As we wrap up National Mental Health Awareness Month, I would like to talk about one of the many individuals I look to for inspiration.
While I hadn’t heard of Pete Davidson before his engagement to Ariana Grande in 2018, I quickly became more familiar with the comedian. Davidson has openly talked and joked about his mental health for years, along with the passing of his father in the September 11th attacks. Oftentimes Davidson is in the spotlight for making outlandish jokes that some may find offensive. Personally, I think he is a talented and relatable comedian that uses his influence to not only make people laugh, but also to spread awareness about mental health.
Known for his roles in The King of Staten Island and Saturday Night Live, Davidson’s career has bloomed in the last couple of years. In multiple episodes of Saturday Night Live, Davidson has joked about his mental health issues (as well as others), but almost always in a positive light. Furthermore, at the age of 23, he was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. Davidson has described feeling a sense of relief when receiving this diagnosis, as it provided answers to his behaviors. However, while a diagnosis can provide relief and an expectation, it does not stop there. Davidson has described how even after a diagnosis, you must work every day to help yourself manage these symptoms.
In a Weekend Update segment of Saturday Night Live (shortly after Kanye hosted the show), Davidson pokes at Kanye for his incoherent political speech the night before saying, “Being mentally ill is not an excuse to act like a jackass.” Davidson also says, “there is no shame in the medicine game…there’s nothing wrong with taking them” in reference to Kanye not taking his.
Although Davidson makes jokes about his personal experiences with mental illness, the topic is no joke for him. In many interviews, he describes all of the steps he takes on a daily basis to manage his BPD diagnosis and goes so far as to thank his therapists and everyone else that helps him navigate his illness. As someone who has been diagnosed with similar mental health issues, it is comforting to see Pete Davidson advocate for himself and others throughout his comedic career.