Five months into fatherhood, Pete Davidson is folding his new reality into his comedy, but one joke about his infant daughter is igniting a wave of criticism online.
Back in December, Pete Davidson and his girlfriend, Elsie Hewitt, announced the arrival of their baby girl. Hewitt shared the news on Instagram, posting a series of photos from their first days with their newborn.
The post was captioned:
“Our perfect angel girl arrived 12/12/2025 scottie rose hewitt davidson ♥️ my best work yet, I am absolutely overflowing with love and gratitude and disbelief.”
Scottie is named after Davidson’s late father, firefighter Scott Davidson, who died during the September 11 attacks in 2001.
You can view the post here:
Soon after Scottie’s birth, the 32-year-old opened up about life as a new parent during an appearance on The Tonight Show.
Davidson reflected on new fatherhood during his late-night appearance:
“All the clichés are true. It’s so much fun, it’s nuts. It’s fun to see Elsie be a great mom.”
Hewitt also drew widespread praise in February after sharing her experience with pregnancy and postpartum emotions, as well as her decision not to breastfeed, in a personal essay for Elle.
Davidson has since said fatherhood has made him feel more “primal” and protective, a shift that has already started to shape his material. He recently returned to the stage for the first time since becoming a dad, incorporating his new reality into his stand-up.
During a set at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on April 11, per E! News, Davidson joked about the highs and adjustments of parenting a newborn. While some moments landed, others sparked backlash quickly.
In the recording, Davidson can be heard telling the crowd:
“I haven’t done stand-up in five months because I’ve just had a baby… Yeah, it’s a lot of fun. A little girl.”
However, the tone shifted as the routine continued.
The Saturday Night Live alum delivered a joke that is now drawing widespread criticism:
“It’s weird having a little girl; it’s so hard to watch porn in front of her. But I still did; I powered through!”
Added the new dad, "No, it's great.”
Multiple outlets, including TMZ and Us Weekly, obtained audio from the performance, and the clip has since circulated online.
You can listen to the audio here:
Unsurprisingly, the joke has prompted strong reactions online, with many calling it inappropriate, particularly given the subject matter. Others, however, noted that the comment was part of a stand-up routine, where Davidson has long been known to push boundaries.
You can view the reactions below:
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Davidson has not publicly addressed the backlash. BuzzFeed has reached out to his representative for comment.
Davidson is currently balancing his return to stand-up with an expanding slate of film and television projects. He’s set to portray mafia hitman Tommy Pitera in The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath, a project he has previously described as a “dream,” with production expected to begin in June 2026.
He’s also attached to I Slept with Joey Ramone, a Netflix biopic he will star in, co-write, and executive produce, marking a continued shift into more hands-on creative roles.
At the same time, Davidson appears in the upcoming thriller Bitcoin, directed by Doug Liman and co-starring Gal Gadot, Isla Fisher, and Casey Affleck. Production on the film began in late February.
Davidson is also continuing work on a more unconventional venture: transforming the Staten Island Ferry he purchased with Colin Jost into a permanent, stationary entertainment venue and hotel, another public-facing project that keeps him in the spotlight.
@JamesTate121/X
