The King Of Staten Island is based on the real life experiences of comedian Pete Davidson with a central focus on the tattoos that he shows off with pride. Davidson is known for having approximately 100 separate and unique tattoos, and in the film, his character, Scott, collected a couple more than his real-life counterpart. While most of the tattoos featured are Davidson’s, there is one that is not his own.
The King Of Staten Island tells the story of 24-year-old Scott Carlin as he tries to find his own path in life and actively struggles with the loss of his father seven years prior to the film’s events. Scott’s dream is to become a tattoo artist and practices his techniques on his friends. When he illegally tattoos a young boy, the child’s father, a firefighter named Ray (Bill Burr), arrives at the Carlin house and meets Scott’s mother, Margie (Marisa Tomei). The two begin dating and Scott is forced to come to terms with that fact that he must move on with his life.
Ray is a supportive father figure in Scott’s life and even allows for the budding tattoo artist to practice on his back. Not only is the film based on Davidson’s real-life traumas and struggles, Scott’s interests are also central to who he is as an individual. The comedian frequently gets tattooed, and while not all of them are objectively well-done, they symbolize moments in Davidson’s life that he wanted to be reflect in The King Of Staten Island. The only difference is, Scott has a different first tattoo than Davidson: the Kermit the Frog one.
Pete Davidson’s First Tattoo Wasn’t Kermit The Frog
In the film, Scott claims that his first tattoo was of Kermit the Frog smoking a joint. However, in 2018, Davidson came forward with the fact that his first tattoo is the lyric “Swerve Life” from Big Sean’s song “Mercy.” He was 17 years old when he got it with one of his close friends. Not only is this his first tattoo, it is also his first matching tattoo. The purpose behind giving Scott’s character a separate story is likely to establish his identity as a slacker and stoner.
Apatow’s movies are known for playing up this aspect of the leading men, such as Seth Rogen’s Ben Stone in the 2007 film Knocked Up. Therefore, he establishes Scott’s personality and his tattoo aesthetics from a very early age. Furthermore, Davidson does have a plethora of cartoon characters on his body, but the only one smoking joint is a sneaker that he got later in life. Kermit smoking is really just an amalgamation of everything Scott is meant to symbolize in the film and Davidson’s own tattoo choices.
Due to the fact that Big Sean is also Ariana Grande’s ex, it may have also been a choice on Davidson’s part to not include the true first tattoo story. He has distanced himself from the singer and shining a light on the situation may have detracted from the film’s plot as well as prompted audiences to think about the relationship that did not end amicably. When watching The King Of Staten Island, every tattoo on Pete Davidson’s body is all his own and there is no proof that Kermit has ever been tattooed on him.
