Pete Davidson says he owes 'everyone at SNL my life' in an emotional farewell confirming his exit from the long-running sketch show
- Pete Davidson left "Saturday Night Live" after eight years.
- Davidson, 28, shared a message and short video to comedian Dave Sirus' Instagram account.
Pete Davidson has officially left "Saturday Night Live" after eight years.
"The King of Staten Island" actor confirmed his departure in an Instagram post shared on comedian Dave Sirus' Instagram account hours before his last episode aired. The post included a lengthy caption and a video of a 20-year-old Davidson hugging comedian Jerrod Carmichael, who sent Davidson the video.
"In the video I had just gotten back from doing my very first update and sketch. It's crazy to think that today I'll be doing my last one," Davidson, 28, wrote. "When I got the show I was 20 years old and I had no idea what I was doing. I still don't but especially back then."
People reported that Davidson was the first "SNL" cast member born in the 1990s and one of the youngest cast members ever.
Davidson continued that he saw himself as more of a stand-up comedian than a sketch performer, so he was nervous during his start at "SNL."
"I knew I could never keep up or go toe to toe with a Kenan Thompson or a Kate McKinnon," Davidson wrote. "So I was super scared at figuring out what I could possibly bring to or do for such a historic, respected show and platform."
Davidson said his solution was to do stand-up bits on "Weekend Update," which turned out to be successful.
"I got to share so much with this audience and literally grow up in front of your eyes," he wrote. "We were together through the good and the bad, the happiest and the darkest of times. I owe Lorne Michaels and everyone at SNL my life."
He added that he was grateful the cast had his back "even when that wasn't the popular opinion."
"SNL is my home," he continued.
Earlier that night, Davidson said goodbye to the "SNL" audience on "Weekend Update."
"I never imagined this would be my life," Davidson said. "Back then, I was just a skinny kid that no one knew which race I was. And now everyone knows I'm White because I became hugely successful while barely showing up to work. Look at me now, I'm aging like an old banana."
Davidson said "SNL" co-creator Lorne Michaels initially didn't think he was a good fit for the show but eventually told Davidson, "Let's screw this up together."
"And that's exactly what we did," Davidson continued. "And that's why people who don't think I deserve this job shouldn't hate me since we have so much in common. Like, if anything I should inspire hope that literally anyone could be on 'Saturday Night Live.'"
He added: "Seriously, you see a guy bumming cigarettes outside a 7/11 at 2 a.m.? That's not some meth head. That's the next Pete Davidson."
Davidson joined the NBC series in 2014 and appeared in eight seasons. He's currently dating Kim Kardashian, who he attended the White House Correspondents' Dinner with in April.
Along with Davidson's departure, the Associated Press reported that Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, and Kyle Mooney also left "Saturday Night Live." McKinnon and Bryant joined the cast in 2012, and Mooney arrived in 2013.