Pete Davidson says he ended Peacock’s Bupkis despite a Season 2 renewal and that the move briefly put him “in purgatory” with NBCUniversal, describing the company’s reaction as “not pleased.” In a new radio interview, the comedian said he “got in trouble” after deciding the semi-autobiographical show kept dragging his real life into the spotlight, adding that a proposed creative direction made him uncomfortable. He also said he covered costs for staff affected by the decision: “I took care of the writers’ room and anyone who didn’t get paid that needed to.”
The remarks clarify a March 2024 announcement that halted the series after one season, less than a year after it had been picked up for more episodes. At the time, Davidson framed the choice as closing a chapter, while thanking collaborators and the network. Bupkis premiered May 4, 2023, and followed a heightened version of his life, with Edie Falco as his mother and Joe Pesci as his grandfather.
Davidson said the decision was driven by creative and personal considerations rather than a rupture with his longtime home; he indicated relations have since smoothed over, even if the cancellation initially caused friction. The comments add context to fan frustration over an abrupt end following renewal and illuminate why he stepped back from a show built around his public persona.
The series had been part of NBCUniversal’s push to seed Peacock with personality-driven comedies tied to established talent. Davidson’s latest explanation positions Bupkis as a project that did what it set out to do before its format began to feel constraining. He described wanting to pivot to work that doesn’t require him to continuously play a version of himself, even as he acknowledged the professional impact of ending a show that employed a writers’ room and crew.
