Pete Davidson had one final treat for SNL viewers before ending his seven-season run: a rap tribute video to the show’s creator, Lorne Michaels.
The skit, which was apparently cut for time, begins with host Natasha Lyonne informing Davidson that Michaels is depressed because the two never got to make a rap video together. “You know, that guy has literally done everything for me, so I’m going to pay him back by doing this rap video exactly the way he wrote it,” decades Davidson.
Set to the tune of “Forgot the Dre,” David proceeds to honor Michaels’ legacy by ratting off his many accomplishments — from discovering comedians like Chris Farley, David Spade, and Kristen Wiig, to writing Three Amigos, to winning the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The accompanying visuals feature Davidson dressed as Michaels, interspersed with deepfakes of the SNL creator’s face on a younger body.
But ultimately, Davidson’s video is cut short when none other than Eminem appears to remind the comedian that this is the third time he has parodied one of his songs (see: “Stu” and “NFTs”). “I would just stop. They all suck,” says Eminem. “Stop. It’s really bad.” When Davidson attempts to explain he’s merely paying tribute to the rapper, Marshall Mathers shuts him down and warns: “Pete, don’t fucking do it again!”
Davidson then turns towards Michaels, who is watching from the wings, and in a nod to Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore, yells: “Well, Lorne, you blew it!”
Davidson also paid tribute to Michaels during an appearance on Weekend Update, as he thanked him “for never giving up on me or judging me even when everyone else was, for believing in me and allowing me to have a place I could call home with the memories that will last a lifetime.”