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Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Entertainment
Karu F. Daniels

Pete Davidson says he’s ‘in the hole’ after buying Staten Island Ferry

The Staten Island Ferry Pete Davidson purchased with Colin Jost appears to have left the funnymen all wet.

The 29-year-old comedian shared an update about the decommissioned vessel during a recent chat with fellow “Saturday Night Live” alum Seth Meyers — and he has his work cut out for him.

“We just got all the plans built, and we had them do one of those computer-generated, ‘show you what it could be’ type things, and now we’re out to a few people,” he shared on an episode of the “Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers” podcast.

“Wow, you’ve really thought this through,” Meyers asked.

“Yeah, we have to because we’re in the hole,” Davidson said with a laugh.

The “King of Staten Island” star and Jost joined an investment group to buy the 57-year-old Staten Island Ferry vessel in January 2022 at a city auction. Both Staten Island natives partnered with comedy club owner Paul Italia to put up the $280,000 winning bid with designs to transform the boat into a bar, restaurant and entertainment venue.

“We’re going to dock it in the city and have a nice thing, or it could all go to s--t and I’ll be doing lots and lots of gigs next year,” Davidson shared with People magazine about the purchase.

Named M.V. John F. Kennedy, the 310-foot ferry was the last in a class of old school ships with wooden seats that was taken out of service in August 2021.

But within the first year of new ownership, the new owners were reportedly plagued by problems. A former crew member told The Daily News that the ferry was rife with asbestos and cockroaches.

“I wish these guys luck with the project, but they’re going to need some help,” retired M.V. John F. Kennedy Kevin Hennessey captain said. “They had good intentions, but this was an impulse buy by two guys with a lot of money who don’t know anything about maritime vessels.”

Italia dismissed the claims as “garbage information.”

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