Pete Davidson Called Out "SNL" For Making Fun Of Him "In Front Of Everyone"

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Pete Davidson shared his candid thoughts about jokes made about him during his time on SNL.

Closeup of pete
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Pete joined SNL in 2014 when he was just 20, making him one of the youngest cast members in the show's history. He left the sketch show after eight seasons, during which his personal life was frequently the subject of jokes.

Pete during a sketch

In a new interview on the podcast, REAL ONES with Jon Bernthal, Pete reflected on public fascination with his personal life. "In 12 years I’ve dated 10 people. I don’t think that’s that crazy, but to some people, that’s very interesting. That became all anyone would talk about," he began.

“Suddenly you’re in this zeitgeist and that has nothing to do with the work,” he continued. “And that’s a really shitty feeling. I became more known before the work was there, but I was always working. I’m cool with the joke. I get the late-night jokes.”

Closeup of pete
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Turning his attention to SNL, he explained, “When your own show [pokes fun at you]...I’d be sitting in the back watching the cold open and — the cold open [is] topical, political humor, whatever’s in the culture. And then, making fun of you. Then you’ve gotta walk out and do a sketch next and hit your mark and the show just made fun of you."

Pete’s photo used during the weekend update

"So, why are they gonna laugh at you? Like, they just dogged you in front of everyone," he added. "And you’re like, ‘I’m a fucking loser, man.'”

Person as Pete saying now all I need is a hot celebrity girlfriend

“These are the people I’ve been with for almost a decade. I grew up in front of these people. They’ve watched me through the most difficult time in my life, and they’ve been there for me. And nobody ever showed more leeway and grace to me than Lorne Michaels, and I owe my life to that guy."

Pete having drinks with his castmates
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"But it was fucking confusing 'cause the nature of entertainment is the nature of this business. At the end of the day, that’s what it is. This was a really difficult thing to do. You feel small. You feel super insecure," he concluded.

Closeup of Pete
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It's not the first time Pete has publicly taken issue with SNL's depiction of him. “I personally think I should be done with that show because they make fun of me on it,” he said in 2020. “If I’m just fodder now, though, maybe I just shouldn’t be there. They think I’m fucking dumb, like I’m literally painted out to be this big dumb idiot.”

Closeup of Pete
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You can read more about what Pete had to say here.