When Ariana Grande first stepped out with Pete Davidson, her fans freaked out. They thought Pete and Ari were an adorable couple, and when the pair became engaged, the obsession with their relationship grew.
But then, they split, leaving Ariana's fan base to stomp all over Pete, sources say, and he had to pick up the pieces of his life -- all alone. Critics say, however, that Pete wasn't an innocent party in the dissolution of the relationship.
Some say that Pete's been prolonging his (unearned) fifteen minutes of fame by jumping from one famous leading lady to the next as fast as he can. But is there any merit to their claims?
Fans Say Pete Davidson Was A Nobody Pre-Ariana
Many fans point to Pete Davidson's relatively low level of celebrity pre-Ariana. They emphasize how he became a public figure not because he was telling jokes on 'SNL,' but because he told self-deprecating jokes about how Grande dumped him.
Though he may not have gone into the relationship with Ariana planning to leech off her fame, commenters suggest, he sure figured out a way to stay relevant after their breakup.
Critics Say Pete Davidson's Girlfriends Are Money To Him
Multiple sources suggest that Pete has used his famous girlfriends to further his own career -- and if that's true, he's had plenty of opportunities. One prime example, critics say, is Pete's dating Kaia Gerber.
Some say that Pete was "using his girlfriend's fame to boost his own career." They pointed out that Pete was name-dropping his lady friend to get into celeb parties -- and the quoted "source" suggests Davidson did the same with another ex, Kate Beckinsale, as well as with Ariana.
It also doesn't help that critics are already calling him a "serial dater," suggesting that he's pursuing just about any woman who crosses his path. But there's another side to the story, and not everyone thinks that Pete is just leeching off his lady friends.
But Pete's Latest Girlfriend Encouraged A Positive Change
Rather than boosting his net worth or earning him more clout in the media, Pete's latest girlfriend, Phoebe Dynevor, has reportedly changed his life in a different way. She apparently encouraged Pete to get his own place, after living in his mom's basement for a long time.
That's vastly different than sources' suggestions that Pete name drops and uses his lady friends' fame for his own benefit. And he did seem to take a literal backseat when he was dating Margaret Qualley; he sat behind her at an event so as not to draw attention to their relationship.
So maybe critics are wrong -- and Pete Davidson's string of glamorous girlfriends is just the result of women pursuing him, rather than the result of him doggedly pursuing fame.