Only three times in Saturday Night Live history has a cast member become more famous than the show's hosts: 1) when Chevy Chase literally stumbled down the steps of Studio 8H; 2) when Eddie Murphy dominated the '80s, dammit, and, now, 3) when Pete Davidson dated his way up to the A-list.

Unlike the first two SNL icons mentioned, though, Davidson has achieved most of his fame outside of 30 Rock. Yes, we comedy nerds fell in love with him for his Comedy Central Roast appearances and Weekend Update segments about "The Mule," but to the masses, he's become headline news for being Hollywood's Boyfriend (TM). And though Davidson might have hit star status the second he stepped out with Ariana Grande and a sexually charged Chupa Chup... dating a Kardashian? That's fame that comes with an ultra-platinum status.

But that's fame that also comes with a caveat. Because one does not simply date a Kardashian. Becoming a member of one of the most curated families in history means having to stick to a plan — every single Photoshop edit (save True), planned public appearance, and product release comes with a careful agenda. Improvisation and authenticity are not words you can imagine uttered in the House that Kris Built.

They are, however, words that are central to the comedic process, and — while Saturday Night Live has strict rules against improv — some of the main reasons we all fell for Pete in the first place. No matter how famous he was getting, Pete always felt true to himself, both in life and in comedy. He still lived with his mom in Staten Island. He constantly broke while sitting next to Colin at the Weekend Update desk. He understood the public perception of him, and leaned in. And we benefitted in the process — we got comedy that felt more intimate and realer than anything we've seen on SNL before. See: his Weekend Update segment about having Borderline Personality Disorder.