‘SNL’ Star Pete Davidson Under Fire After Mocking Republican Veteran Who Lost His Eye

Pete Davidson is catching some flack for one of his jokes on Saturday Night Live this weekend — and not the ones about Ariana Grande.

Davidson joined Michael Che and Colin Jost on the Weekend Update segment this past Saturday for one of his newly popular monologues. The comedian has been offering his personal take on issues ever since his engagement to Grande put his name in the headlines, and this week, he took aim at some of the midterm congressional candidates. Among them was Republican Dan Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL who lost his eye in Afghanistan.

“You may be surprised to hear he’s a congressional candidate in Texas and not a hitman in a porno movie,” Davidson said as Crenshaw’s picture appeared on screen, sporting an eye patch.

Davidson, Che and Jost were laughing raucously through the segment, and Davidson could barely get the punch line out with a straight face. Afterward, he acknowledged that it might be over the line.

“I’m sorry, I know he lost his eye in war, or whatever,” he said. “Whatever.”

Crenshaw lost his eye in an IED blast in Afghanistan, according to a report by USA Today. He was deployed twice more after that in both 2014 and 2016. Given his service record, many viewers thought that he should have been exempt from Davidson’s mockery.

“Getting dumped by your pop star girlfriend is no excuse for lashing out at a decorated war hero who lost his eye serving our country,” NRCC spokesman Jack Pandol wrote in a statement. “Pete Davidson and NBC should immediately apologize to Dan, and to the millions of veterans and military families who tune in every weekend – because they’re not laughing.”

“This is really awful and incredibly tone-deaf and offensive to veterans, their families and all who serve,” added Meghan McCain. “Come on SNL, do better.”

Afterward, in the interest of fairness, Davidson then mocked a Democratic candidate, Andrew Cuomo. However, he dedicated most of his time to picking on Greg Pence, brother of Vice President Mike Pence and candidate for Indiana Congressman. After that, he turned the insults on himself.

“Don’t get me wrong, look, I’m not insane,” he said, as a picture of himself appeared on screen. “I know I shouldn’t be making fun of the way anyone looks. I look like I make vape juice in a bathtub. I look like a Dr. Seuss character went to prison.”

Saturday Night Live airs every Saturday night at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.