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The creation of this article included the use of AI and was edited by human content creators. Read more on our AI policy <\/em>here<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Remember when Pete Davidson announced he\u2019d stockpiled thousands of sealed VHS tapes during the pandemic, convinced they\u2019d become the next vinyl?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Well, the comedian finally returned to Jimmy Fallon\u2019s couch \u2014 and he delivered the follow-up that late-night fans have been anticipating for over two years.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s exactly the kind of self-deprecating punchline that makes Davidson such a compelling recurring guest.<\/span><\/p>\n The 32-year-old former \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d star appeared on the Jan. 26 episode of \u201c<\/span>The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon<\/span><\/a>\u201d and wasted no time addressing the elephant in the room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Or, in this case, the 10,000 VHS tapes presumably taking up a significant amount of space somewhere in his life.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLast time \u2014 I was here a while ago \u2014 I had this, like, weird hunch that VHS\u2019s would be worth billions of dollars,\u201d he told host Jimmy Fallon. \u201cI had a lot of fun during COVID and bought 10,000 VHS tapes, sealed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n For those keeping track at home, that number represents a significant escalation from his original investment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Davidson went on to reveal that he thought they would sell for millions of dollars because they were \u201cnever opened,\u201d but that\u2019s not exactly what happened.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cUh, they went down \u2014 so much,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I get to look at them every day as a reminder not to do drugs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n And there it is \u2014 the quintessential Pete Davidson moment that fans tune in for. Rather than deflect or minimize the failed investment, he leans directly into the absurdity, transforming what could be an embarrassing admission into comedy gold.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo by Kevin Winter\/Getty Images<\/p>\n <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The update comes more than two years since he first opened up about his VHS collection, and for dedicated Tonight Show viewers, this callback creates a satisfying narrative loop that rewards loyal fans.<\/span><\/p>\n During a 2023 appearance on \u201c<\/span>The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon<\/span><\/a>,\u201d Davidson revealed that he started collecting sealed VHS tapes during the COVID-19 pandemic with a theory that seemed almost reasonable at the time.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cListen to this, guys,\u201d he told Fallon. \u201cIn 2026, it\u2019ll be 20 years since the last VHS was made, right? So 20 years goes by, that\u2019s enough time for people to be, like, \u2018Oh that was cool. Remember? Like vinyl.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The logic wasn\u2019t entirely without merit. Vinyl records did experience a remarkable resurgence, transforming from obsolete technology into coveted collector\u2019s items. Davidson was essentially betting that nostalgia would work its magic on another format \u2014 a gamble that plenty of collectors have made on various retro items over the years.<\/span><\/p>\n At the time, he said he bought around 3,000 to 5,000 tapes \u2014 and described it as his personal GameStop.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf it doesn\u2019t work, dude, I\u2019m gonna be on the road forever,\u201d he said during that 2023 appearance.<\/span><\/p>\n For context on Davidson\u2019s investment thesis, according to \u201c<\/span>The Los Angeles Times<\/span><\/a>,\u201d David Cronenberg\u2019s 2006 movie \u201cA History of Violence\u201d is widely believed to be the last major Hollywood movie to be released on VHS.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This means Davidson\u2019s 2026 milestone \u2014 the 20-year anniversary he was banking on \u2014 is here, yet the anticipated nostalgia boom hasn\u2019t materialized in the way he\u2019d hoped.<\/span><\/p>\n But here\u2019s where the story takes an unexpectedly wholesome turn.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Davidson\u2019s collection might not be worth what he was hoping for, but he at least has a place for him and his new daughter to watch them, if he wants to unseal them.<\/span><\/p>\n In December, Davidson collaborated with builder Tony Angelo as part of eBay\u2019s new \u201c<\/span>Built to Spec<\/span><\/a>\u201d series to create the ultimate \u201cdad van\u201d complete with a VHS player, mini fridge, changing table and bottle warmer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Yes, you read that correctly \u2014 Pete Davidson now owns a custom minivan with a built-in VHS player, which feels like the universe\u2019s way of ensuring those tapes don\u2019t go completely to waste.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe amount of VHS, weird Burger King watches from the \u201990s that I\u2019ve ordered, and VHS TVs,\u201d he said in an <\/span>interview with People<\/span><\/a> at the time, revealing that his retro collecting habits extend well beyond magnetic tape.<\/span><\/p>\n And the timing of this dad van project wasn\u2019t coincidental. <\/span>Pete Davidson and his partner, Elsie Hewitt, <\/span>welcomed their daughter<\/span><\/a>, Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson, on December 12, 2025, per People.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nPete Davidson\u2019s long-awaited VHS update<\/b><\/h2>\n
Pete Davidson was convinced his idea would work<\/b><\/h2>\n
From VHS Collector to Dad Van Designer<\/b><\/h2>\n