Dan Crenshaw Says ‘SNL’ Sketch With Pete Davidson Was ‘Right Thing To Do’

This month, Davidson joked about Crenshaw’s eye patch, which the lieutenant commander wears because he lost an eye in an improvised explosive device blast as Navy SEAL in Afghanistan. That joke led to widespread criticism of Davidson, with many people remarking on his lack of sensitivity.

Crenshaw then appeared on the popular “SNL” sketch “Weekend Update” with Davidson and slung insults of his own at the comedian in an effort to even the playing field in a very tongue-in-cheek way. 

“If any good came of this,” Davidson joked during the collaborative sketch, “maybe it was that for one day, the left and the right finally came together to agree on something: that I’m a dick.”

Davidson went on to say he was sorry: “I made a joke about Lt. Cmdr. Dan Crenshaw, and on behalf of the show and myself, I apologize. I mean this from the bottom of my heart. It was a poor choice of words. The man is a war hero, and he deserves all of the respect in the world.” 

Crenshaw’s digs at Davidson included calling him “a troll doll with a tapeworm” and saying that he makes Republicans “look good.”

In light of this Veterans Day, Crenshaw urged listeners to appreciate veterans and tell them to “never forget.”

“When you say ‘never forget,’ you are implying that as an American, you are in it with them, not separated by a barrier between civilians and veterans,” said Crenshaw. “Never forget those we lost in war, and never forget those we lost on 9/11, like Pete’s father.” 

Many have criticized the response to Crenshaw’s appearance on “SNL” and the media’s coverage of his statements because of his affiliation with, as Newsweek pointed out, a “far-right Facebook group that has pushed debunked conspiracy theories and made racially charged posts about Muslims and black people.”