Coming Clean: Pete Davidson Reveals He Sought Rehab Amid Kaia Gerber Split
Feb. 18 2020, Updated 5:36 p.m. ET
Pete Davidson confessed he went to rehab amid his split from Kaia Gerber during his comedy set in New York City.
The Saturday Night Live alum, 26, performed at Carolines Broadway on Sunday when he revealed the news to the crowd at his sold-out show.
The jokes, he said, were written during his stay at Sierra Tucson treatment center in Arizona. While there, Davidson said he used the alias “Howard” and often hung out at the “butt spot,” where attendees smoked cigarettes.
The comedian also poked fun at his suicidal thoughts, joking he has “at least five more years to go” before killing himself as he promised he wouldn’t do it until the New York Knicks won the championship.
In the December episode of SNL hosted by Eddie Murphy, the comedian — who has been open about his depression, anxiety and thoughts of suicide — joked on SNL that he would be going to rehab. He said he was going on “the kind of vacation where, like, insurance pays for some of it, and they take your phone and shoelaces.”
The joke sparked rumors he was going to rehab. Then in January, his mental health issues contributed to the end of his quick fling with Gerber.
In January, E! News reported "It became very clear that he had to go and do this and couldn't wait any longer. This is his second time seeking treatment, his first being in 2016.
A second source told E! Pete is in "a program," which has made it so he and Gerber, 18, "haven't had a lot of contact." At the time, they also revealed Kaia "doesn't know if she wants to continue in their relationship," especially since she "wasn't comfortable with what she saw and doesn't know if she can handle it."
"What she saw happen with Pete was very concerning and scary for her... She cares about Pete and wants him to get better," the insider continued. "But their future is very much up in the air."
RadarOnline.com readers know Davidson has long been suffering from mental health issues. He once told Howard Stern he tried to drown himself at 9 years old.
He's also been open about his struggles on social media. “I really don’t want to be on this earth any more,” he posted on social media on Dec. 15 2018. “I’m doing my best to stay here for you but I actually don’t know how much longer I can last.”