Pete Davidson recently confessed something shocking in his new Netflix special. He was high on ketamine when he attended Aretha Franklin’s funeral in 2018. He was there with his then-fiancée, Ariana Grande.
In his special, “Turbo Fonzarelli,” Davidson expressed regret for his actions. “I’m embarrassed I was out and about like that. That’s not cool,” he said. The drug he was on is often used to treat depression.
He joked that Franklin will “never know” he was high. However, he added, “Still, it’s not the point.” The “Saturday Night Live” alum claimed that the substance made him say inappropriate things to the “Respect” singer’s relatives.
“I was so high I thought it’d be a good idea to go up to her family and go, ‘Hey! I’m just here to pay my R-E-S-P-E-C-Ts,’” he quipped. This comment had the audience in stitches.
Davidson also joked that if Franklin were present, she likely would’ve asked, “’Hey! Who are you and what the f–k are you doing at my funeral?’” He admitted, “It’s embarrassing.” Davidson, the “King of Staten Island” star, is now 30.
Franklin passed away in August 2018 after a battle with cancer. Davidson attended the funeral as Grande’s guest. The pop star got engaged to him just weeks before she was asked to perform in honor of the Queen of Soul.
Grande, now also 30, performed at the service wearing a controversial mini-dress. She sang “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” Davidson’s apparent flub with Franklin’s family did not make headlines at the time, but his history with drug use is well known.
The “Bupkis” star has been to rehab several times, including in 2017 and 2019. Most recently, Page Six exclusively reported in June 2023 that he had gone back after struggling with borderline personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Pete regularly goes to rehab for ‘tune ups’ and to take a mental break, so that’s what’s happening,” one friend told us at the time. Another insider told Page Six two months later that Davidson confirmed he had dabbled in using ketamine to treat his depression, but his publicist denied he was still on it.
The drug, which is also used for anesthetic purposes, recently became a talking point when Matthew Perry’s autopsy report revealed the “Friends” alum died from the “acute effects” of it. However, Dr. Bankole Johnson, one of the leading neuroscientists and physicians in the world, previously told Page Six that ketamine is “generally safe” when administered by “trained health professionals” to treat depression or PTSD.
The medical expert told us last month, “The best advice for those needing ketamine treatment is to find an excellent doctor and specialized facility like ours, wherever it might be.”