Redeem now - Pete Davidson addressed the most recent conflict between Israel and Hamas on "Saturday Night Live."
- He recalled how his father was killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks when he was 7.
- The one thing that brought him joy again was comedy, Davidson said.
Pete Davidson gave a heartfelt speech addressing the ongoing crisis between Israel and Hamas during his cold open on "Saturday Night Live."
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in.The comedian hosted the first episode of "SNL" since its hiatus due to the writers' strike.
During his cold open, Davidson addressed the "horrible images and stories from Israel and Gaza" of innocent civilians, including children, being killed, wounded, or impacted by the tragedy.
He joked, "I know what you're thinking, who better to comment on it than Pete Davidson?" before telling viewers about learning that his father had died during the 9/11 terrorist attacks when he was 7 years old.
His father, Scott Davidson, was a firefighter who died along with his unit at the World Trade Center.
"Well, in a lot of ways, I am a good person to talk about it because when I was 7 years old, my dad was killed in a terrorist attack," he continued. "So I know something about what that's like."
Davidson recalled that the one thing that brought back joy in his life was when his mom bought him what she believed was a Disney movie when he was 8 years old.
The movie actually turned out to be Eddie Murphy's 1983 standup special "Delirious."
"We played it in the car on the way home, and when she heard the things Eddie Murphy was saying, she tried to take it away," he said. "But then she noticed something. For the first time in a long time, I was laughing again."
Davidson added he has used comedy in the face of tragedy throughout his life and gave a moment to consider the lives that have been "destroyed" by the attacks in Israel and Gaza
"Sometimes, comedy is really the only way forward through tragedy," he said. "My heart is with everyone whose lives have been destroyed this week. But tonight I'm going to do what I've always done in the face of tragedy and that's try to be funny. Remember, I said 'try.'"
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