UPDATED 5/22, 4:58 p.m. ET: Pete Davidson’s Saturday Night Live sign-off was one to remember.
The eight-year show vet got to have some fun during his final stint at 30 Rock as a cast member, when he returned to “Weekend Update” for the last time and even dedicated an entire music video to toasting Lorne Michaels.
Titled “Forgot About Lorne” as an ode to “Forgot About Dre,” the video pointed to many of the comedy legend’s accolades and the names he’s discovered on SNL over the years. Channeling his best Eminem impression, the end of Davidson’s comedy track even saw an appearance from Em himself, who warned Pete to not “fucking do it again.” Previously, Davidson and Chris Redd channeled Shady through the memorable NFT rap from April of 2021.
“I would just stop,” Shady declared of the Em parodies on Saturday. “They all suck.”
Pete’s girlfriend Kim Kardashian also shared a collection of photos of him on the show to her Instagram Stories.
Check out his final “Weekend Update” segment and the “Forget About Lorne” video down below.
UPDATED 5/21, 8:34 p.m. ET: Pete Davidson has confirmed his Saturday Night Live exit.
Hours before the season 47 finale, the Staten Island native shared a heartfelt goodbye message via Dave Sirus’ Instagram. The post included a video taken in 2014, the same year Davidson joined the SNL cast at age 20.
“This video was taken 8 years ago. Jerrod[Carmichael] sent it to me last night and it made me super emotional in the best way,” he wrote. “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 went on to reflect on the lessons he learned at Studio 8H, admitting he struggled to keep up with cast mates like Kenan Thompson and Kate McKinnon.
“I was super scared at figuring out what I could possibly bring to or do for such a historic, respected show and platform,” he wrote. “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. 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.”
The comedian went on to express gratitude toward the SNL boss Lorne Michaels and the show’s entire team.
“I wouldn’t be here without them. I appreciate you guys always having my back and sticking up for me even when that wasn’t the popular opinion,” he continued. “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. ⁃ Resident young person Pete Davidson.”
The May 21 episode will be hosted by Natasha Lyonne and with musical guest Japanese Breakfast.
See the original story below.
After eight seasons, Pete Davidson is reportedly set to exit from Saturday Night Live following the conclusion of the season finale this week. And he’s not alone, as Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, and Kyle Mooney are also reported to be out the door.
Variety reports that Davidson, who joined the live sketch show as a featured player in 2014 at age 20, is expected to leave the cast as the show heads into its summer hiatus. The show often uses the break between seasons to shift around its cast and writers, and those familiar with the situation say that the comedian will not return to Studio 8H for Season 48.
There’s a number of long-running cast members who could leave SNL this summer. Deadline reports that Bryant, Mooney, and McKinnon are among those expected to leave. Other long-running cast members this season include Michael Che, Colin Jost, Cecily Strong and Kenan Thompson, who has been on the show since 2003 across 19 seasons.
During his time on the show, Davidson cut his teeth on “Weekend Update” before later appearing in pre-taped and live sketches. He remained a staple on “Update” throughout his tenure, and has faced controversy for comments about the Catholic Church, and Texan Republican representative Dan Crenshaw. Some of his most famous bits on SNL include numerous pre-taped ones with his apathetic stoner character Chad, and “Diner Lobster,” a musical about a man who insisted on ordering a lobster at a cheap diner.
In recent months, Davidson has made headlines for his relationship with Kim Kardashian, who hosted an episode of SNL near the start of the 2021-22 Season. His schedule has gotten a lot busier as of late, too, and he notably missed episodes of the last two seasons while filming other projects. This year alone, he’s set to appear in the A24 slasher Bodies Bodies Bodies, Machine Gun Kelly’s directorial debut, and the CGI-animated Marmaduke film.
