By now, you likely know that pop star Ariana Grande is dating Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson. They have been together for precisely four weeks, three days, 17 minutes and 54 seconds, which in Hollywood is basically a lifetime. Their love has been documented on Instagram, so you know it’s real.

On June 11, the couple turned it up a notch when it was reported that they are ENGAGED. According to TMZ, Davidson spent nearly $100,000 (USD) on the diamond engagement ring, which is basically the size of Grande’s face and the cost equivalent of 35,000 licked doughnuts. The custom-made bling is reportedly a 3.03 carat diamond set in platinum. Davidson is said to have commissioned the piece from New York designer Greg Yuna, and it apparently took nearly two weeks to make.

In case the math isn’t crystal clear, 24-year-old Davidson only dated 24-year-old Grande for two weeks before deciding he was ready to dole out close to $100K and drop to one knee.

While I’m *so* happy for the happy couple, I have a serious Q: where on earth did Davidson get the cash for that ring? Here, a very important and legitimate investigation into his finances.

 

Would his SNL salary cover the cost?

Davidson has a cool job on SNL, but he’s only been on the late-night show for four years, and TBH, he isn’t exactly of the same stature as Kate McKinnon or Leslie Jones. According to Parade Magazine, SNL cast members earn up to $24,000 (USD) per episode—but salaries vary and depend on seniority. Since Davidson is one of the more junior members of the cast and likely isn’t making as much as his more senior co-stars, I’m going to estimate he makes around $7,000 (USD) per ep. If that *is* the case (which it probs is since I am very qualified to be making celebrity salary estimates), Davidson would have to be an excellent saver, and have put aside ALL the money he’s earned from at least 14.3 episodes in order to pay just for the ring.

This estimate also does not take into consideration the cost of living in NYC (v. expensive), and the price of his growing collection of dumb tattoos.

What about his acting gigs?

Before SNL, Davidson had some movie roles. He had a small parts in Trainwreck and School Dance, and was the voice of “Duck” in Click, Clack, Moo: Christmas at the Farm. He also had TV appearances on MTV’s Guy Code and Wild N’ Out, and on Comedy Central’s Adam DeVine’s House Party. Davidson’s early gigs were probably for high school volunteer hours and not paid, so I’m going to assume these “jobs” added little to his net worth.

He likely did score some bank, however, with his 2016 solo stand-up special Pete Davidson: SMD. It was met with sort-of a “meh” response, so I have no clue how much he earned from that. But based on a Complex profile of Davidson from October 2016—the same time SMD came out—Davidson didn’t seem to exactly be rolling in da dough.

The article starts off with an anecdote about how his debit card is always getting declined due to “problems” with his bank. Then, Complex proceeds to detail his apartment: a one-bedroom on the ninth floor of a building in Midtown NYC with a “bong that acts as a centrepiece on his coffee table” and “two L-shaped couches pushed together” to form a huge “U-shaped couch.” Interpret that as you will.

Does Davidson have any side hustles?

While I’ve yet to confirm that Davidson has been spotted biking around the city with an Uber Eats backpack on his back, he surely must be making cash on the side if he’s spending money the way he is. Ghost writing? Hand modelling? Babysitting?! I WILL crack the code…

Conclusion

There’s only one possible explanation as to how Davidson can afford a crazy-expensive engagement ring: he’s legit been obsessed with Grande for years and has been saving up for the proposal since the day he met her.

In case you aren’t as well-versed in the love story of Davidson and Grande, the pair first met on the set of SNL back in 2014 when he joined the cast and she kicked off the show’s 40th season as a musical guest. Then in 2017 (when Davidson was dating Cazzie David), he paid homage to Grande by wearing a Grande-style bunny mask in an SNL skit. Thanks to the beauty of hindsight, it is now clear this move was a not-so-subtle indication that Davidson wanted Grande to be his bunny.

Therefore, this all means that as soon as Davidson started crushing on Grande circa 2014, he started putting money aside. Eighty-four episodes later, he *finally* made his dreams come true by dating Grande for two weeks, proposing to her and then celebrating at Disneyland. That, my friends, is the only way this super expensive, hella confusing, whirlwind romance adds up.