'SNL' Epically Roasted Cast Member Pete Davidson About His Summer With Ariana Grande
A lot has happened for SNL‘s Pete Davidson since the show’s 43rd season finale back in May: The cast member got engaged to one of the biggest stars on the planet (cough cough Ariana Grande) and has consequently been in the limelight quite a bit more often. It’s a chain of events that apparently made him ripe for a little playful ribbing from his fellow cast members during the show’s 44th season premiere on Saturday night.
In a pre-recorded sketch, Davidson’s fellow cast mate Kyle Mooney laments that he thought 2018 would be his year to become one of the most recognizable names on SNL, but then, he says, “this summer happens.” Much to Mooney’s frustration, Davidson has suddenly become best friends with the show’s creator, Lorne Michaels, and walks around studio 8H like he owns the place.
“I feel like this year I’ve gotta make a statement, so I’m gonna change things up a bit,” Mooney confesses to the camera, before going in for a full Davidson-inspired makeover.
He shows up to the first day of work an entirely new man, complete with a blond dye job, a wardrobe of graphic sweatshirts, and a pet pig.
“I love this, bro,” Mooney tells the camera. “People are finally starting to take me seriously. Now all I need is a hot celebrity girlfriend, and that’s fine by me.” He then shows up in the writers room with a list of demands and guest star Wendy Williams on his arm.
Davidson confronts Mooney about his copycat transformation—and it looks like there’s only room for one Pete Davidson on the show. The pair challenge each other to a Gladiator-style duel (in which episode host Adam Driver also becomes an unintended casualty) that ends with Davidson impaling Mooney with a sword.
Though Davidson came out the victor in this particular sketch, things for him weren’t all positive during the season’s premiere episode: During his turn on “Weekend Update,” he made a joke about replacing Ariana Grande‘s birth control with Tic Tacs, which many fans felt was “tone deaf” and “insensitive.”
You can watch the whole video of Mooney morphing into Davidson (and the gruesome aftermath) below:
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