Looking to the future. Pete Davidson couldn’t wait to go back to work on Saturday Night Live following the pandemic — but he won’t be there forever.
During The Hollywood Reporter‘s comedy roundtable, the comedian, 27, and costar Chris Redd opened up about their time on the sketch show and how long they’ll stay.
“I would never do 18 seasons,” Redd, 36, said after discussing his time working alongside Kenan Thompson, who has been on the show since 2003. “Hat’s off, fam. … He’s a legend for it and I think he can have that marker. Like, I’m definitely having a good time, it’s better than the first few years. I mean, I had a good first year and then with my second year, it was kind of wild. But I don’t know how anybody does 18 years. It’s boot camp.”
Davidson, who joined the NBC series in 2014, also wouldn’t want to be part of the show that long.
“Yeah, I’m good,” the Suicide Squad actor said. “I’m surprised I made it to seven. I’m ready to hang up the jersey. Kenan’s like f–kin’ Karl Malone out there.”
He later added that he doesn’t have “much of a say” about which sketches he gets on SNL.
“I do like the randomness of it and I usually play very dumb characters. So, it’s very easy for me,” he said with a laugh. “I have one character that I’ve done in my seven years on the show, which shows how f–kin’ great I am. His name is Chad and he’s very dumb and every response is just, ‘OK.’ And I see a lot of myself in Chad.”
The Guy Code alum also explained how important the last season of the show was to him during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I was at a really different place a year or two ago. I’m not exactly proud of how I handled or was handling things a few years ago. Looking back on it, you’re like, ‘Ahh, come on, dude,'” he said. “Luckily, a pandemic happened and I got kicked in the balls and had to sit with all of my immature irrational decisions. I was so happy when they said that SNL was going to come back because I was literally sitting with my own thoughts and I was feeling really bad. I was really excited just to work and see people and I had a different outlook for this season and moving forward. I think I’ve been able to have a lot of fun and I just really appreciate it — not working at all really sucks.”
The King of Staten Island writer later explained that there are some actors he’s met during his time on SNL whose careers he would love to emulate.
“There’s this aura around Eddie Murphy where you’re just like, ‘Holy s–t, that’s Eddie Murphy.’ [Adam] Sandler is like that, too, you just can’t believe you’re seeing him in person. I’d like the Eddie Murphy, Sandler career,” Davidson said. “I like what Sandler did where he’s like, ‘These are my eight friends, we’re going to do this formula for the next 30 to 50 years.’ He built this entire universe for himself, and he’s in his own lane. That’s the model. Also, the way he carries himself I try to follow. He’s so kind to everyone, and you never hear of a Sandler issue — there’s never like a Sandler-gate. Any time you see that guy’s face, it’s associated with smiles and good vibes. That’s the thing I’m trying to follow.”
