Saturday Night Live funnymen Pete Davidson and Colin Jost bought a decommissioned Staten Island ferry at auction last month. Per auction agreements, the auction winner has ten days to remove the newly acquired ferry from the St. George ferry terminal.
As of Sunday, the vessel still sits at the St. George ferry terminal, and the deadline to move the boat has passed.
Are Pete Davidson and Colin Jost’s plans dead in the water?
Luckily for the SNL comedians, New York City will grant them an extension.
New York City gives Pete Davidson and Colin Jost extra time to move the ferry
A virtual auction for the Staten Island ferry occurred on January 19, with people speculating as an anonymous bidder with the handle Pitalia211 bid $280,000 for the boat.
It turns out Pitalia is the username that represents real estate mogul Paul Italia, Colin Jost, and Pete Davidson. The three men purchased the vessel with plans for a new comedy club.
The boat is named the John F. Kennedy, and will not move under its power due to mechanical problems. As per auction agreements, the new owners had ten days to move the ferry from the St. George ferry terminal. As of Sunday, the vessel still sits in the St. George ferry terminal, weeks after the auction win occurred.
Thankfully an extension was granted as the men attempt to move the boat and dock it elsewhere.
Pete Davidson and Colin Jost comedy club aspirations
Pete Davidson and Colin Jost have big plans for the newly acquired Staten Island ferry. The SNL comedians plan to take their comedy prowess to another level. Along with Paul Italia, the trio plans to create a comedy club on the water.
Italia, one of the three owners of the boat, said he has grand plans. In an interview with The NY Post, Italia said, “The idea is to turn the space into a live entertainment event space, with comedy, music, art, et cetera.”
Upon hearing the news, New York Mayor Eric Adams tweeted some support for the Saturday Night Live comedians, writing “Live, from St. George Terminal! Pete, @colinjost: I love this idea. What a great way to give an NYC icon a second life. Let us know how we can help and we’ll be there for the maiden voyage.”
About Colin Jost and Pete Davidson’s boat
Colin Jost and Pete Davidson bought an old Staten Island ferry called the John F. Kennedy. The JFK completed construction in 1965. The massive boat is 277-foot long and 2,109-tons.
Before being retired last August, it was the oldest ferry in the Staten Island fleet. The ferry was retired after having mechanical failures in two of its engines.
What is the connection between the SNL comedians and Staten Island? Pete Davidson and Colin Jost both hail from the borough of Staten Island.
Their plan is to have NYC give them millions of dollars worth of dock space for free.
Much luck on ths Venture -It’ll take a chunk of Money and at least a decade til the JFK sails on it’s own – & the sound system alone requires a small fortune –