Last weekend, on SNL’s Weekend Update, Pete Davidson did a bit where he mocked the Republican Congressional candidates’ appearances. One of the candidates, Texas Republican Dan Crenshaw, wears an eye patch after losing an eye to an IED in Afghanistan. Pete joked “You may be surprised to hear he’s a congressional candidate in Texas and not a hitman in a porno movie. I’m sorry, I know he lost his eye in war, or whatever.” Then he said “whatever” again as the audience laughed. Republicans lost their minds, because being joked about and turned away at restaurants is worse that being murdered or discriminated against in their world. Crenshaw was blasé about it, telling TMZ that he doesn’t need an apology but that veteran’s wounds shouldn’t be fodder for jokes. Crenshaw repeated that claim in his victory speech, that he’s not offended but that it wasn’t funny.
Pete’s SNL costar, Kenan Thompson, has been doing the interview circuit. He said that Pete made a mistake, that he never would have gone there as his dad is a Vietnam veteran, but that he understood because “it’s tough when you’re fishing for jokes.” He also said that Pete’s mistake was “being handled internally” and that SNL was “figuring out a way to right that wrong.” SNL did just that over the weekend, with an apology by Pete and a personal appearance from Crenshaw. Crenshaw turned the tables and mocked Pete. The best part of this was when Breathin by Ariana Grande played and Crenshaw answered his phone like it was his ringtone! That’s at 1:55 in the video below.
Pete Davidson: I made a joke about Lieutenant Commander Dan Crenshaw and on behalf of the show and myself I apologize… It was a poor choice of words. The man is a war hero and he deserves all the respect in the world. If any good came of this, maybe it was that for one day the left and the right finally came together to agree on something. That I’m a dick.
Dan Crenshaw: You think?
Pete: I just wanted to say… the reason you’re wearing an eye patch is because your lost your eye to an IED in Afghanistan during your third combat tour and I’m sorry.
Dan: Thank you Pete I appreciate you saying that. [Breathin by Ariana Grande plays and Crenshaw goes to answer his phone!]
[Pete tells Dan to make fun of him]
Dan: This is Pete Davidson. He looks like if the meth from Breaking Bad was a person. He looks like a troll doll with a tapeworm. He looks like Martin Short in The Santa Clause 3. By the way, one of these people was actually good at SNL.
Seriously, there’s there’s a lot of lessons to learn here. Not just that the left and right can still agree on some things, but also, Americans can forgive one another. We can remember what brings us together as a country and still see the good in each other.
This is Veteran’s Day weekend, which means that it’s a good time for every American to connect with a veteran… tell a veteran never forget. You are implying… that you are in it with them.
When you say ‘never forget’ to a veteran, you’re implying that as an American, you are in it with them. Not separated by some imaginary barrier between civilians and veterans, but connected together as grateful, fellow Americans. We’ll never forget the sacrifices made by veterans past and present, and never forget those we lost on 9/11 — heroes like Pete’s father.
Can you imagine what it would be like if we had a Republican like Crenshaw as the President? I would actually buy that message of the left and right coming together and forgiving each other, because this man seems sincere about it. He knows what sacrifice is and he would stand in the rain to honor fallen heroes, having given so much more. (I wouldn’t vote for him for Congress or President, I’m just saying this was heartwarming and gave me a little hope for the country.) It was a real shame that they didn’t play “thank u, next” though. “Breathin” was probably a concession to Pete.
Update: As several of you have pointed out, Crenshaw was a group administrator of a Tea Party group on Facebook which has about 95,000 members and has touted right wing conspiracy theories including Pizzagate. It’s also a platform for white supremacy. I was not aware of this when I wrote this post and would not have written so favorably about him had I known.
Here’s the video! Thank you to all veterans for your service.
Dan Crenshaw deserved an apology but I am sick of SNL using Ariana for ratings.
Came here to say the same. She dumped you. You got a HUGE boost on SNL for it. Let it go and let a girl move on.
Dan Crenshaw is still the man behind a Klan Facebook page so…
I didn’t know and have updated with that.
I thought that Dan Crenshaw came across as a reasonable, likeable guy, which prompted me to look him up. Yikes! I got over that misconception fast.
THANK YOU. This is just like SNL inviting Trump to host – they keep normalizing this shit!
