Thanks to his relationship with Kim Kardashian, former Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson has been making plenty of headlines over the past year.
He quickly became a target for the paparazzi and Kim’s now ex-husband, Kanye West, who frequently posted on Instagram about the comedian online and even mentioned him in music.
However, that has seemingly died down, but Pete and Kim’s relationship has not. Pete’s star power has also been rising, as he recently arrived on TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list, with his friend Jack Harlow praising him in the write-up.
Pete Davidson among 100 Most Influential People
TIME revealed their 100 Most Influential People list soon after Pete Davidson announced he was leaving NBC’s sketch comedy show, Saturday Night Live, after eight years as a cast member.
In Davidson’s SNL farewell segment, he joked about Kanye West, Will Smith, and others before getting sentimental over his time at the show.
“I appreciate SNL always having my back and allowing me to work on myself and grow. Thank you to Lorne for never giving up on me or judging me even like when everyone else was, and for believing in me and allowing me to have a place that like I could call home with memories that will last a lifetime,” he said.
Davidson’s now on the annual Most Influential People list with powerful people, including Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin, Oprah Winfrey, Tim Cook, and Kris Jenner. Davidson, 28, is listed as an artist on TIME’s list, including fellow actors Zoe Kravitz, Andrew Garfield, and Mila Kunis.
Each individual on the list has a write-up by someone close to them or very familiar with them. In the case of Pete Davidson, it’s his friend, rapper Jack Harlow, who shared details of how he met Pete and gave a glowing review of why Davidson is influential in his space.
Jack Harlow calls Pete Davidson an ‘icon’
In Jack Harlow’s TIME write-up, he says he first learned of Davidson from the Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber. Davidson was amongst the celebrity roasters at the event, and the SNL star joked about his father dying during 9/11. Harlow said it was at that moment he knew Pete was “a different breed.”
Harlow explained that several years ago, he received a Facetime call from a girl who said there was someone who wanted to talk to him. It was Pete Davidson who suggested to Harlow they needed to meet.
That didn’t happen until Pete successfully lobbied to get Harlow on Saturday Night Live as a musical guest. Harlow said that was a “genuine dream come true” when he got on the show.
“The night before the show, I went over to Pete’s apartment, and he made my friend and me laugh until our stomachs hurt. I felt like I was experiencing elite comedy up close and personal,” Harlow said.
“Pete’s appeal to the world has everything to do with his authenticity. He doesn’t try to hide the person that he is. It’s a classic recipe for success and connection. I would consider myself truthful, but being around Pete makes me want to continue to reach even further for the realest version of myself,” the First Class rapper said.
“We don’t have another one of him. He’s daring, thoughtful, and simply hilarious. And he’s only 28. An icon with so much more left to accomplish,” Harlow closed his write-up with.
As mentioned, Davidson officially said goodbye to SNL after eight years this past Saturday. He’s now on to bigger and better things based on his career trajectory, with movies on the way and meetings with other influential individuals thanks to his talent, authenticity, and work ethic.