See Pete Davidson Joke About His ‘Staten Island Ferry Fiasco’ on ‘SNL’

Pete Davidson returned to Saturday Night Live during the Weekend Update to share his take on what’s been dubbed “the Staten Island Ferry Fiasco.”

In October, the New York Times published an article detailing Staten Island natives Davidson and Colin Jost’s ill-fated decision four years ago to purchase a decommissioned ferry boat and transform it into an event space.

“In case you were wonder why I had to do a show in Saudi Arabia, we’re losing millions on this ferry,” Davidson said on SNL, referring to his appearance at the controversial Riyadh Comedy Festival. “I assume that’s what the article says; I can’t spend $5 on the paywall when I have a kid on the way.”

Davidson, father-to-be, added, “I’m just excited to be a dad, and give it all the energy and enthusiasm I never had for this show.”

Jost and Davidson then responded to the “fiasco,” noting that the ferry was an aquatic billboard of sorts for Nike during the recent New York City Marathon.

“We even gave the boat a new name. We thought ‘the Staten Island Ferry’ was too depressing so now it’s called the Titanic 2,” Davidson said. “If Lorne Michaels 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 then revealed his new grand scheme for the ferry, in the wake of Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral win. “I actually have a great idea to make this ferry more of a success. As you all know, we just had a mayoral election, which is my least favorite kind of oral,” Davidson said. 

“So we just had an election, and if you don’t mind, 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? Well, welcome to new Staten Island,” showing the ferry as an apartment complex on water. “It’ll have everything that makes Staten Island great: Pizza.”