It’s been a “hard week” for Pete Davidson, who is preparing to host “Saturday Night Live” for the first time since he left last year, sources told Pvnew.
The 29-year-old comic — who was in rehab in late June to deal with PTSD and borderline personality disorder — will return to the show where he made his name Saturday night.
One friend told us that the attacks on Israel have made him think about his own family tragedy: “Pete’s dad was a victim in the terrorist attacks of 9/11, so it’s been a hard week for him.
“He’s thrown himself into the show, because, what else can you do?”
Pvnew is told that Davidson’s been working on his monologue at comedy clubs in the city this week, and that, as of Friday, nothing was finalized about whether he might mention Israel during his monologue.
During his time on “SNL” between 2014 and 2022, producers were used to Davidson not always turning up due to personal struggles.
“People around Pete are always going to be watching out for his mental health,” said an insider.
But we’re told that he has been at the 30 Rock studios all week — attending read-throughs and the traditional host dinner with executive producer Lorne Michaels and the cast, and has been busy writing skits.
Davidson was 7 years old when his dad, FDNY firefighter Scott Davidson of Brooklyn’s Ladder 118/Engine Company 205, died during the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.
In March, the comedian opened up about the traumatic way he discovered that his dad was gone.
“My dad told me he was going to pick me up from school on 9/11. I got picked up by my mom. She didn’t tell me what was going on for like three days,” he told host Jon Bernthal on his “Real Ones” podcast.
“She kept telling me, ‘Dad’s at work,’ ‘He’s coming home,’ whatever,” Davidson continued. “I had no idea.”
He said his mom, Amy, “grounded” him from watching television, but “Then one night, I turned on the TV and I just saw my dad on the TV,” he said. “I was like, ‘Oh, OK.’ And they were like, ‘These are all the firemen that are, like, dead.'”
Davidson — who has been open about his struggles with mental health — revealed that he’s been working with a trauma therapist to help him navigate his dual diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder.
He only found out that his dad was Jewish back in 2017 and said on Hot 97: “I always wanted to be Jewish and now I’m ecstatic.” He also said that the news was a “celebration” in Larry David’s household, as he was dating the “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star’s daughter Cazzie at the time.
The comedian is currently in a “casual” romance with “Outer Banks” actress Madelyn Cline, the Davidson friend said, following his split from Chase Sui Wonders — which came about while he was in rehab.
The comedian was supposed to host the May 6 episode of “SNL” last season, but that was scrapped due to the WGA strike. Saturday marks the show’s return since the strike.
