At first, Pete Davidson was skeptical of Lorne Michaels’ suggestion. He replied, “The guy hasn’t worked in 30 years, he hates working…why?” Lorne told him, “All the actors are waiting, it’s a good part.” Sure enough, despite being so picky that he’s only starred in three movies in the past 20 years, Joe Pesci enjoyed the “Bupkis” script enough to jump on board.
“The fucking dude changed my life, he saved my life,” Pete explained. “He liked the material enough to do it, but he…we had a really good conversation. It was really honest and organic, and we kind of got along and, it’s out of love that he loves it. did because he doesn’t. I have nothing to do.” Beyond just adding extra power to the show, the cast also gave Pete that extra boost of confidence in the show that he desperately needed. As he told Jon Bernthal, “I needed that validation from someone like that so badly…I got the guy no one can get. And it changed my life. I owe him everything.”
“Bupkis” proved successful, being renewed for a second season and earning the grudging respect of most critics. The show is crude at times, sure, but it shows that Pete’s creative work is far more thoughtful and introspective than the tabloid coverage suggests. As the series takes a particularly dark turn in its final episodes and Pesci’s character gets more punchy material to work with, it becomes easier to see what drew Pesci to the role. Pesci’s involvement in the show might have seemed like a ridiculous chance to Pete at first, but after seeing the finished project, it starts to make a lot more sense.