Pete Davidson is finally addressing the rumor that’s followed him for years — and it’s not about a new romance or a fresh role. The 30-year-old comedian says the ongoing obsession with his alleged “big d*** energy” wasn’t flattering at all. In fact, he says it left him feeling embarrassed, reduced to a punchline, and even like a “sexual object.”
Speaking in a rare serious moment during his “The Breakfast Club” interview Thursday, Davidson admitted the viral fixation on his manhood completely overshadowed his work. “People wouldn’t even talk about my projects,” Pete shared. “They just looked at me like a piece of meat — or a ‘f*** stick.’”
“It Looked Good on Paper… But It Wasn’t”
Co-host Charlamagne Tha God teased Pete, suggesting he had it made — dating some of Hollywood’s most sought-after women while carrying the infamous rumor about what’s in his pants. But Davidson says the reality was far from glamorous.
“Sure, it sounds great on paper,” he explained, “but it didn’t feel good.” He described the attention as overwhelming and dehumanizing, saying that his public persona became defined by a private detail rather than his comedy or acting.
The Glen Powell Comparison
Pete also reflected on why the chatter seemed even louder in his case. “I think I got more attention because I’m not as classically attractive as someone like Glen Powell,” he admitted, noting that the so-called “compliments” often felt like backhanded digs.
“If I Were a Woman…”
Davidson didn’t hold back when calling out the double standard in how society treats sexual objectification. “If that was a girl, people would be like, there would be a march for it,” he said. “Seriously. You’re just talking about my d*** all day.”
How the Rumor Started — and Took Over
The BDE frenzy dates back to his whirlwind romance with pop superstar Ariana Grande in 2018. At one point, Grande hinted in a tweet that Pete was packing 10 inches — a claim that instantly lit up the internet. The rumor grew so big, Kim Kardashian later admitted in an interview that curiosity about it played a role in why she reached out to him.
While Pete often joked about the speculation — even in his Netflix special “Pete Davidson: Alive From New York” where he quipped about Ariana’s “small hands” — he now reveals those jokes were a defense mechanism to mask his discomfort.
Dating History Became a Headline Magnet
From Kate Beckinsale to Phoebe Dynevor, Kaia Gerber, Kim Kardashian, and more, Pete’s relationships have consistently made headlines — but often with the same innuendo attached. For the Staten Island native, it became exhausting to see every article, meme, and late-night monologue circling back to the same body-part-based punchline.
Moving Past the “BDE” Era
Davidson has been open about mental health struggles in the past, and his comments suggest the BDE conversation added another layer of pressure. “It was like people forgot I was an actual person,” he said.
While Pete’s sense of humor has helped him navigate tabloid attention for years, this candid moment shows there’s a deeper cost to constant sexualization — even for men.
And while the world may not stop making jokes about his alleged size anytime soon, Pete seems ready to reclaim the narrative on his own terms.
