While hosting Saturday Night Live over the weekend, Pete Davidson tied his own life story to what’s happening in Israel and Palestine.
“This week we saw the horrible images and stories from Israel and Gaza. And I know what you're thinking: 'Who better to comment on it than Pete Davidson,'” he said during the show’s cold open. “Well, in a lot of ways, I am a good person to talk about it because when I was 7 years old, my dad was killed in a terrorist attack. So I know something about what that's like.”
Davidson’s father, Scott Davidson, was a firefighter who died in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. “I saw so many terrible pictures this week. Children suffering. Israeli children and Palestinian children. And it took me back to a really horrible, horrible place. No one in this world deserves to suffer like that, especially not kids,” Davidson said.
The Bodies, Bodies, Bodies actor also shared how his mother tried to cheer him up following the death of his father, shining a light on how comedy can help during distressing times. “I don't understand it. I really don't and I never will, but sometimes comedy is really the only way forward through tragedy,” he added.