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By Phil McCausland
Pete Davidson, a "Saturday Night Live" performer, was criticized on Sunday for a joke about Texas Congressman Dan Crenshaw. The segment is focused on Davidson's first impressions of mid-term election candidates.
Appearing on the fictional program show, "Weekend Update," Davidson made jokes and comments on several mid-term candidates, entirely based on their appearance.
"Mid-term elections are obviously a huge deal," Davidson said. "And after I went back to my mother's house, I started to pay attention to them." The actress recently ended a short engagement with singer Ariana Grande, forcing her to leave her apartment in New York.
Davidson fired on Florida governor Rick Scott, a Republican candidate in the Senate, and on representative Peter King, R-N.Y., Before targeting Crenshaw, a Republican. The series revealed an image of Crenshaw wearing an eye patch, with Davidson commenting, "This guy is pretty cool, Dan Crenshaw."
"You may be surprised to hear that he is a Texas Congress nominee and not a hitman in a porn movie," said Davidson, unable to stop laughing.
"I'm sorry, I know he's lost an eye to the war or whatever," he added.
Many have contested the joke, calling it insensitive to Crenshaw's service and injuries. Crenshaw spent 10 years in the Navy and retired from SEAL as a Lieutenant Commander in 2016. While serving in Afghanistan, an improvised explosive device resulted in the loss of his eye in 2012.
Crenshaw has taken a diplomatic approach. He replied on Twitter saying, "I try not to offend, I do my best not to be offended." However, he said that "SNL" should try to be more sensitive to veterans.
NBC and "Saturday Night Live" declined to comment. NBC and NBC News are owned by NBCUniversal.
"Being dumped by your pop star girlfriend is no excuse to attack a decorated war hero who has lost his eye to serving our country," said Jack Pandol, spokesman for the National Republican Congress Committee. "Pete Davidson and NBC should immediately apologize to Dan, as well as to the millions of veterans and military families who listen every weekend because they are not laughing."
Many spoke on Twitter, although some noted what they saw as the double standard of supporters of President Donald Trump.
Davidson criticized not only others during his segment, but himself.
"I should not make fun of anyone's appearance," he says. "I have the air of making vape juice in a bathtub."
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