At 20, many of us were still in college or working a part-time job. Maybe we had just put our feet into a real career. At 20, Pete Davidson was already a regular cast member of the single most popular comedy show of all time. Davidson made his debut on Saturday Night Live in 2014, after being a relatively successful stand up comedian for over seven years. However, with early success comes a natural danger. Like many SNL regulars who came before him, Davidson quickly began to struggle with substance use disorder, and found himself in a spiral with very few options available to him.
Davidson always found drugs like marijuana useful when attempting to perform standup. In fact, he refused to go on stage for his first open mic unless he was high first. While the legitimacy of the “gateway drug” theory of marijuana has been called into question as of late, Davidson eventually branched into harder drugs. Due to the nature of Saturday Night Live, it’s not hard to see why he began to abuse drugs and alcohol. New material was required every week, and a live performance broadcast to millions could understandably create an unfathomable amount of stress. Davidson’s substance use disorder was far from surprising; he is far from the first to battle addiction while starring on SNL.
Many famous comedians starring on SNL met an untimely demise due to drug addiction. Most famously, both John Belushi and Chris Farley died of drug overdoses at the peaks of their respective careers. While Farley and Belushi were both a decade older than Davidson is now at 23, their stories share an eerie parallel with Davidson’s. Luckily, earlier this month, Davidson announced on social media that for the first time in 8 years, he was sober. Davidson’s story is not a unique one; many have been in his shoes, but luckily he sought help. Hopefully his story can inspire others who struggle in high-pressure environments to stay away from drugs and alcohol. For those already struggling with substance use disorder, Davidson is living proof that recovery is possible.
