For the laughs! John Mulaney and Pete Davidson’s friendship has fascinated fans since the comedians toured together — and their bond has only gotten stronger.
The Chicago native and the Set It Up actor performed their “Sundays with Pete & John” shows throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts starting in early 2019. Before kicking off their tour, the duo teamed up for a heartfelt “Weekend Update” segment on Saturday Night Live.
“I’ve been spending time with Pete to try to show him that you can have a life in comedy that is not insane. A sober, domestic life,” Mulaney, who later relapsed and sought treatment for drug and alcohol addiction in late 2020, said during the January 2019 bit.
Davidson replied, “And after observing John’s life, I publicly threatened suicide,” referencing a 2018 Instagram post concerning his mental health struggles. “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t make that joke, but it is funny,” he added.
The Oh, Hello actor turned to the SNL star and shared a supportive message, telling Davidson, “Pete, look at me. Look me in the eye. You are loved by many, and we are glad you are OK.”
Several months later, Mulaney reflected on the touching moment during an interview with Esquire. “I tell him I love him all the time,” he said of Davidson. “Pete and I came up with that bit together, but in my head, I was like, ‘I hope this is a cathartic thing for him.’ However it came to be, I was very glad it was there.”
Not only have the duo shared the stage, but they’ve also taken to the airwaves together. During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Davidson joined Mulaney and Nick Kroll on their podcast, “Oh, Hello: the P’dcast,” which poked fun at the true crime trend with an investigation into the death of Princess Diana.
“[He] truly had no idea how Princess Diana died, or that she died at all,” Kroll teased during a May 2020 episode of Late Night With Seth Meyers. “What Pete did bring to the table was what it was like to be hounded by the paparazzi. In a weird way, Pete was, in fact, the most useful guest on the podcast to give a sense of what it was like for Princess Diana, because I would say that SNL [stars] … they’re kind of our royalty.”
Scroll down for a look at Mulaney and Davidson’s best friendship moments through the years: