Pete Davidson, the former "Saturday Night Live" cast member and comedian, has confessed he was high on ketamine while attending Aretha Franklin's funeral in 2018. In his new Netflix special "Turbo Fonzarelli," Davidson detailed his embarrassing drug-fueled behavior during the somber event, as reported by ClickOnDetroit. The 30-year-old admitted to feeling ashamed, saying, "It’s embarrassing when you’re not on ketamine anymore, though... I’m embarrassed. I was out and about like that. That’s not cool, you know?" and acknowledging the gravity of his actions, "I was at Aretha Franklin’s funeral like that. Yeah, I have to live with that, you know what I mean? She’ll never know, but still, that’s not the point."
Davidson attended the funeral alongside his then-girlfriend, pop star Ariana Grande, who performed a tribute to the late Queen of Soul. His indiscretion, including an attempted joke to Franklin's family where he said, "Hey, I’m just here to pay my R-E-S-P-E-C-T...S", was widely deemed inappropriate. The revelations, which many found shocking, raise questions about his state of mind at the time, and his judgement, at such a public and respected event. "Why on Earth would Davidson ever admit that to the public is beyond me," a critic wrote in the ClickOnDetroit article.
The Detroit News also reported on Davidson's confession, quoting him from the special as saying, "If you don't know what ketamine is, you probably did it accidentally once if you're a cokehead." Ketamine, a drug with hallucinogenic effects, was something Davidson said he used for "the past two and a half, three years," indicating a struggle with substance use during much of his time in the public eye. According to the Detroit News, Franklin's funeral was held at Detroit's Greater Grace Temple and was broadcast live, where Davidson was seen with Grande.
Reflecting on his past ketamine use, Davidson joked about being unrecognized by Franklin herself: "If she were there, she would probably be like, ‘Hey, who are you? And what the f--- are you doing at my funeral?’" he said in "Turbo Fonzarelli," as mentioned in People. The comedian also spoke about his reasons for quitting hard drugs, remarking, "I had to stop doing hard drugs because [you] can’t be a drug addict in your 30s." Davidson's decision to address such moments may suggest a desire for public atonement or a part of his healing process, as revealed in the Netflix special, which premiered January 9th. Davidson's candid admission is yet another addition to his public narrative of struggles and growth, a storyline familiar to those who have followed his career and personal life.
