It’s natural for there to be a lot of attention on Pete Davidson’s first relationship after his very-public break-up with ex-fiancé Ariana Grande, since which he has made some very grim adjustments to an Ariana tattoo, public announcements about his own mental health struggles and scares, and various personal jokes revealing the post-break-up reality.
But it’s official, Pete Davidson is dating Kate Beckinsale, and they’re not shy about it. They made that clear with a public make out session at a Rangers game that prompted a wave of hilarious memes ft. Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowsi. It was the best thing to happen at a Rangers game until Sophie Turner (AKA Game of Thrones Sansa Stark) proudly sculled red wine on the stadium big screen.
But I digress.
Expectation: Pete Davidson and Kate Beckinsale.
Reality: Antoni. pic.twitter.com/AbG8PxDH6f— Taylor Banks (@MsTaylorBanks) March 4, 2019
The public scrutiny of Pete Davidson and Kate Beckinsale’s relationship isn’t just Ariana Grande-related bitterness – which is also inappropriate – but criticism of the new couple for dating with such a significant age gap between them. And of course, that criticism is mostly targeted at Beckinsale, who as a 45-year-old woman is being mocked for dating someone 20 years her junior.
The mockery she’s facing reeks of sexist double-standards, and neither Beckinsale nor Davidson are putting up with that s**t.
On Wednesday, comedian David Spade poked fun at Kate Beckinsale in a comment made on her Instagram post of herself with a baby cheetah.
“You like them young! (now dont fight back and roast me just quietly stew and take the hit) (sic).” Spade wrote.
But Beckinsale roasted the 54-year-old Spade, with a simple but sick burn,
“never going to happen grandpa.”
Kate Beckinsale’s Instagram is now empty of any posts, which may or may not be related to the flack she’s copping.
Pete Davidson and Kate Beckinsale seem like huge NHL fans based on this pic from last night's Rangers game. pic.twitter.com/mnRXO8qTh2
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) March 4, 2019
Pete Davidson has also been very vocal in his defence of their relationship. He hit back at the criticism the pair (but mostly KB) have been facing for weeks during his weekly Saturday Night Live stand up slot.
“Apparently people have a crazy fascination with our age difference,” he said earlier this month on March 9. “It doesn’t really bother us, but then again I’m new to this.
“So if you have questions about a relationship with a big age difference, just ask Leonardo DiCaprio, Jason Statham, Michael Douglas, Richard Gere, Jeff Goldblum, Scott Disick, Dane Cook, Derek Jeter, Bruce Willis, Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee, Alec Baldwin, Sean Penn and whoever the president of France is.”
All of those stars that Davidson listed date much younger women and don’t cop the same mockery that Kate Beckinsale is currently facing. The difference is that they are male, so it’s normalised, but women are called ‘cougars’ for doing the same. So Davidson spelled out the clear double standard that is motivating the age-gap critics of his current girlfriend and relationship.
In the face of all the mockery, it’s extremely satisfying to see Pete Davidson and Kate Beckinsale keeping everyone in line with such perfect burns.