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This is why they pushed him tbh. His look is a plus, let’s not pretend it is not and speaks eloquently, a very different image than…say….kavenope.
Why is SNL all over Ariana but not Scarlett? I know she’s not as popular anymore. Makes you wonder it it was SNL pushing for the Ariana content or Pete because Colin never discusses his personal life on the show.
Colin is a head writer so I’m guessing he gets much more of a say in the content that makes it to the final show. I also wouldn’t be surprised if snl is pushing the Ariana stuff because they know it will get people to pay attention.
I think it’s because Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson aren’t as active on social media as Pete & Ariana, and, by celebrity standards, their relationship is much more boring. Pete & Ariana started dating, fell in love, got tattoos, got engaged, and broke up all in, what? less than 6 months? Whereas Colin & Scarlett’s relationship seems less public, and definitely duller.
Scarlett Johanssen is very private.
I wish SNL would quit pandering to the right.
Dan Crenshaw isn’t a good guy because he went on TV and made a joke. He isn’t a good guy because he lost an eye in the military. Jesus, no wonder it is so easy for the Republicans to take over – too many people on the left think we’re all just one good shared anecdote away from like, understanding each other and stuff, you know? It will be all kumbayah all the time!
Up until August, Crenshaw was an admin on an FB page that supported white nationalists. He supports 45 and his policies. And now SNL has got everyone feeling all warm and fuzzy about him because ohmygod he made a joke y’all! Maybe he’s not so bad!
I didn’t know all this about Crenshaw, yikes. But I don’t think SNL was trying to make us feel good about Crenshaw but to make the right feel better about Pete, to defuse the ammunition he handed them, so to speak. Since that never works, I could see that it backfired if people start to like Crenshaw because of this. UGH.
Crenshaw is still a deeply terrible person who looks like Patch from Days of our Lives.
I loved Patch and Kayla back in the day. You scored a lot of points for pointing that out.
Thank you for saying what I wanted to with far fewer swear words than I would have used. I can’t believe Pete Davidson was made to apologize to this creep, and that so many on the left fell for it. This is how Republicans win again and again–because of the kumbayah crap on our side.
The Right says downright EVIL crap using rhetoric that literally KILLS people, but sure, Pete Davidson making an immature joke is the real problem in this world.
I swear, Pete kept lifting up the corner of his mouth and making a “this is BS” face in between lines. And I was with him 100%.
We hold comedians to higher standards than our “leaders” and that’s how you know the fascism is real.
“This is how Republicans win again and again–because of the kumbayah crap on our side.”
YES! Preach it!!
Yes yes yes. Everything you and grabbyhands said.
I hated how people were so nasty about Pete when he was with Arianna. Saying he wasn’t good looking etc. I would date a sweet nice guy like him rather than some handsome jerk. He seems like he would be very sweet and loving, plus rumor has it that he has a big D. I hate how people judge on appearances so much. I hope he finds a nice lady who appreciates him.
He has a fragility about him that makes me worry about him a little bit. I don’t think he’s bad looking at all, he reminds me a bit of Kurt Cobain in that he seems to try to downplay his looks as much as possible. Did not know about the rumor, lol.
Pete has Crohn’s disease and so do I-That look of fragility could easily be due to his illness,even when Crohn’s sufferers are out and doing what they do,we can often have a heaviness about us,sometimes getting out of bed is my daily achievement,and other days I’m slaying it!But even with proper medical care sometimes we just feel like crap,today is one of those days for me,and stress whether physical or mental or emotional can truly wear you down.
Oh wow, I didn’t know that. It can very very rough, from what I hear. Wishing you a better today tomorrow.
Someone on twitter described Pete as a loveable fuck up. I think this describes him quite well. I think he’s cute and his heart is in the right place.
Yeah, I wish people would leave him alone. He did a lot of it to himself, but idk. He seems like he could go to a dark place pretty quickly and I have compassion for that.
I watched his interview with Howard Stern. It’s on YouTube. I really came away likiing him, a lot.
Was Pete expecting that comment at the end about his father? His face seemed stunned and he quickly said something to Crenshaw and then something to Colin and rushed off. I googled his father as I didn’t know the story.
