Pete Davidson Talks About Joining SNL As A Featured Player

pete davidson talks about joining snl

Comedian Pete Davidson has been added to the cast as a featured player on Saturday Night Live. Davidson is getting the SNL job at 20 years old. He’s been a fixture on MTV’s Guy Code and Wild n’ Out as well as the New York stand-up scene, starting his comedy career at just 16. Deadline reports that SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels handpicked Davidson to join the cast.

Pete Davidson called into the Ron and Fez Show on SiriusXM’s Raw Dog Comedy Hits 99 on Monday to talk to host Ron Bennington about being hired by SNL. He told Bennington that he had to go through 3 auditions and then a meeting before he got the gig. The meeting was the most important part of the process – “Because they’ve gotta make sure you’re not a psycho. And I fooled them.”

Davidson talked about going into Saturday Night Live and coming exclusively from a stand up background.

“I’m like excited and scared at the same time because I do stand up. So, it’s going to be a really cool transition. And I’m going to get to work some skills that I really haven’t been able to work and I think it’s going to be a great experience. I’m going to learn a lot. Those guys are geniuses at what they do. I’m just really excited to learn and start my new job.”

Bennington asked if there was anyone in SNL’s history that he would like to go to for advice. Davidson had a very definite answer.

 “I would love to hear from (Adam) Sandler.  Sandler’s one of my favorites. So, that’s not going to happen. I actually got to meet him once. I had a meeting at his company. He was just there playing video games. And all he said to me was – ‘Are you here to make me look fat?’ And that was it. It was all I ever really needed. But I would love to talk to him. He’s the best. I grew up watching him.”

As for how he’s feeling right now about joining the iconic television series, Davidson said – “I’m freaking out. It’s crazy. It’s very crazy right now.”

Saturday Night Live is undergoing major casting changes going into its 40th season. Featured players added last season, Noël Wells, John Milhiser and Brooks Wheelan have all been cut loose from the show and Michael Patrick O’Brien is returning to the writing staff.

The season premiere of Saturday Night Live is September 27th on NBC.

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