In recent months, Pete Davidson has been very candid about his life, getting sober, and his choice to get a lot of his tattoos removed. Now, he’s opening up even more about all of this, explaining why his ink is a reminder of a “sad person that was very unsure” and how he’s working on being the very best version of himself.
Over the last few years, The King of Staten Island star has been to rehab a few times, and as he’s recovered, he’s kept his personal life pretty private. However, he’s also never shied away from talking about addiction and how he’s healing. One choice he made on this front was to get his tattoos removed, and during an interview with Variety, he explained why, saying:
I used to be a drug addict and I was a sad person, and I felt ugly and that I needed to be covered up. So I’m just removing them and starting fresh, because that’s what I think works best for me and for my brain.
According to the story, Davidson’s hands, arms and neck are no longer tattooed. We also know that he's been going through this process for a few years now.
However, he’s nowhere near done with it, as in the past, he said he has “probably 200” tattoos. Each piece takes 10 to 12 sessions to fully remove, and the Bupkis star has them all over his body. He thinks it’ll take a decade and a lot more money to get rid of them all. So far, he said he’s spent “like 200K,” and is about 30% done.
He’s committed to the process, though, even though tattoo removal is “terrible” because it involves them burning off his skin. Explaining that the ink is a reminder of addiction, he wants to get rid of it in an effort to have a totally new and fresh start. The Saturday Night Live vet said:
When I look in the mirror, I don’t want the reminder of ‘Oh yeah, you were a fucking drug addict. Like, that’s why you have SpongeBob smoking a joint on your back.’ They should have meaning. Not just that I was high watching ‘Game of Thrones.’
Over the last few months, reports have come out saying Davidson is “taking care of himself,” and his comments about how this tattoo removal is helping him are more proof.
He also has a good support system, which includes Machine Gun Kelly, John Mulaney and Lorne Michaels.
Not to mention, Pete Davidson’s list of movies and shows has been growing, too. This year, he voiced a character in Dog Man. He was also part of Saturday Night Live’s 50th celebration, which was when he realized just how major his SNL gig was.
So, overall, while tattoo removal does not sound fun, the stand-up comedian is doing what is best for him, and he seems to be quite well both personally and professionally. As we learn more about this process and his life, we’ll be sure to keep you posted.
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