Pete Davidson isn't a gifted comedian or The Swingin’ Stewardessesanything. He just has a knack for creating a scene.
During a recent Saturday Night LiveWeekend Update appearance, he made the ill-advised decision to mock the injury that a U.S. military veteran -- then a Congressional candidate -- sustained in combat. It was a dumb, tasteless joke and Davidson was rightfully dragged for his bad judgment.
SEE ALSO: Pete Davidson's joke on 'SNL' about a GOP candidate and combat vet didn't go over wellOn Saturday night, that veteran -- the newly elected Texas Congressman, Lt. Com. Dan Crenshaw -- paid a visit to the SNLset. He was there to hear an apology from Davidson and get in a few shots of his own, which he did. They were funny. Davidson is an easy mark, after all.
Crenshaw ended his appearance with a seemingly heartfelt call for unity. It's a great TV moment. He looks like a damn hero. And he's right: Americans can forgive one another, and see the good in one another.
It also happens to be Veteran's Day on Nov. 11. Crenshaw is a real-life war hero who sacrificed a piece of himself defending his country. It's worth taking a moment to reflect on that; even if you disagree with him politically, Crenshaw is a true patriot. Never forget.
He's also an anti-abortion, pro-"religious liberty" (a pro-discrimination dog whistle) politician who supports Donald Trump's border wall and decries U.S. "leftists" on his campaign's "Issues" page. His calls for unity ring a little hollow when you read up on his views and realize he embraces many of the same divisive policies as Trump.
The moral of this story? Pete Davidson is a moron, but he's a useful moron that SNLhas figured out how to milk for ratings. It happened when he came back from rehab. It's happened multiple times since his very public relationship with Ariana Grande ended.
Davidson is a useful tool for SNL. Just trot him out, let him say his piece, and watch the social media fireworks fly. Good or bad, it doesn't actually matter what the reception is just so long as people are talking about it. That's never been more transparent than it is right now.
Many of the SNLplayers are genuine comedians, people who just have a knack for making an audience laugh. But Davidson seems to be there simply because he's prone to controversy and making a spectacle of himself. He can barely get through one sketch without laughing or screwing up lines.
As for Crenshaw, he was probably just on SNLfor the photo opp. This is a show that antagonizes his new orange-skinned boss on a near-weekly basis. He wasn't there for an apology. As he said in a video shortlyafter Davidson's gaffe, "I want us to get away from this culture where we demand apologies every time someone misspeaks."
That said, I genuinely hope Crenshaw serves his constituents well, and that he takes his own words to heart as he steps into a job that involves serving people who won't always be on his side. He brought a heartening call for unity to SNL. Even if his political positions suggest that it was an empty sentiment, it's still an attitude this country could use more of right now.
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