Pete Davidson Calls SNL 50 Audience ‘Terrible’ and We’re Not Surprised
I’m Sage Matthews, your 2 AM doomscrolling witness to Hollywood’s endless self-adoration, and of course Pete Davidson just proved why you should never trust a room full of laugh lines and ego. On Late Night With Seth Meyers this Wednesday, the 31-year-old comedian did not hold back when describing the star-packed crowd at SNL50: The Anniversary as “terrible.” Of course, it was terrible. It was full of famous people who only like other famous people.
The half-century tribute to Saturday Night Live aired on February 16th and marked a milestone in live sketch comedy history. In theory, it was a celebration of the series’ iconic legacy with sketches and musical acts featuring present and past cast members. In reality, it felt like a VIP afterparty that forgot real fans existed. Davidson, who spent eight seasons on SNL from 2014 to 2022, admitted on the show that he’s “guilty of this” exclusive-club mentality too.
According to the New York Post, the production team had to squeeze 200 extra chairs into Studio 8H thanks to an unexpected flood of A-listers including Robert De Niro, Kim Kardashian, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Jon Hamm, Alec Baldwin, Drew Barrymore, David Letterman and Steve Martin. Even Jack Nicholson, who has mostly kept a low public profile, turned up to introduce Adam Sandler’s segment. Can you imagine? Jack Nicholson grinning in a sea of Hollywood VIPs. It reads like an elite reunion nobody asked for.
Davidson did begrudgingly acknowledge one shining exception: Meryl Streep. “I get to my seat and I just look and I’m like, ‘This cannot be right.’ And it was Meryl Streep and I just sat down and I was like, ‘I’m so sorry that I’m sitting next to you. You’re the best,’” he said. Bless him for at least recognizing true talent. The rest of the crowd? Just famous faces taking up space.
In an attempt to add some genuine entertainment value, Davidson reprised his shirtless Chad character in a pre-taped sketch opposite original cast member Laraine Newman, now 73, who debuted in SNL’s first season back in 1975. Meanwhile Dan Aykroyd, another founding member, chose to watch from home, calling Newman’s performance “beautiful” in a rare public comment. A touch of sincerity in a night otherwise drowning in fame worship.
On a personal note, Davidson revealed he is expecting his first child with girlfriend Elsie Hewitt. Life moving forward even as we stare at yet another Hollywood circle jerk that mistakes celebrity for substance. His candid confession of audience snobbery might sting insiders, but it proves that when stars gather to praise stars, the rest of us get the short end of the stick.
Here’s the takeaway: when a gala celebrating the world’s wildest sketch show becomes a who’s who of self-importance, maybe we should reconsider what counts as success. Anyway, I will be here, doomscrolling through the next reminder that nothing has changed, yet it all still feels worse.
At this point, should we even pretend to be surprised?
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Late Night With Seth Meyers
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
