Entertainment

Pete Davidson forces his fans to sign an NDA for a whopping $1 MILLION before his stand-up shows


Pete Davidson is apparently very concerned about his jokes leaking.

The 26-year-old Saturday Night Live cast member and stand-up comic has reportedly been requiring attendees to risk bankruptcy with a $1 million non-disclosure agreement before his stand-up shows, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. 

The move is part of a recent wave of comics taking extraordinary measures to prevent their acts from leaking.

Steep penalty: Pete Davidson, 26, has reportedly required attendees to risk bankruptcy with a $1 million NDA before his stand-up shows, according to the San Francisco Chronicle; shown October 12

Steep penalty: Pete Davidson, 26, has reportedly required attendees to risk bankruptcy with a $1 million NDA before his stand-up shows, according to the San Francisco Chronicle; shown October 12

Pete’s massive NDA was first reported after his November 27 show at the Sydney Goldstein Theater in San Francisco.

According to a Facebook post by a ticket holder, Pete’s team sent out an email only hours before the show informing audience members that they would need to sign the agreement in order to be let in. 

Ticket holders had previously been told they would have to place their cell phones and smart watches in locked Yondr pouches before the show started, and that phones, cameras and any other recording devices were prohibited.

The practice of locking or confiscating mobile phones has increased in recent years, as it has become easier than ever for audience members to post jokes to social media. 

Playing tough: According to a Facebook post by a ticket holder, Pete's team sent out an email only hours before the show informing audience members that they would need to sign the agreement to be let in; shown in 2017

Playing tough: According to a Facebook post by a ticket holder, Pete’s team sent out an email only hours before the show informing audience members that they would need to sign the agreement to be let in; shown in 2017

The NDA significantly escalated the event’s security. According to the attached documents, attendees ‘shall not give any interviews, offer any opinions or critiques, or otherwise participate by any means or in any form whatsoever (including but not limited to blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or any other social networking or other websites whether now existing or hereafter created) in the disclosure of any Confidential information…’

Any attendee who broke any of those rules would be required to pay Pete $1 million under the NDA’s terms. 

Though they’re often used as a means of saving jokes until they can be marketed in a filmed special, Pete’s document goes a step further by not allowing his fans to even opine on the quality of his material.

Pete’s stand-up features raunchy and risqué material, and he may want to keep that as private as possible while appearing on SNL and ahead of the release of his autobiographical film King Of Staten Island.

The email sent to ticket holders appeared to have been quickly drafted, as it was riddled with typos.

‘Any patron who is unable or unwilling to sign the agreement will not be allowed to enter and will be giving [sic] a full refund. Save time at the venue tonight by printing, signing, and brining [sic] this agreement with you!’ it read.

Rush job? The email sent to ticket holders appeared to have been quickly drafted, as it was riddled with typos

Rush job? The email sent to ticket holders appeared to have been quickly drafted, as it was riddled with typos

Orwellian: The NDA prohibited ticket holders from even offering an opinion about Pete's show

Orwellian: The NDA prohibited ticket holders from even offering an opinion about Pete’s show

Too much to lose: Pete's stand-up features risqué material, and he may want to keep that as private as possible while appearing on SNL and ahead of the release of his film King Of Staten Island; still from SNL

Too much to lose: Pete’s stand-up features risqué material, and he may want to keep that as private as possible while appearing on SNL and ahead of the release of his film King Of Staten Island; still from SNL

Pete’s been using an NDA since at least his November 7 and 8 shows at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The comedian’s camp confirmed with Variety that he would be using the NDA again on November 30 for his show at Chicago’s Vic Theatre.  

High profile stand-up comics usually try to work their material into a set that will eventually be filmed, and widely disseminated jokes can kill a filmed set’s commercial potential.

Some comics have also resorted to locking up phones in order to prevent their more offensive or risqué jokes from getting out into the world.

Since returning to stand-up in recent years, Dave Chapelle has led the way for other comedians with his no-phone policy.

But his five stand-up specials filmed for Netflix since his comeback have received mixed reviews from critics, with many considering his jokes about racial minorities and members of the LGBTQ community to be offensive.

Spotted: The NDA was first noted after Pete's November 7 and 8 shows at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Spotted: The NDA was first noted after Pete’s November 7 and 8 shows at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Worth it: At least one fan didn't seem to mind being gagged at his San Francisco show

Worth it: At least one fan didn’t seem to mind being gagged at his San Francisco show

Escalating: The NDA was a step up from the request that guests lock their phones. Dave Chappelle has been a proponent of the rule since his stand-up comeback; shown October 27

Escalating: The NDA was a step up from the request that guests lock their phones. Dave Chappelle has been a proponent of the rule since his stand-up comeback; shown October 27

Recently, Pete has been getting close with his new girlfriend Kaia Gerber, 18.

The couple were spotted packing on the PDA at a pool in Miami last week.

Kaia is the daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford and her businessman husband Rande Gerber.

Pete has previously been linked to Margaret Qualley, Kate Beckinsale, Ariana Grande and Cazzie David.

Tongue-tied: Recently, Pete has been getting close with his new girlfriend Kaia Gerber, 18. The couple were spotted packing on the PDA at a pool in Miami earlier this week; pictured November 25

Tongue-tied: Recently, Pete has been getting close with his new girlfriend Kaia Gerber, 18. The couple were spotted packing on the PDA at a pool in Miami earlier this week; pictured November 25



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