Pete Davidson, known for his stand-up comedy and past relationship with pop sensation Ariana Grande, recently delved into their whirlwind romance and subsequent breakup in his Netflix stand-up special, Pete Davidson: Alive From New York. The comedian didn’t hold back, addressing comments made by Grande and offering his signature comedic take on their highly publicized time together. This special provides a deeper look into Davidson’s perspective on their relationship, particularly in response to Grande’s statements about him.
In a segment of his special, Davidson directly addressed Ariana Grande’s remarks in a Vogue interview where she mentioned dating him as a “distraction” and claimed to not know him well before their relationship. Davidson, with his characteristic candid style, used this as a jumping-off point for his set. He cleverly prefaced his jokes by stating that he and Grande weren’t in competition, acknowledging her successful music career while highlighting his own comedic platform. He then humorously questioned the fairness of public perception, imagining the backlash he would face if he mirrored Grande’s Vogue comments. “Can you imagine if I did that?” he quipped, painting a vivid, and absurd, scenario of him on the cover of Vogue magazine disparaging his ex.
Davidson didn’t stop there. He continued to explore the hypothetical outrage, imagining himself saying he “was just fucking her because I was bored and then Fortnite came out.” This joke, delivered with his typical self-deprecating humor, underscored what he perceived as a double standard in how their comments were received by the public and media. He pointed out that Grande faced no negative repercussions for her Vogue statements, while he, on the other hand, was subjected to online criticism, even being called names. This observation led him to a broader, albeit comedic, reflection on the unfairness of life in the public eye. “Sometimes life is a little unfair,” he stated, before quickly reminding the audience that his intention was purely comedic.
He further joked about the potential extreme consequences of public backlash, expressing his “biggest fear” of being “shot in the back of the head by a 9-year-old with a ponytail” and the last thing he’d hear being “#canceled.” This dark humor touches on the intense cancel culture and the pressures faced by public figures, particularly in the context of relationships and breakups played out in the media.
Davidson also humorously recounted how he dealt with the aftermath of the breakup and Grande’s subsequent hit song, “Thank U, Next.” He shared how his friends initially reassured him about Grande’s relative fame before the song’s release. However, the massive success of “Thank U, Next,” widely interpreted as a commentary on her past relationships, including Davidson, shifted the narrative. Even Davidson’s grandfather, according to the comedian, weighed in on the song, calling it “a slap.” This anecdote adds a personal and relatable layer to the narrative, highlighting the pervasive impact of Grande’s music and public persona on Davidson’s life.
It’s worth noting that Davidson had addressed his engagement and split with Grande in his stand-up routines prior to this Netflix special. As early as August in Las Vegas and in a comedy show with Judd Apatow in October 2018, shortly after their breakup was announced, Davidson was already incorporating their relationship into his comedy. These earlier sets indicate that processing and joking about the relationship has been a recurring theme in his stand-up for some time, culminating in the more extensive exploration in his Netflix special.
While the special primarily focused on his relationship with Grande in response to her comments, Davidson also touched upon other controversial moments in his career, providing further context to his comedic style and public persona. One such moment was the controversial joke he made about Dan Crenshaw, a war veteran and then-congressional candidate, during a “Weekend Update” segment on Saturday Night Live in 2018. Davidson joked about Crenshaw’s appearance, specifically his eye patch, which Crenshaw wore due to losing an eye in Afghanistan.
Davidson recounted the intense backlash he received for the joke, including threats that led to him apologizing publicly to Crenshaw on SNL. He explained the context of the joke, how it came about during a brainstorming session for political humor, and his attempt to preemptively apologize within the joke itself. However, the attempt was largely overshadowed by the initial controversial remark, leading to widespread criticism. Davidson humorously downplayed any significant political impact from his joke, arguing that he didn’t cause Crenshaw to win his election and that the political outcome was more attributable to broader American political trends and demographics. In a final comedic twist connecting back to Ariana Grande, Davidson concluded that the only real impact of the Crenshaw joke was raising Crenshaw’s public profile, mirroring what he felt Ariana Grande had done for him – making him a “household name.”
In conclusion, Pete Davidson’s Netflix stand-up special offered a detailed and comedic response to Ariana Grande’s comments about their past relationship. Through his jokes, Davidson explored themes of public perception, relationship dynamics in the spotlight, and the often-unpredictable nature of fame and backlash. While delivered through a comedic lens, his reflections provide insight into his experience and perspective on one of his most publicized relationships.
