Jon Stewart has spoken out in support of fellow comedian Pete Davidson amid his "explosive" drama with Kanye West.
In recent weeks, Davidson has been the target of a slew of West's Instagram posts, with the rapper and designer publicly voicing his objection to the Saturday Night Live star dating his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian.
Weighing in on the ongoing saga, former The Daily Show host Stewart, 59, said that Davidson, 28, is "doing the best [he] can" in the current situation.
"I know Pete real well," Stewart said during an appearance on Howard Stern's SiriusXM radio show on Tuesday. "He's just a kid trying to live his life.
"He's one of my favorite people. He's just a smart, funny kid, trying to live his life and he's just caught up [in the drama]."
The TV personality added: "I think he's doing as best you can in that situation when you're dealing with something that's so explosive and loaded, with all kinds of other things. I just love that kid."
Stewart added that he has developed a "very paternal instinct" when it comes to Davidson and other comedians that he has befriended in the industry.
When Stern asked Stewart how he and Davidson met, the comedian joked that it was because he was "incredibly hip and with it."
"He and I know each other from comedy, from going on the road," he went on to explain. "Dave [Chappelle] and I were doing gigs in Boston and Houston, and Pete came out and performed.
"Him and [John] Mulaney worked near where I live in Jersey so I would go buy pizza from a place and we just go hang out and we just became friends from that."
"I always have a very paternal instinct on those guys because I've seen too many of my friends get in trouble and some of them die, and you don't [want that to happen]," he added. "It's a f***** up business."
West, who has legally changed his name to Ye, has been openly critical of Davidson in his Instagram posts and has nicknamed the comedian "Skete."
In early March, the musician faced criticism after unveiling his "Eazy" music video, which depicted a claymation representation of Davidson being kidnapped and buried alive.
That, coupled with West's public statements about wanting to rekindle his relationship with Kardashian, sparked criticism from current The Daily Show host Trevor Noah, who last week accused the rapper of "harassing" his ex-wife.
"You may not feel sorry for Kim because she's rich and famous," Noah said. "But what she's going through is terrifying to watch. And it shines a spotlight on what so many women go through when they choose to leave.
"What we're seeing here is one of the most powerful, one of the richest women in the world unable to get her ex to stop texting her, to stop chasing after her, to stop harassing her."
Following the broadcast, West directed an Instagram post containing a racial slur at Noah, leading to his 24-hour suspension from the social media platform. All posts on West's Instagram feed have since been removed.
Back in February, West shared screenshots of messages where Kardashian warned him that he was creating a "dangerous and scary environment" for Davidson with his posts.
"Someone will hurt Pete and this will be all your fault," Kardashian wrote.
Captioning the post, West wrote: "Upon my wife's request please nobody do anything physical to Skete. I'm going to handle the situation myself."
After sharing the screenshots, West apologized as he noted that his posts could be perceived as "harassing" the reality star, with whom he shares four children.
He wrote on Instagram: "I'm working on my communication. I can benefit from a team of creative professionals, organizers, mobilizers and community leaders. Thank everybody for supporting me.
"I know sharing screen shots was jarring and came off as harassing Kim. I take accountability. I'm still learning in real time. I don't have all the answers. To be good leader is to be a good listener."
Kardashian, who filed for divorce in February 2021 and was in March 2022 declared legally single, spoke out against her former husband's "constant attacks on me in interviews and on social media" in a statement shared on Instagram in February.
"Divorce is difficult enough on our children and Kanye's obsession with trying to control and manipulate our situation so negatively and publicly is only causing further pain for all," she wrote, in part.
A text exchange purportedly between Davidson and West was leaked earlier this March, depicting the comedian telling the rapper that he was "in bed with your wife," before suggesting the two should meet privately to discuss their differences. The messages were leaked by Davidson's friend, writer Dave Sirus.
Amid the ongoing drama, West's representatives confirmed last weekend that the musician will not be permitted to perform at the upcoming Grammy Awards, due to "concerning online behavior."
Noah, who will be hosting the show, expressed his objection to the news, stating on Twitter: "I said counsel not cancel Kanye."
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Ryan Smith is a Newsweek Senior Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
