Pete Davidson and Machine Gun Kelly have shared how their enduring friendship over several years has played a crucial role in keeping them focused on recovery and survival. The two opened up about their survival pact during the premiere of Davidson’s new video podcast on Netflix, which premiered on Friday, January 30. Their candid conversation revealed the deep mutual support that has helped them navigate personal challenges while maintaining sobriety.
Insights from The Pete Davidson Show Premiere
The Pete Davidson Show is filmed in the comedian’s own garage, which Davidson describes as the perfect setting for honest dialogue. In the inaugural episode, Davidson, 32, and rapper Colson Baker, better known as Machine Gun Kelly (MGK), 35, discussed their experiences with fatherhood, friendship, and overcoming adversity. The show is currently available only to viewers in the United States, with UK access pending.
A Friendship Forged in Challenging Times
Davidson and MGK first met in 2017 on the set of Wild ’N Out, quickly developing a close bond that both credit with helping them mature and gain new perspectives on life. The pair emphasized that their friendship has extended their lives in ways they never anticipated.
Davidson shared with MGK:
I think we both thought we were going to die pretty young. I’m equally impressed by both of us [that we’ve] been able to keep it going.
– Pete Davidson, Comedian
The conversation reflected on difficult pasts, including each of their struggles with addiction and mental health, and how becoming sober brought them closer. Both men suffer from bipolar disorder; Davidson has also been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). MGK highlighted how their conditions seem to balance one another when moods fluctuate.
MGK explained:
Our bipolar has synced up because every time I’m having a manic episode, you’re good, and every time you’re having one, I’m good,
and added,
Because every time I call, you’re super mellow,
followed by
And every time you call, I’m super mellow. So it just like goes back and forth.
– Machine Gun Kelly, Rapper
Davidson humorously remarked:
Yeah, it’s really good for our suicide pact…thank God, because we would be dead for sure,
affirming their fortune in having one another’s support. – Pete Davidson, Comedian
Shared Hardships and Recovering Together
The duo reflected on their challenging upbringings and difficult circumstances, likening themselves to “phoenixes rising from ashes.” They recounted how they supported each other even during rehab, often calling one another while in treatment, though never overlapping stays. Davidson noted,
But we usually both need it. The other one needs it while the other one is in it, and we’ll take, like so, so many notes.
– Pete Davidson, Comedian
For MGK, sobriety carries even higher stakes as a father to his 15-year-old daughter Casie Colson Baker and 10-month-old infant Saga. He pointed out that Davidson shares these high stakes since he became a father recently as well. Davidson and Elsie Hewitt welcomed their daughter Scottie in December last year.
MGK underscored this new accountability:
Now you got high stakes because you have a kid.
– Machine Gun Kelly, Rapper
How Friendship Curbs Impulsivity and Facilitates Growth
The podcast episode also highlighted how the pair have grown past impulsive tendencies by leaning on each other for understanding and encouragement. Davidson expressed gratitude for their unique connection, saying,
We’re getting better at taking a second and then just calling you,
followed by
You’re the one friend I have that gets it, what I’m going through.
– Pete Davidson, Comedian
This level of empathy and shared experience serves as an important pillar in their ongoing journeys toward stability and mental wellness.
The Broader Importance of Mental Health Support
Both Davidson and MGK’s openness sheds light on the realities of living with mental illness and addiction while emphasizing the value of close relationships in recovery. Their story may inspire others facing similar challenges to seek help and build strong support systems.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. You can call or text 988 at any time to reach a 24-hour crisis center, or connect through webchat at 988lifeline.org. The Crisis Text Line is also available by texting MHA to 741741.
