Pete Davidson delivered a heartfelt statement about the Israel-Palestine conflict during his opening monologue for the 49th season of Saturday Night Live over the weekend. The show finally returned to the small screen after the Writers’ Guild of America (WGA) strike ended. And compared to other celebrities who have addressed the ongoing war in Israel, the comedian’s message is every inch compelling.
Pete Davidson Addresses Israel-Palestine Conflict
Davidson debuted as a guest host for SNL Season 49 and delivered the right message everyone could hear about the Israel-Palestine conflict. He started by talking about the “horrible images and stories” from Israel and Gaza” that had dominated the news since the Hamas attack began on October 7.
Considering his experience as a son of a father who died in a terrorist attack, the actor is probably the best one to talk about this issue. As he was only seven years old back then, seeing Israeli and Palestinian children suffering from this horrific event now brought him back to that terrible experience.
Pete Davidson’ SNL opening was perfect. pic.twitter.com/dqDqJMLQhw
— Ryan Shead (@RyanShead) October 15, 2023
“No one in this world deserves to suffer like that, especially not kids,” he said.
From there, Davidson revealed how comedy helped him with his childhood grieving process. He recalled how his mom played an Eddie Murphy stand-up special, Delirious, on TV, mistakenly thought it was a Disney movie.
As she was about to turn it off, she suddenly noticed that her son laughed for the first time again after his father’s demise.
Pete Davidson’s Saturday Night Live Statement Explained
Sure, a lot of celebrities have addressed the Israel-Palestine conflict, but Davidson’s statement hits differently. Why? Aside from firsthand war experience, he doesn’t blame anyone or point his hands to another country to show his sympathy.
He showed compassion for the victims of the two countries and the most affected ones: the kids. As he knows what it feels like to lose a loved one and experience these terrible things at a young age, the 29-year-old is probably the right one to speak up and address this issue.
Ice Spice & Pete Davidson in new SNL promo. pic.twitter.com/THLcKMPtQd
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) October 12, 2023
Though what he experienced might only be the tip of the iceberg for the thousands of kids trapped in the Israel-Palestine conflict, what he said was enough to let others feel the horror of the war, stressing who were the real victims of these hostilities. And just like what he felt back then, he had perfectly nailed it when he said, “No one deserves to suffer like that.”
Who was Pete Davidson’s Father?
For starters, Davidson’s father, Scott Davidson, died during the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001. He was a New York City firefighter and only 33 at the time of his death.
According to reports, he was last seen running up the Marriott World Trade Center hotel stairs just minutes before the second Twin Tower collapsed. He was later confirmed dead.
on my to pete davidson after watching “i’m just pete” #SNL pic.twitter.com/xchjlgHY53
— kathleen (@kathleen_hanley) October 15, 2023
This left Davidson with PTSD. Despite the confirmation of his death, he and his family were still hopeful that he would come out alive during the rescue missions. Sadly, that day didn’t happen. Scott was just one of the many unsung heroes during the tragic 9/11 attacks.
