'SNL': Pete Davidson apologizes as Dan Crenshaw makes surprise appearance

NEW YORK — One week after he mocked Republican U.S. Rep.-elect Dan Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL who lost an eye in Afghanistan, on "Saturday Night Live," comedian Pete Davidson issued an apology – and got a little payback.

"In what I'm sure was a huge shock to people who know me, I made a poor choice last week," Davidson said on Saturday's "Weekend Update" segment. "I made a joke about Lt. Cmdr. Dan Crenshaw, and on behalf of the show and myself, I apologize."

Davidson was referring to his remarks from the show's Nov. 3 broadcast, in which he said Crenshaw, who wears a patch over his right eye, looks like "a hit man in a porno movie." The joke immediately drew harsh criticism online, prompting a rebuke from the National Republican Congressional Committee.

"I mean this from the bottom of my heart: It was a poor choice of words," Davidson continued Saturday. "The man is a war hero, and he deserves all the respect in the world. And if any good came of this, maybe it was that for one day, the left and the right finally came together to agree on something – that I'm a [expletive]."

"Ya think?" Crenshaw said, sliding in behind the "Weekend Update" desk in a surprise appearance.

Crenshaw accepted Davidson's apology, then got a chance to take a few jabs at Davidson.

"This is Pete Davidson," Crenshaw joked as a photo of Davidson appeared on the screen. "He looks like if the meth from 'Breaking Bad' was a person."

Crenshaw also said Davidson looks like "a Troll doll with a tapeworm" and "Martin Short in 'The Santa Clause 3.'"

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"By the way, one of these people was actually good on 'SNL,'" Crenshaw quipped.

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Then the bit took a serious turn.

"There's a lot of lessons to learn here. Not just that the left and right can still agree on some things, but also this: Americans can forgive one another," Crenshaw said. "We can remember what brings us together as a country and still see the good in each other."

Crenshaw continued: "This is Veterans Day weekend, which means that it's a good time for every American to connect with a veteran. Maybe say, 'Thanks for your service.' But I would actually encourage you to say something else: Tell a veteran, 'Never forget.' When you say, 'Never forget' to a veteran, you are implying that, as an American, you are in it with them, not separated by some imaginary barrier between civilians and veterans, but connected together as grateful fellow Americans. We'll never forget the sacrifices made by veterans past and present. We'll never forget those we lost on 9/11, heroes like Pete's father. So I'll just say, 'Pete, never forget.'"

"Never forget," Davidson replied, shaking Crenshaw's hand. "And that is from both of us."

Cox Media Group