How Pete Davidson and John Mulaney bonded over Steely Dan
Pete Davidson and John Mulaney are two of the biggest stand-up comedians of their time. Whilst the two are noted for their tight friendship, there was a time when they weren’t as close as they are today, but this all changed after watching a concert delivered by one of the most important acts of all time: Steely Dan.
On the surface level, you wouldn’t necessarily have Davidson or Mulaney down as big Steely Dan fans. Both spend so much time in the mainstream, with one dating half of Hollywood and the other causing numerous stirs with his political comments. Considering that, if anything, it would be fair to believe that both comedians would enjoy a little bit more run-of-the-mill music.
However, this wouldn’t be doing the pair justice. When you dig a little deeper, you realise that both Davidson and Mulaney are hipsters in every sense of the word. Both have enjoyed or enjoy the hedonistic side of life, and you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t enjoy a smoke or something a little stronger that isn’t a fan of Steely Dan.
For many who like good music and hold left-of-centre opinions, since they first broke through in the 1970s, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker’s band have been one of the most lauded outfits around, and their heady form of yacht rock is quite simply timeless.
Added to this is the sense that Steely Dan are also one of the most humorous bands of all time, with Davidson and Mulaney being professional funny men. Aside from taking their name from the “revolutionary” steam-powered dildo in William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch, their back catalogue is brimming with surreal and comedic lines such as, “Lucy still loves her coke and rum / But she sits all long cause her daddy can’t come” and “Turn up The Eagles, the neighbours are listening”.
Duly, there was no better place for Davidson and Mulaney to bond than at a Steely Dan show. Fans have noted how Mulaney has positively influenced Davidson, and their tours together have been some of the most in-demand in America. The revelation that they forged their friendship in stone whilst watching Steely Dan do their thing could not be more fitting.
Back in October 2018, Mulaney tweeted a video of Davidson dancing with elation as Steely Dan were in the middle of their 1973 fan favourite ‘Old School’. He captioned it with: “I’ve seen Steely Dan for 12 years and no one ever stands. Pete Davidson changed that tonight”.
