When addressing the matter in his monologue, the former 'SNL' cast member is referencing his own father's death as a New York City firefighter who died in the September 11 attacks.
- October 15, 2023
AceShowbiz - Pete Davidson has finally returned to "Saturday Night Live". When making his hosting debut at the sketch comedy show, the comedian took an opportunity to address the Israel-Palestine war in his monologue.
"This week we saw the horrible images and images first. And I know what you're thinking, Who better to comment on it than Pete Davidson?" the 29-yea-old began. "In a lot of ways, I am a good person to talk about it because when I was 7 years old, my dad was killed in a terrorist attack. So I know something about what that's like."
"I saw so many terrible pictures this week of children's suffering - Israeli children and Palestinian children," the funnyman added. "And it took me back to a really horrible, horrible place and no one in this world deserves to suffer like that, you know, especially not kids."
Pete went on to recall, "After my dad died, my mom tried pretty much everything she could do to cheer me up. I remember one day when I was eight, she got me what she thought was a Disney movie. But it was actually the Eddie Murphy stand-up special Delirious." He continued, "And we played it in the car on the way home and when she heard the things Eddie Murphy was saying, she tried to take it away, But then she noticed something for the first time in a long time, I was laughing again."
"I don't understand that. I really don't and I never will. But sometimes comedy is really the only way forward through tragedy," the actor further elaborated. He then concluded, "My heart is with everyone whose lives have been destroyed this week. But tonight, I'm gonna do what I've always done in the face of tragedy, and that's try to be funny. Remember, I said try. And live from New York, it's Saturday Night!"
The Saturday, October 14 episode of "SNL" was full of a headline-making moments. Travis Kelce made a surprise appearance that night in the "NFL Fox Sunday" sketch, which poked fun at how much attention the league has been paying to his and Taylor Swift's rumored romance.
Taylor herself also made a cameo on the show. The Grammy-winning pop star appeared briefly to introduce her "Karma" collaborator Ice Spice for the latter's second performance.
