‘SNL’ Star Reveals ‘Brutal’ Side Effect of $200K Makeover
The young comedian shared details of his uncomfortable, multi-year journey.
NBC
Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson has revealed the unexpected consequences of removing his more than 200 tattoos.
The 32-year-old comedian told E! News that the removal journey had been “brutal” during a Nov. 10 red carpet appearance for How to Rob a Bank in New York City alongside co-star Nicholas Hoult.
Davidson told the interviewer that her tattoos looked good, adding, “Mine look like, you know, jail.”
Pete Davidson at the “How To Rob A Bank” New York Premiere on November 10.
Theo Wargo/Getty Images
“I’ve only been wearing sweaters for like six months,” Davidson, who began his tattoo removal journey in 2020, continued. “So you don’t know what’s going on.”
Davidson, whose tattoos included nods to his famous ex-girlfriends, including Kim Kardashian and pop star Ariana Grande, has reportedly spent $200,000 to remove the ink.
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In April 2025, he told Variety that the process was slow because each tattoo took over 10 laser sessions, which must be spaced over six weeks apart, and he was balancing a busy work schedule.
He predicted it would take another decade and another investment of over $200,000 to get rid of all of his tattoos. And the process was painful.
“It’s like putting your arm on a grill and burning off a layer,” he said. “It sucks, I’m not gonna lie.”
Before starting his tattoo removal process, Pete Davidson's upper body was covered in ink. Pictured here in New York City in 2019.
Bobby Bank/GC Images
He told the outlet that he started removing his tattoos as they reminded him of a time he didn’t want to remember.
“I used to be a drug addict, and I was a sad person, and I felt ugly and that I needed to be covered up,” he said. “So I’m just removing them and starting fresh, because that’s what I think works best for me and for my brain.”
He continued, “When I look in the mirror, I don’t want the reminder of ‘Oh yeah, you were a f---ing drug addict. Like, that’s why you have SpongeBob smoking a joint on your back.’”
Pete Davidson debuted new ink at CinemaCon 2026 in April.
Greg Doherty/Greg Doherty/Getty Images
During his Tuesday appearance, Davidson also joked that his tattoos “might come back.”
In April, fans spotted Davidson with new ink on his face at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, when he talked on stage with the name “Scottie” vertically inked in front of his ear.
Elsie Hewitt and Pete Davidson in Los Angeles in July 2025.
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Scottie is Davidson and model Elsie Hewitt’s daughter. They welcomed her in December 2025 before breaking up in May.
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