I read a review of this sketch on the AV Club and the writer pointed out that Crenshaw is reportedly against “PC” culture…
which to me means that he should have appreciated Pete Davidson’s jokes. If anything, Pete should have been criticized because his joke was ableist and not because the target of the joke was a vet. I think that vets should get free healthcare and lots of support in returning to civilian life, and I recognize that as individuals they make huge sacrifices but I don’t believe that they should be lionized or exempt from criticism. Of course, PD’s comments weren’t criticism but were mockery, so here I am more addressing the response to the sketch and criticisms of Pere Davidson.
I doubt that Crenshaw will work to support legislation that supports vets or other people with disabilities and as a few commenters here have stated this guy runs a white supremacist Facebook page??? F*ck him, he’s trash, injury or not.
Basically the only one who can take a joke is Pete Davidson, the comedian. This world…
Right? Apparently, Crenshaw is above being made fun of, and he’s above being criticized for the rest of his life, too. No matter what he does, no matter what he says. Wow.
Agree. My husband is a retired veteran who served 23 years. He agrees with having a few extra privileges due to service, but he also thinks that everyone should have truly affordable healthcare and higher education. He also knows that he and his brothers and sisters in arms are not gods. He’s served with a lot of people who were reprehensible dickbags.
He’s often embarrassed by the fawning over people give him. Veterans are human and just as likely to do bad things as everyone else.
Crenshaw is just another ugly American who uses his war won handicap to influence the idiots who gobble the orange poison down while goose stepping with the KKK.
Bob Dole did this most successfully. He’s a big part of the reason the Kansas GOP changed from moderates to Rush Limbaugh loons. Happy to finally see moderates fighting back there.
So being PC is for snowflakes, until that anti-PC behavior results in a solider being insulted? Whatever, GOP. It was a stupid pirate joke re: an eye patch, which is exactly the kinda joke Crenshaw’s leader, Trump would make. And if he had, his followers would be all “”it’s a joke, snowflake.”
The cognitive dissonance of the right getting mad when the left does what they keep saying the left should do (not be so PC and offended over everything) is maddening. In GOP land, it’s okay to insult gay, trans, and minority folks, but heaven forbid a CIS white soldier get a joke that had nothing to do with his service. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s all inappropriate, but the hypocrisy is too much. Especially given what Crenshaw supports.
I know, it really is insane. As someone said on Twitter, people on the right are more outraged at Jim Acosta brushing aside an intern than the murder of a journalist by the Saudis.
I don’t know how we will ever prevail on this front.
This completely. I’m only happy SNL did this so Trumpflakes can finally STFU about it and we can all move on to important things, like this country’s imminent demise.
As a veteran myself, this guy needs to grow up. Pete made a joke on SNL. That’s what they do. I can guarantee you that the jokes Crenshaw has told and has heard from fellow service members about his eye patch are way more “politically incorrect” than telling him he looks like a pirate in a porn movie.
Crenshaw is a horrible human being and has said terrible things about anyone that isn’t a white nationalist like him. I can imagine the kind of legislation he will introduce and support. If it involves veterans at all, it won’t support all veterans. Just the cis-white hetero male vets like him (like most policies for vets). SNL shouldn’t have given him that platform. Unless they are trying to recreate what they did with Trump before the 2016 election (secure future ratings?). Trump supporters are never going to watch SNL. They aren’t like Bush 41 supporters laughing at Dana Carvey impressions.
He’s also anti-choice and a Trump Supporter who plays the “I agree with Trump’s policies, not his rudeness’ game, so I’m cool with him being disrespected.
I’m actually offended that SNL had this guy on their show. He’s a white supremacist. What were they thinking having him on? Does no one on the the show know how to use google? NBC just loves giving free airtime to fascist, racist homophobes.
Does every darn one of these GOP guys have to turn out to be a shady racist? Guess so. Didn’t know he was a white supremacist nut. Disappointing, as the comedy sketch seemed heartwarming. Was glad to hear Pete’s dad being remembered for his 9/11 heroism.
Comedians make tasteless jokes. I’m Ok with that. I wouldn’t elect that comedian. I hold our elected officials to a different standard.
Yes x 1,000. How SNL set itself up to be the arbiter of civility is beyond me.
Thank you for updating the post. At least you came by it honestly, which is more than can be said for SNL. I’m 100% certain they knew what Crenshaw’s story was when they invited him on so they could fall to their knees in apology,just like they knew that 45 and Kanye were trash when they asked them on and let them spread their poison.
