Pete Davidson has a strict “no phones” policy at his comedy shows — and he’s not afraid to call out rule-breakers.
While Davidson, 29, was performing at City Winery in New York City on Thursday, November 2, he noticed a rogue venue staffer pull out their phone. (A representative for City Winery has since confirmed to Us Weekly that it was a “sneaky fan” and not a member of the staff.)
From his perch on the stage, Davidson interrupted his set to address the employee who was filming and shouted, “F—k you,” according to an eyewitness.
The Saturday Night Live alum then instructed his security guard to escort the person out of the room. Davidson claimed that he “pays $10,000 to lock up [your phones]” before he carried on with his set as planned. The incident was not further addressed during the remainder of the performance. (Like many comedians, Davidson has adopted a phone-free audience environment for his live shows, requiring audience members to stow their devices in sealed Yondr pouches.)
The City Winery spokesperson later told Us that the individual’s footage from the performance was “erased” after he was removed from the event space. “Our staff were devastated after the show, as they take so much pride and feel so lucky to be working these special shows,” the rep said. “These are the nights that make their hard work all worth it.”
City Winery announced on Tuesday, October 31, that Davidson was bringing his “Pete Davidson & Friends” comedy series to its venue on Thursday. After the first performance sold out, a second showing was added at 10:30 p.m.
During the set, Davidson regaled audience members with details of his ups and downs, from his struggle with addiction to his attempts to set up mom Amy Davidson with a nice “suitor.” He also joked about trying to get “good press” after his car crash.
News broke in March that Pete and then-girlfriend Chase Sui Wonders had been involved in a car crash when he lost control of his vehicle while driving in a residential Beverly Hills neighborhood, hitting the side of a house. The couple called it quits five months later.
“We believe that Mr. Davidson engaged in reckless driving, which ultimately resulted in his involvement in a serious collision into a home. Luckily, no one was seriously injured as a result of this collision,” the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office told Us in a statement regarding the accident. “We know that reckless driving can have devastating consequences. In 2022, traffic fatalities in Los Angeles have reached the highest levels seen in 20 years.”
Us confirmed in June that Pete was charged with one misdemeanor count of reckless driving and was ordered to complete 50 hours of community service and 12 hours of traffic school.
On Thursday, Pete revealed that the incident had been his first time being sober in nearly 15 years. As a result, he joked that he was now willing to sign up to grant Make-A-Wish requests in order to get “good press,” which becomes more necessary “once you drive into a house.”
