Pete Davidson Shocks Audience With Honest Family Tragedy Revelation

Pete Davidson shocked his audience this past weekend when he opened up about the complicated feelings surrounding his grandfather's health.

The 31-year-old comedian performed at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Friday, as part of the North to Shore Festival alongside Jon Stewart and John Mulaney.

But it wasn't just his usual comedic set that had fans talking. Pete Davidson made an emotional revelation about his grandfather, whom he described as "dying."

Davidson, who is known for being transparent about his struggles and personal life, shared his complicated relationship with his grandfather, who has been diagnosed with lung cancer.

"He got the lung cancer and I'm not that close with him. I'm close with my dad's dad. I don't like my mom's dad," Davidson admitted to the crowd, per Daily Mail.

He went on to share a shocking claim, saying, "He used to beat the sh-t out of me and I don't like him very much."

Describing his 81-year-old grandfather, Davidson added, "He's old school, he's very Irish. You know those old Irish Jews that are so Irish, they're like pink, right?"

He continued, explaining his complex feelings toward his grandfather, noting that he is "dying," yet also expressing a sense of relief.

"I'm low-key, thrilled. I'm like, die slow motherf-cker," he said, adding that while he wanted to be there for his mother, it was still difficult to process his grandfather's impending death.

Davidson also shared that he has been trying to remember the positive moments he had with his grandfather, such as their shared inside joke about "cake fart girl," a popular online entertainer.

Despite the rough history, he did his best to find something to hold onto. "I don't want to be rude to my mom. I think I have the best mom in the world. I'm very, very lucky. So I've been trying to remember a good time that me and my grandpa, had so I could hold onto it," he added.

Davidson, who tragically lost his father, Scott Davidson, in the September 11th attacks, has had a rough history with family loss. He has previously stated that losing his father at the age of seven was the "worst thing that ever could have happened" to him.

Despite the hardships, Davidson has continued to use comedy as a way to cope and share his experiences.

Offstage, Davidson seems to be finding stability.

He's currently in a relationship with model Elsie Hewitt, and the couple has been spotted together at various events, including their red carpet debut at the 13th Annual Blossom Ball.

Hewitt has been vocal about her struggles with endometriosis, and Davidson has been supportive of her, even taking care of her during flare-ups. "He has all the heating pads, all the water bottles ready to go, feeds me. It's very sweet," Hewitt shared.

The couple's relationship seems to be going strong as they balance time between Davidson's home in upstate New York and a Brooklyn brownstone they're renting.

Pete Davidson has been on a transformative journey, both physically and mentally, over the past few years.

The comedian revealed that he has undergone a significant process of tattoo removal, spending over $200,000 on the procedure to clear most of his head, neck, and arms.

By April, he shared that he had made substantial progress, and while tattoos have been a part of his identity, Davidson has chosen to remove them as part of his personal healing process.

For Davidson, this decision to remove his tattoos is about shedding a past that no longer aligns with the person he is today.

"So I'm just removing them and starting fresh because that's what I think works best for me and for my brain," he said, pointing out that the reminder of his past struggles, including one tattoo of SpongeBob smoking a joint, was no longer something he wanted to carry with him.

"When I look in the mirror, I don't want the reminder of 'Oh yeah, you were a f-cking drug addict. Like, that's why you have SpongeBob smoking a joint on your back.'"

In addition to his physical transformation, Davidson has been focused on his mental health. In July 2024, he checked into a wellness facility to seek the mental health treatment he needed.