Comedian Pete Davidson came under fire this weekend after making a joke on “Saturday Night Live,” about Texas congressional candidate and veteran Dan Crenshaw’s eyepatch.
Davidson, during a “Weekend Update” skit, commented on several candidates running in the midterm elections. The skit went viral, eliciting angry responses on social media, including two posts from Rep. Peter King of Seaford.
“NBC and SNL must apologize for anti-veterans slur by Pete Davidson against Navy Seal Dan Crenshaw who lost his eye in combat. Absolutely disgraceful. No sense of decency or patriotism,” wrote King, the Republican incumbent candidate for the 2nd Congressional District.
Officials from NBC Universal declined to comment Sunday night.
Crenshaw, a Navy SEAL and Republican running to replace retiring Rep. Ted Poe (R-Houston), lost his right eye after being hit by an IED blast during his third deployment to Afghanistan, according to his website.
Davidson poked fun at a number of candidates running in the midterm elections, including King, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and Crenshaw.
Showing a photo of Crenshaw, who wears an eyepatch, Davidson said: “You may be surprised to hear he’s a congressional candidate from Texas and not a hit man in a porno movie. I’m sorry, I know he lost his eye in war or whatever.”
Crenshaw responded on Twitter: “Good rule in life: I try hard not to offend; I try harder not to be offended. That being said, I hope @nbcsnl recognizes that vets don’t deserve to see their wounds used as punchlines for bad jokes.”
King Sunday night said he had received text messages and emails from constituents about the comments, including many outraged veterans.
“To me, in any way showing disrespect to a veteran on a national show like that is absolutely indefensible,” King said.
King said he wasn’t offended by the comments made about himself because, it’s “all part of the business.”
Along with calls for a formal apology, King said NBC should take action against Davidson, forcing him to step down.
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