“Once again, Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus.”
Aside from a taped appearance as Rami Malek, those were the only words Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson said during the show’s last live episode of 2018. A spot typically reserved for the week’s host, he seemed to be telling viewers that he was OK.
Earlier on Saturday, Davidson posted an ominous message to his Instagram account.
“I really don’t want to be on this earth anymore,” he wrote. “I’m doing my best to stay here for you but I actually don’t know how much longer I can last. All I’ve ever tried to do was help people. Just remember I told you so.”
Not long after that, he appeared to delete his account.
Later in the afternoon, a representative from NBC confirmed to the NYPD that Davidson was accounted for at 30 Rock, where SNL is taped. It was unclear at that point if Davidson would appear on this week’s episode at all.
The 25-year-old comedian became something of a tabloid fixation this year after his short-lived engagement to pop star Ariana Grande. Earlier this month, Davidson, who struggles with borderline personality disorder, posted a similar note to Instagram in which assured fans he would not kill himself “no matter how hard the internet or anyone tries to make me.”
He added, “I’ve been getting online bullied and in public by people for nine months. I’ve spoken about BPD and being suicidal publicly only in the hopes that it will help bring awareness and help kids like myself who don’t want to be on this earth.”
Both that message and the one he posted this weekend led to an outpouring of support from celebrities and fans on social media letting Davidson know they were there for him.