EXCLUSIVE: Longtime Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson is headlining his own comedy series inspired by his life, I have learned. Davidson is poised to play the lead in the project, tentatively titled Bupkis, which he is co-writing with his long-time friend and collaborator Dave Sirus as well as Judah Miller (Crashing). Deals are still being finalized for the series, which hails from SNL honcho Lorne Michaels’s Broadway Video and Universal Television where the company is under a deal.
Bupkis is described as a raw, unflinching, fictionalized version of Pete Davidson’s real life. It will include a mixture of grounded storytelling with absurd elements depicting an unfiltered view through Pete’s eyes.
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The show, which has been compared to Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, is expected to reflect Davidson’s real-life persona with an unapologetically unfiltered, R-rated storytelling. It is being pitched to streamers, with Prime Video and Peacock believed to be among those interested. Talks are currently underway with A-list talent for the ensemble cast around Davidson.
Bupkis is executive produced by Davidson, Sirus and Miller as well as Broadway Video’s Michaels, Andrew Singer and Erin David.
Davidson, who started off as one of the youngest ever SNL cast members, initially only making sporadic appearances on Weekend Update, has become one of the sketch comedy’s most recognizable stars who has been making headlines with his work as well as his high-profile relationships, most recently with Kim Kardashian. He is currently in his eighth season on SNL, and for the last few years, he has juggled the sketch comedy with a burgeoning feature career as Michaels has allowed established cast members to take leaves of absences to pursue other projects — features as well as TV series, which are often produced by Broadway Video.
Such Michaels-produced series headlined by current SNL stars include Shrill, starring Aidy Bryant, Schmigadoon! with Cecily Strong, Kenan, starring Kenan Thompson and Chris Redd, Bust Down with Redd, and That Damn Michael Che with Che.
Davidson is currently on a leave from SNL while he is filming the Miramax horror thriller The Home. He will next be seen on big screen in Bodies Bodies Bodies, which premieres on SXSW, Good Mourning with a U with Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox, and in Meet Cute opposite Kaley Cuoco.
Davidson and Sirus, who have worked together on SNL for years, co-wrote the film The King of Staten Island with Judd Apatow. Miller served as an executive producer alongside Davidson on the film which starred Davidson and was based on his life. Davidson is repped by ICM Partners, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Granderson Des Rochers.
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