Did Pete Davidson Die? What Really Happened With the SNL Star

So, you’re scrolling through TikTok or X (rest in peace, Twitter) and you see a headline that makes your heart drop: did Pete Davidson die? It’s a terrifyingly common thing these days. One minute you’re looking at memes, and the next, a "Breaking News" graphic with a black-and-white photo of Staten Island’s favorite son pops up.

First things first: Pete Davidson is alive. He’s actually very much alive and, by all accounts, entering one of the most stable and productive chapters of his life. As of January 2026, he isn't just "okay"—he's a new father and a podcast host.

But why does this keep happening? Why is the internet so obsessed with "killing off" the guy who made BDE a household term? Honestly, it’s a mix of cruel social media pranks, his very public history with mental health, and the tragic way he entered the public eye in the first place.

The 2026 Update: Fatherhood and Podcasts

If you’re looking for proof of life, you don't have to look far. On December 12, 2025, Pete and his girlfriend, Elsie Hewitt, welcomed their daughter, Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson. He’s been seen out and about in New York, looking every bit the tired but happy new dad.

Professionaly, he’s busier than ever. He just announced a massive deal with Netflix to host their first-ever original video podcast, The Pete Davidson Show, which premieres on January 30, 2026. He’s filming it from his garage, because of course he is.

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He’s also still working on a string of movie projects. You might have caught him in The Pickup with Eddie Murphy last year, or heard his voice in the Dog Man movie. Basically, if he were dead, the Netflix marketing department would be having a very different kind of week.

Why the "Did Pete Davidson Die" Hoaxes Won't Quit

Social media algorithms are kind of a nightmare. They prioritize engagement over truth. When someone posts a fake "Rest in Peace" message for a celebrity as famous as Pete, it gets thousands of clicks in seconds.

• The "Death Hoax" Cycle: Scammers use these headlines to drive traffic to shady websites or to grow "tribute" pages that they later sell.
• The Health Struggles: Pete has been incredibly open about his struggles with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Crohn’s disease. Because he’s been honest about having "dark thoughts" in the past, people are often quicker to believe the worst when a rumor starts.
• The "Rehab" Headlines: Every time Pete takes a break to check into a wellness facility—which he did most recently in mid-2024—the internet starts whispering. People confuse "taking a break for mental health" with "something tragic happened."

Honestly, it's kinda gross. We’ve reached a point where people treat celebrity life like a spectator sport, forgetting there's a real person behind the tattoos.

A Legacy Rooted in Real Loss

Part of the reason the question did Pete Davidson die feels so heavy is because Pete’s entire career is built on the foundation of a very real death. His father, Scott Davidson, was a firefighter who died during the September 11 attacks. Pete was only seven years old.

He’s used that trauma in his comedy for years. Whether it’s his brutal SNL "Weekend Update" segments or his semi-autobiographical movie The King of Staten Island, he’s never shied away from the topic of mortality.

Maybe that’s why the hoaxes feel so frequent. He talks about death so often in his sets that the "topic" of Pete and death are linked in search engines. It’s a dark irony he’d probably make a joke about himself.

Staying Grounded in 2026

Lately, Pete has been pulling back from the chaos. He’s been undergoing a massive tattoo removal process, spending upwards of $200,000 to clear his "canvas" as he moves into his 30s. He told People magazine recently that he wants to be a "clean slate" by the time he’s 40.

He also deactivated his social media accounts (again). This is usually the trigger for the "where is he?" rumors. When a celebrity goes silent, the internet fills the vacuum with nonsense.

So, what should you do next time you see a "RIP Pete" post?

1. Check the Source: If it’s not from a major outlet like Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, or AP, it’s almost certainly fake.
2. Look for Recent Activity: Check for his podcast updates or his girlfriend’s Instagram.
3. Don't Share the Bait: Clicking and sharing only feeds the bots that create these hoaxes.

Pete Davidson is currently focused on being a dad and talking to his friends in a garage for Netflix. He’s healthy, he’s working, and he’s definitely still here.

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Actionable Insights for Navigating Celebrity News:

• Always verify "breaking" celebrity news through primary trade publications rather than TikTok "news" accounts.
• Understand that social media deactivation is a common mental health boundary for public figures, not a sign of a crisis.
• Support creators who prioritize fact-checking over clickbait to help clean up your own digital feed.