Comedian Pete Davidson said goodbye to NBC’s long-running sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live” this week after spending nearly a decade as a part of its regular cast.
Davidson addressed the momentous occasion in an emotional post — which was shared on Instagram by fellow comedian Dave Sirus because Davidson does not use the platform himself.
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Sirus captioned the video “From Pete” and then shared Davidson’s thoughts on his eight years at “SNL” — what the time had meant to him and how much he had learned from the great talents around him.
“This video was taken 8 years ago. Jerrod sent it to me last night and it made me super emotional in the best way. In the video I had just gotten back from doing my very first update and sketch. It’s crazy to think that today I’ll be doing my last one,” Davidson began, noting that when he had first joined the cast at 20, he had been a stand-up performer with “no idea” how to perform in a sketch.
“I knew I could never keep up or go toe to toe with a Kenan Thompson or a Kate McKinnon so I was super scared at figuring out what I could possibly bring to or do for such a historic, respected show and platform. I figured since I’m a stand up I’ll just try my stand up and personal bits on Weekend Update as myself and I’m so glad I did,” Davidson continued. “I got to share so much with this audience and literally grow up in front of your eyes. We were together through the good and the bad, the happiest and the darkest of times.”
Davidson offered his thanks to the show’s creator and producer Lorne Michaels — along with everyone else on the show.
“I owe Lorne Michaels and everyone at SNL my life. Im so grateful and I wouldn’t be here without them,” he said. “I appreciate you guys always having my back and sticking up for me even when that wasn’t the popular opinion. Thank you for always believing in me and sticking by my side even when it seemed comical. Thank you for teaching me life values, how to grow up and for giving me memories that will last a lifetime. SNL is my home. I’m so happy and sad about tonight’s show. For so many reasons I can’t explain. Can’t wait to be back next year in a Mulaney musical number.”
The message was signed: “Resident young person Pete Davidson.”
Throughout his time on the show, Davidson weathered his share of controversy. A 2018 joke aimed at Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) resulted in a public apology — and a sketch alongside Crenshaw, who took the whole episode in stride. And more recently, his relationship with reality star Kim Kardashian has created public tensions with her former husband, rapper Kanye West.