Pete Davidson Says He Was High On Ketamine While Attending Aretha Franklin’s Funeral: “She’ll Never Know”

Pete Davidson may have appeared completely normal when he attended Aretha Franklin‘s memorial service with then-fiancée Ariana Grande in 2018 — however, the comedian just revealed that he was actually high on ketamine at the time.

Davidson made the shocking confession in his new Netflix standup special Pete Davidson: Turbo Fonzarelli, which dropped on Tuesday (Jan. 9).

“It’s embarrassing when you’re not on ketamine anymore, though,” he told the audience. “I’m embarrassed. I was out and about like that. That’s not cool, you know?”

Davidson continued, “I was at funerals like that. That’s fucked up, right? I was at Aretha Franklin’s funeral like that. Yeah, I have to live with that. You know what I mean?”

The Saturday Night Live alum joked that Franklin will “never know” he was high on the drug at her service, but noted that that’s “not the point.”

“If she was there, she would probably be like, ‘Hey, who are you? And what the fuck are you doing at my funeral?” he quipped. “It’s embarrassing. I’m so high, I thought it would be a good idea to go up to her family and go, ‘Hey, I’m just here to pay my R-E-S-P-E-C-Ts.”

Ketamine is described by the Department of Justice/Drug Enforcement Administration as “a dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects.” The department adds that the drug “distorts perceptions of sight and sound and makes the user feel disconnected and not in control.”

Davidson previously revealed that he had taken the “magical” drug every day for four years before checking himself into rehab in June 2023, according to People.

While ketamine is often used as a party drug, psychiatrists have also begun using micro-doses to treat depression and anxiety in patients. Friends star Matthew Perry was reportedly receiving ketamine infusion therapy for that exact reason ahead of his shocking death in October 2023. According to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner, he died from “acute effects” of the drug.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.