Pete Davidson returns to ‘SNL’, Jabs Lorne Michaels for Never Retiring

Pete Davidson made a surprise return to “Saturday Night Live” for an extended Weekend Update segment that covered Zohran Mamdani’s election victory in New York, Davidson’s controversial decision to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival and a few jokes about his old boss, Lorne Michaels.

“If Lorne Michaels has taught us anything, it’s that you never give up. Even when everyone says the time has come and Tina Fey is ready to take over,” Davidson said, drawing scattered but passionate applause from the crowd and a slightly squirming off-screen laugh from Weekend Update co-host Michael Che.

Davidson brought such perseverance to the table as he was introduced by Colin Jost to discuss a ferry the couple had purchased along with plans to convert it into a luxury entertainment venue – and a recent New York Times article about it that considered the ship as a a ‘money-losing fiasco’.

“In case you’re wondering why I had to do a show in Saudi Arabia, we’re losing millions on this ferry. I guess that’s what the article says. I can’t spend $5 on a paywall when there’s a kid on the way,” Davidson said. “I’m just excited to be a father and give him all the energy and enthusiasm that I never had for this show.”

Speaking about New York’s newly elected mayor, Mamdani, Davidson poked fun at Staten Island, the only one of the five boroughs that had cast a majority vote for Mamdani’s main opponent, Andrew Cuomo.

“I have a message for everyone who didn’t vote for our new mayor. Hey, Staten Islanders! Have you promised to leave New York if Mamdani wins, but have too many warrants in New Jersey and not enough guns for Florida?” Davidson exclaimed, introducing a new photoshopped image of his ferry. “Welcome to New Staten Island! … We can’t call it Titanic anymore because the people on this ship are going to love encountering ICE.”

Davidson was a cast member of SNL for eight seasons, from 2014 to 2022.