Pete Davidson Returns to ‘SNL’ to Jab Lorne Michaels for Never Retiring: ‘The Time Has Come and Tina Fey Is Ready’

Pete Davidson made a surprise return to “Saturday Night Live” for a sprawling Weekend Update segment that tackled Zohran Mamdani’s election victory in New York, Davidson’s controversial decision to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival and a few jokes about his old boss, Lorne Michaels.

“If Lorne Michaels has taught us anything, it’s that you never, ever give up. Even if everyone says the time has come and Tina Fey is ready to take over,” Davidson said, drawing some scattered but passionate applause from the crowd and a somewhat squirmy off-screen laugh from Weekend Update co-anchor Michael Che.

Davidson brought up such perseverance because he was introduced by Colin Jost to discuss a ferry that the pair had purchased together with plans to transform it into an upscale entertainment venue — and a recent New York Times article about it that deemed the vessel a “money-losing fiasco.”

“In case you’re wondering why I had to do a show in Saudi Arabia, we’re losing millions on this ferry. I assume that’s what the article says. I can’t spend $5 on a paywall when I got a kid on the way,” Davidson said. “I’m just excited to be a dad and to give it all the energy and enthusiasm I never had for this show.”

Speaking about New York City mayor-elect Mamdani, Davidson poked fun at Staten Island, the only of the five boroughs to turn in a majority vote for Mamdani’s main opponent, Andrew Cuomo.

“I have a message for everyone who did not vote for our new mayor. Hey, Staten islanders! Did you promise to move out of New York if Mamdani won but have too many warrants in New Jersey and not enough guns for Florida?” Davidson exclaimed, introducing a new photoshopped image of his ferry. “Welcome to New Staten Island! … We can’t call it the Titanic anymore, since the people on this ship will actually love running into ICE.”

Davidson was an “SNL” cast member for eight seasons, running from 2014 to 2022.