LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Pete Davidson, the well-established comedian and actor, made a delightful revelation during his recent appearance on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.'
He was there to discuss his upcoming SNL hosting gig, this Saturday which had been rescheduled due to the writers' strike. However, before diving into the SNL topic, Fallon was curious about Davidson's rather peculiar collection.
As it turns out, approximately three years ago, Davidson embarked on a unique hobby – hoarding sealed VHS tapes.
This peculiar undertaking had its origins in a night when Davidson was, in his own words, "really high." During this hazy evening, he found himself inexplicably drawn to collecting these vintage relics. Yet, there's a method to this seemingly madcap madness.
Nostalgia meets investment
“In 2026 it’ll be 20 years since the last VHS was made, right, so 20 years goes by, that’s enough time for people to be like, ‘Oh, that was cool, remember?’ like vinyl. So I bought all the sealed ones that exist. Like three to five thousand tapes.”
Davidson's rationale behind this curious collection strategy is rooted in future nostalgia. He anticipates that by 2026, it will mark two decades since the last VHS tape rolled off the production line.
This timeframe, he believes, is ample for people to start reminiscing about the charm of VHS, much like the resurgence of vinyl records.
So, in a somewhat eccentric move, he embarked on a mission to acquire all the sealed VHS tapes he could find – a substantial haul, numbering somewhere between three to five thousand tapes.
Amid chuckles from the audience, Davidson playfully quipped, "You guys sound like my mom – no one believes in me!"
But here's where the peg comes in – sealed VHS tapes are now commanding astonishing prices in the market, with figures ranging from $20,000 to $30,000 for a single tape.
Davidson illustrated this point with an example – a sealed VHS tape collection of the original Rocky trilogy recently sold at auction for a jaw-dropping $53,750. In this sale, Rocky himself led the charge by fetching an astounding $27,500.
Exuberantly, Davidson compared this venture to the GameStop craze, asserting, "It's my GameStop. Dude, I own all of them. No one believed in me."
However, as with any investment, there are inherent risks. In this peculiar case, the potential pitfall lies in the fact that only a select few among the 3,000 to 5,000 titles Davidson acquired may ultimately hold substantial value.
Should his grand VHS venture fall short, Davidson humorously conceded that he might find himself on the road for an extended period.
“If it doesn’t work, I’m gonna be on the road forever dude,” he said.
Fans reacted after Pete Davidson told Jimmy Fallon the secret to VHS tapes
Fans expressed their reactions after Pete Davidson unveiled the secret to his VHS tape collection.
"His smile is everything. He's so excited about his VHS tapes lol his double thumbs up I love him so much," wrote one.
Another one replied, "I really admire how he thought out the box with the VHS tapes…love him."
"VHS always works! ️ this. I hope he makes billions!" commented another.
Another one wrote, "Hey Pete, when you rip those VHS tapes, consider uploading them to The Internet Archive!"
"Normally Pete is mental and takes WAY too many drugs, but that VHS collection was the smartest thing he ever did," commented another.
