Amid Kanye drama, Pete Davidson is shooting into space

A man in a baseball cap and sunglasses smokes a cigarette and flashes a peace sign

March 14, 2022 11:32 AM PT

First it was William Shatner. Then Michael Strahan. Now, comedian Pete Davidson is going to go up on one of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space flights.

Kanye West is not gonna like this at all.

The “Saturday Night Live” star will shoot into orbit for about 11 minutes on March 23 in the New Shepard space capsule, named for Alan Shepard, who was the first American to go into space. It will be the capsule’s fourth manned flight — Bezos himself rode in the first one — and its 20th sojourn overall.

The other crew members — all paying customers — will be corporate turnaround specialist and angel investor Marty Allen; philanthropist Sharon Hagle and her husband, Tricor International president and CEO Marc Hagle; teacher and world explorer Jim Kitchen; and George Nield, the president of Commercial Space Technologies and a NASA alum.

The news was first reported as a nearly done deal by Page Six early this month, before any ink was dry on the contract. Apparently the chemistry was there when Davidson, 23, and his famous girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, had dinner with Bezos and his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, in late January at Bezos’ Beverly Hills home.

“He got on really well with Jeff when they met,” a source close to the comedian told Page Six. But nothing was written in stone at that point.

“Star Trek” actor Shatner was emotionally affected by his October 2021 spaceflight.

“I am overwhelmed,” the 90-year-old said right after he returned to Earth. After a pause, he added, “It has to do with the enormity and the quickness and the suddenness of life and death, and oh, my God.”

“Good Morning America” host and former NFL star Strahan was similarly thrilled, writing on Twitter after the flight, “TOUCHDOWN has a new meaning now!!! WOW…. that was amazing!!!

A Davidson representative did not respond immediately early Monday to a request for comment.

News of the space flight comes amid Davidson’s continued sparring with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, who really, really didn’t want his ex-wife to be declared single at the beginning of March.

The rapper published and deleted about a dozen Instagram posts Sunday, most of which complained about Kardashian’s parenting and alleged she wasn’t allowing him to see their kids — a claim she denied Monday.

In response, “SNL” and “The King of Staten Island” writer Dave Sirus, Davidson’s friend, posted text messages purportedly between the comedian and the rapper.

The Instagram posts have since been taken down but, according to People, Davidson texted, “I’ve decided I’m not going to let you treat us this way anymore and I’m done being quiet. Grow the f— up.”

Davidson also allegedly told Ye that Kardashian was “literally the best mother I’ve ever met” and said he had “stopped SNL” and other comedians from mocking the rapper for months. “But,” he allegedly wrote, “if you continue to press me like you have for the past 6 months I’m gonna stop being nice.”

Early Monday, Ye posted a photo showing cloisonné pins of his and Kardashian’s faces, with an alien face between them.

“This was on my daughters back pack when I was ‘allowed’ to see her last week This is why I go so hard for my family I am wired to protect my family at all cost,” Ye wrote. “As the priest of my home Don’t worry Northy God is still alive.”

Kardashian was not impressed.

“Please stop with this narrative,” Kardashian wrote in comments a few hours later, “you were just here this morning picking up the kids for school.”