Pete Davidson, a standout member of Saturday Night Live (SNL) from 2014 to 2022, 

recently appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers to discuss his role in the new animated film Dog Man and his involvement in SNL’s upcoming 50th-anniversary celebrations. 

During the interview, Davidson took a moment to reflect on his emotional experience of watching his audition for SNL, 

which is featured in the first episode of Peacock’s Beyond Saturday Night docuseries.

The docuseries gives an inside look at the audition process for SNL, a daunting and pivotal moment for any comedian or performer. In the special, 

Davidson revisits his audition from 2014, when he was just 20 years old, and shares how he felt while watching it back. 

Seth Meyers, a fellow SNL veteran, asked Davidson about the experience of seeing the footage of his younger self on the iconic Studio 8H stage.

Davidson admitted that watching his audition was a deeply emotional experience. “I teared up a little bit because, you know, I was 20 there. It’s before all the bad stuff happens,” he said with a chuckle, adding humor to what was clearly a vulnerable moment. The audience responded sympathetically to his reflection, and Davidson explained that watching the audition brought back a flood of memories of the stress and uncertainty he felt at the time.

During the interview, Davidson opened up about the unique and sometimes surreal experience of auditioning for SNL. He recalled performing in front of a nearly empty room. “You’re on the stage, the SNL stage, and Lorne [Michaels] is there, [Steve] Higgins, and maybe one or two other people, but they’re blacked out. You can’t see them. So, you’re doing your whole act to no one,” he recalled. Despite the lack of immediate feedback, Davidson did get a few reactions, “Once in a while, you’ll hear like, ‘Heh!’ And that’s about all I got.”

Davidson’s audition was a pivotal moment in his career. The comedian, known for his self-deprecating humor and often raw performances, expressed how intimidating the experience was. “I didn’t know whether to do impressions or standup,” he admitted while watching the footage. “I called my buddy and I was like, ‘Should I do impressions?’ And he was like, ‘Can you?’ and I was like, ‘No.’ And he was like, ‘You should do standup.’”

Despite his nerves and lack of confidence in that moment, Davidson’s audition was successful, and he joined the SNL cast shortly after. Reflecting on his journey, he shared that the hardest parts of his early career were the moments when he felt like he bombed. “Maybe two times in six minutes someone just went ‘Ha!’” Davidson remembered, acknowledging how discouraging those moments felt at the time. “I was like that was terrible, there’s no way I’m getting it.”

Seth Meyers, now a fellow SNL alum, expressed admiration for Davidson’s resilience and career trajectory. “And then you find out afterwards: Hey, you know the hardest you bombed in your life? You made it!” Meyers quipped, highlighting the irony of how one of the hardest moments for Davidson ultimately led to his big break.

Davidson’s audition, where he donned a Spider-Man t-shirt and jeans, has become a memorable part of his early career. He laughed as Meyers noted how young he looked in the picture from the audition. “Was your hope that, like, if Lorne had forgotten your name, he’d be like, ‘I like Spider-Man,’” Meyers joked, mimicking SNL’s creator, Lorne Michaels. Davidson explained that his fashion choice wasn’t strategic but practical: “You can go to Target and get ten of the coolest t-shirts ever for 20 bucks. That was one of them.”

As SNL prepares for its monumental 50th Anniversary celebration with a special live broadcast on February 16, 2025, Davidson’s reflection on his audition is a reminder of how far he has come since those early, nerve-wracking days. From a nervous 20-year-old unsure of his place to a comedic force on one of television’s most beloved shows, Davidson’s journey is a testament to the unpredictable nature of show business. His success is a perfect example of the power of perseverance and self-discovery.

Davidson’s participation in the SNL50 special will surely add a personal touch to the celebration of the show’s legacy. With a career that has continued to evolve after his departure from SNL, including his stand-up comedy, acting roles, and ventures into film production, Pete Davidson’s story serves as both an inspiration and a reminder that the path to success is rarely a straight line. His candidness and willingness to revisit his past struggles with humor and humility make him a relatable figure for many fans, and his journey from auditioning on the SNL stage to becoming a household name is one that continues to captivate audiences.

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