Pete Davidson is saying goodbye to his extensive tattoo collection, undergoing a painful process to remove 200 of what he calls his “dumbest tattoos.” Among the ink he’s erasing are tributes to his famous ex-girlfriends, a portrait of Hillary Clinton, and even a SpongeBob SquarePants character.
Recently, the comedian shocked fans with a dramatic transformation, unveiling his fresh new look as the self-proclaimed “Official Boyfriend” to “beautiful and talented women everywhere.”
Known for covering nearly every inch of his body in ink, Davidson has spent years—and more than $200,000—on tattoo removals. While he has always loved his body art, the 31-year-old Saturday Night Live alum admitted that his tattoos have become a hassle as his acting career expands. His decision to remove them marks a shift in his image, transitioning from the rebellious, ink-covered comic to a more refined Hollywood star.
“I honestly never thought that I would get an opportunity to act, and I love it a lot,” Davidson told Late Night with Seth Meyers, explaining that Hollywood influenced his decision to laser off most of his tattoos. “It takes like three hours—you have to get there like three hours earlier—to cover all your tattoos. For some reason, people in movies, they don’t have them that much.”
His journey with tattoos began in his teenage years, eventually leading to a collection of more than 200 pieces.
According to People, his body art has included a tribute to his father, a firefighter who died on 9/11, as well as portraits of Hillary Clinton and the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He also had a New York State driver’s license tattoo, references to Harry Potter and Saturday Night Live, and several inked dedications to his ex-girlfriends, including Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande.
“I made a lot of those decisions before rehab, so I have the dumbest tattoos,” Davidson joked on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. “I got a collection of cartoons smoking blunts—like a Muppet smoking a blunt, the Tootsie Pop owl smoking a blunt.”
Inspired by his sobriety, Davidson set out on the long and painful journey of tattoo removal. According to E! News, he hopes to have most of them gone by the time he turns 40.
The process, however, is far from easy. Each tattoo requires at least seven laser removal sessions, and color tattoos take even longer.
“If it’s black and white, it’s a little easier,” he explained. “But if it’s a color tattoo, it takes forever.”
Describing the laser process as “horrible,” he told Fallon, “They gotta burn off a layer of your skin, and then it has to heal for, like, six to eight weeks. Then you gotta do it, like, 12 more times.”
Offering a piece of advice to his audience, he joked, “Really think about that Game of Thrones tattoo you’ve been thinking about getting.”
Davidson made his big reveal in a campaign for Reformation, a sustainable clothing brand, where he was dubbed the “Official Boyfriend.”
In the three-minute video, he plays the role of a supportive partner, patiently waiting outside a fitting room as women try on clothes. While the campaign itself is playful, it’s the striking photos on Reformation’s website that have drawn the most attention.
In the images, the comedian appears shirtless or wearing minimal clothing, showing off what seems to be a nearly ink-free torso—a dramatic change from his previous heavily tattooed look.
This transformation marks a new chapter for Davidson, who says he’s “trying to be an adult.” Judging by his relaxed, confident demeanor in the campaign, he seems to be embracing the change.
His tattoo removal journey isn’t just about aesthetics—it reflects his evolving career and personal growth. While some fans may miss his signature ink-covered style, Davidson remains the same comedian at heart.
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