Pete Davidson Feared Being Sober Would Ruin His Comedic Chops: 'I Was Nervous'

Pete Davidson is embracing a major life transformation, driven by sobriety, fatherhood, and personal growth.

After getting sober in September 2024, he says he initially feared it would ruin his humor; however, it has made him sharper on stage and more present. The shift also inspired him to continue removing his tattoos and reassess his image.

Meanwhile, Pete Davidson and his girlfriend, Elsie Hewitt, are expecting their first child and living together in New York.

Davidson is opening up about the unexpected perks of getting sober, especially when it comes to performing stand-up.

During an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on July 22, the comedian admitted he had real concerns about how sobriety might affect his comedy.

"I was nervous," Davidson, 31, confessed. "I was like maybe I'm not very good, or maybe I was so high, I thought I was good."

Fallon joked, "You were like, 'I want to see if I really did this?' I have pictures, but I don't know."

But Davidson says the experience has been surprisingly refreshing.

"I'm weirdly sharper and more aware, so it's more fun," he shared. "When people laugh, you feel it as opposed to just sitting… so high, sitting there."

Meanwhile, Davidson's journey toward sobriety has led to a profound transformation for the comedian.

After checking into a wellness center in July 2024, following earlier treatment for PTSD and borderline personality disorder in 2023, the comedian began reassessing how he wanted to show up in the world, an assessment that led him to remove his tattoos.

"He just woke up one day and wanted them gone, and it's been a years-long process," a source shared with People.

Although Davidson first began removing his ink back in 2020, it wasn't until he got sober that the shift really made sense to him.

Appearing on "Today" that same month, he joked about the moment he saw himself with fresh eyes: "I got sober and I saw myself in the mirror and I was like, 'Nah. Who's that?' I was like, 'I got to change it up a little bit."

Besides his sobriety journey, Davidson has another reason to celebrate, as he and his girlfriend, Elsie Hewitt, are expecting their first child.

The model and actress took to Instagram to reveal the exciting news, posting a carousel of photos that included sweet moments with Davidson, a sonogram of their baby, and a few cheeky pop culture memes from "Love Island USA" and "SpongeBob SquarePants."

One clip even showed the emotional moment the couple saw their baby on screen for the first time. "Welp, now everyone knows we had sex," she joked.

The couple first sparked dating rumors in March after being spotted in Palm Beach, Florida, sharing a kiss during a beach outing.

A source later confirmed the relationship to People, noting the two had been seeing each other for a while before going public.

By May, the pair had reportedly moved in together.

"Pete and Elsie have been living together in New York for the past few months," a source shared. "They're splitting their time between Pete's house in upstate New York and a brownstone they recently started renting in Brooklyn. They're so happy together and doing great."

At the New York premiere of "The Home" on July 22, Davidson opened up to E! News about the upcoming chapter in his life as a dad, and the overwhelming support he has received.

"Everybody's just been super excited for me, because they know it's been my dream," he shared. "I'm very lucky and very, very happy."

Davidson added that he's eager "to take care of something and show it the childhood I didn't have. I assume you just try to give them what you didn't have, and what you didn't like, not do it."

As for guidance, the "Saturday Night Live" star is not short on it.

"They all just have been like, 'You're going to be great at this. It's the best thing you'll ever do in your life," Davidson noted. "(Adam) Sandler gave me some great advice. Colin Jost has shared his advice, too."