If SNL doesn’t want to stand behind their comedians when they make a harmless joke, then maybe they should rein in Pete Davidson if he’s such a loose cannon. That would be a better look than trying to publicly curry favor with someone who advocates for the KKK because they’re afraid someone might say something mean about them.
If we are terrible to terrible people, doesn’t that make us terrible? Pete doesn’t need to be the guy’s friend, but it was wrong to make fun of him.
Some think it is righteous to be terrible to people they think are terrible. They’re wrong, but the rationalization gives them an excuse to do it.
“Some think it is righteous and tolerant to shield terrible people from any social consequences that come from doing terrible things to those with less power. They’re delusional, but enabling oppression and abuse is all some people know. That’s how patriarchy and white supremacy keep repeating themselves.” Fixed it for ya!
JSYK, besides the need to white knight the moment it seemed like a deplorable wasn’t being shown the kindness he’s entitled to, the implication that racists and misogynists aren’t actually terrible- that ‘some’ people just ‘think they are terrible’ also gave you away. Try harder. Thank u. Next!
I agree – I think Pete’s intentions were benign, but a lot of people took it badly and it was actually a fun twist for the guy to come on SNL like that. It’s appropriate for Veterans Day also. You don’t have to like the porn pirate… er, Crenshaw’s other beliefs to enjoy the way he handled this. People are mixed bags.
The only thing that was cringe to me was the teenager-y faces Pete kept pulling to show his contempt. I for one am a foreigner and don´t know anything about Crenshaws white supremacist stuff. All I saw was a guy who was being made fun of for losing an eye and then getting faces pulled at when he was being a good sport and coming on the show to “make everything ok”.
Of course I understand the hate towards Crenshaw after reading the info about him. But to someone who does not know anything about him, (as I was before reading) Pete comes off as the asshole in this scenario.
I remember reading this tatoo on a guys arm once that said “Do unto others as they do unto you.” I can understand that attitude sometimes.
Otaku Fairy, you didn’t really fix anything. As just 1 black woman who has been subject to racism all my life, who has had beer bottles thrown at me while being called a ni–er bi-ch
by a carload of white men and all sorts of abuse, I still will never cosign making fun of a disabled person no matter who they are or what their beliefs are. I’m not getting down in the mud with my tormentors. I will support voting this guy out in 2020 to keep him from hurting POC and women but his disability shouldn’t come into it at all.
My comment was directed at Sarah. I stand by it and am not going to waste any sympathy or civility on these people- especially not on the internet, of all places. Coddle time is over.
He so replied me at his personal disqus at Tmz . Bahahaha
INTERCOURSES ME , PETE .
I do think the specifically making fun of a war injury was too far. Would’ve been fine with Pete making fun of him for anything else, but I don’t see a difference here than if he had made a joke about a vet missing a limb. It’s tasteless and cruel.
However, and of course, the right tapped into their military worship they use to flame so many things-see the NFL. Half of the people who scream about disrespect to veterans have probably never done a thing to contribute to or improve the quality of life for vets. I’m so over that defense mechanism.
Making fun of the injury is not only about the vets. People lose eyes all the time, in work accidents and to illness. I have no comment about the rest of it because I am not american and don`t know much about the subject.
I am a female, retired, US Air Force First Sergeant, 22 years active duty.
You will probably never again meet another of us.
We are rare.
They were both wrong on several levels.
Davidson is an asshole.
I don’t care if he’s a comedian or suffering from something.
We’re all suffering from something.
He should have never talked sh!t about the war wound of a veteran.
That’s b.s.
Crenshaw is an asshole as well but most military people aren’t – like, 99% aren’t – and at least he served his country and yada yada yada.
As I recently told a couple of friends, “Look, I’ve met some seriously f***ed up military people.
I helped put some of them OUT and some of them – if they are still alive – are still in Leavenworth and not having a good time but there are seriously f***ed up people in EVERY profession.”
We should just accept that; Doctors, comedians (I’m looking at you Bill C.) sports heroes, accountants, pastors, etc. but at least Crenshaw served his country and not just himself.
Stand down…today.
If the joke had been about the guy being a Nazi no apology would have been necessary. I hope the people at SNL, or Pete, learnt something.
I get that we have to play the long game with how we handle the right, but I wish SNL would cut this shit out. Don’t humanize them.