Pete Davidson brands himself a 'survivor' of 'really tough' Kim Kardashian relationship... as he admits to 'drug problems' during their nine-month romance

Pete Davidson is speaking candidly about his whirlwind romance with Kim Kardashian, four years after their breakup.

In a new Variety cover story, the 32-year-old comedian dished details on his nine-month romance with the 45-year-old bombshell, which was the subject of much media scrutiny at the time. 

'I’m one of the survivors – the few and the proud. We’re like the Marines,' he teased in reference to 45-year-old Kardashian's dating history, which includes ex-husbands Kanye West and Kris Humphries.

Davidson said he struggled with the intense public scrutiny that came with dating one of the most famous women in the world, saying: 'Look, man, that’s a really tough atmosphere if you're not game. One of the things I love about Kim and that whole family is they’re like, "This is what we do."'

Davidson went on to compliment his ex, saying: 'I found that very attractive and mature. And I was never subjected to anything I didn’t want to be a part of.'

'[Kim] was super respectful of all of it, but the craze of that lifestyle – being followed everywhere, having security and looking over your shoulder – for a guy with mental stuff, and at the time drug problems, was a little too much for me.'

Davidson, who is now sober, has been open about his struggles with substance abuse and depression. 

Earlier this year, he revealed how his mom, Amy Waters Davidson, inspired him to stop using drugs and alcohol, detailing a difficult Zoom conversation the pair had together. 

Despite the intensity of his relationship with Kardashian, the comedian told Variety he has no regrets about the romance. 

'We’re cool, and I have a lot of love for her, and I knew what I was getting into,' he stated. 

The Kardashian sisters – Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall, and Kylie – have notoriously been accused of leaving the men they date worse off, a supposed trend coined 'the Kardashian curse' by the internet.

Davidson met Kardashian in October 2021, during Kardashian's SNL hosting gig, during which they kissed as part of an Aladdin-themed sketch.

News broke shortly thereafter that they had become a couple in real life – months after the SKIMS founder filed for divorce from West in February 2021.

During a confessional interview on her family's Hulu show The Kardashians, the multihyphenate said she felt 'a vibe' when the two locked lips on TV and wanted to 'try something different.'

When she subsequently sought out Davidson's phone number via an SNL producer, she admitted she was 'basically just DTF.' 

However, the relationship turned into much more, with the Staten Island native getting multiple tattoos to commemorate their bond during the courtship.

Among them was the phrase 'my girl is a lawyer,' a reference to Kardashian's pursuit to become an attorney, following in the footsteps of her late father Robert Kardashian.  

He also got a collarbone tattoo reading: 'Jasmine and Aladdin,' a nod to the aforementioned SNL skit.

Davidson additionally got a small tattoo just above his neckline with the initials, 'KNSCP,' speculated to stand for the first letters of Kardashian's name, plus her kids North, 13, Saint, 10, Chicago, eight, and Psalm, seven. 

Davidson and the reality television personality split in August 2022 due to their demanding schedules. 

Davidson went on to date model Elsie Hewitt, with whom he welcomed a daughter, Scottie, late last year.  

While on This Past Weekend podcast in September 2025, the standup comic anticipated his impending fatherhood as he said, 'Thank God that I’m sober. I wish I had more time of sobriety ‘cause it’s only been like a year and change, but I’m very grateful that it happened now and with Elsie.'

Months before his daughter was born, he explained, 'In other relationships or when I was, you know – I was a drug addict and very mentally deranged, but that was my goal: "I need to have a kid. I need to get married." Because that's how I grew up.'

In retrospect, Davidson said he was 'not ready' to have a family when he was still in the thick of substance abuse.

Davidson and Hewitt split earlier this year.