SNL's Pete Davidson criticises Kanye West's rant on show: 'Being mentally ill is not an excuse to act like a jackass'

Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson appeared on the show’s “Weekend Update” segment to criticise Kanye West‘s support of Donald Trump.

West, who appeared on last week’s show as a musical guest, was booed by the audience after delivering a pro-Trump speech while wearing a red “Make America Great Again” baseball hat. The rapper only launched into the tirade after his on-air performance, when the cameras had stopped rolling, but comedian Chris Rock was in the audience and managed to capture some of it on Instagram.

On this week’s show, Davidson took a moment to respond to the incident, saying: “What Kanye said after we went off the air last week was one of the worst, most awkward things I’ve ever seen here. And I’ve seen Chevy Chase speak to an intern.”

The comedian disputed West’s claim that he had been “bullied” backstage. He said no one had asked West not to wear the cap, adding: “I wish I told him not to wear it, suggested that it might upset some people. Like your wife [Kim Kardashian], or every black person ever”.

Davidson joked that he had been chosen to deliver a response to West, over his co-star Michael Che, because “even though Che is black and I’m crazy, we both know which side of Kanye is at the wheel right now”.

Davidson asked West, who has spoken openly about dealing with bipolar disorder, to resume taking his medication. “Kanye, I know you’re like, ‘Yo, this is the real me, I’m off the meds’,” Davidson said. “Take ‘em! There’s no shame in the medicine game. I’m on ‘em — take ‘em! if I ever got on a plane and the pilot said, ‘I just want you all to know this is the real me flying.' I’d jump out!"

“Being mentally ill is not an excuse to act like a jackass,” he added. “Seriously: one time I stopped taking my meds, and I bit my mom. But it’s all good because I bought her a house.”