’m glad you could make it here for Shane’s show.”

Gillis quickly corrected Chappelle, laughing that they were actually World War II planes he needed to get insurance for.

“I put all of your lives at risk,” Gillis joked. “I was not worried about you guys, I was worried about how much money I would have to pay if a World War II Mustang crashed into you guys.”

RELATED: SNL comedian hosts ESPY Awards, celebrates immigrants while taking shots at American culture

Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Netflix

You’ll buy a ticket and you’ll be happy

Even Guinness World Records adjudicator Andy Glass praised Gillis’ ability to put on an unforgettable night.

“Tonight’s event was a powerful reminder that record-breaking achievements continue to capture people’s imagination around the world,” Glass said, per CBS News.

Gillis’ football field extravaganza is indeed the new normal for what was so recently portrayed as fringe entertainment for far-right audiences. Not only is he following in the footsteps of Tony Hinchcliffe’s frequent Madison Square Garden appearances, he is elevating the scene to new heights never imagined before.

Touring arenas and doing the occasional stadium is not new for comedians, but for ones who were universally excommunicated by the entertainment industry, it certainly is.

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