STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- So Pete Davidson said some stuff.

Yeah, it was bad. He said he wouldn't care if all Staten Islanders died. He said the borough that first gave him a stage had nothing to do with him or his success. On the anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, he said a "tidal wave could take out Staten Island" and he'd sleep better at night.

Pete's disses on Staten Island got the whole borough talking in what felt like one big trial to determine whether to disown him or laugh right along with him.

It would have been just another day on Staten Island if anyone else had said it, frankly. But let's face it: Pete is the most famous Staten Islander at the moment. Millions of people tune in every Saturday to hear his young person thoughts. His face is on subway ads and billboards across the country. You, readers, devour articles about him more than any other well-known Staten Islander.

So when he talks, people listen. Maybe people here listen to him a little more carefully because he's the most famous Staten Islander we have right now.

But Pete Davidson is a comedian, not an elected official or some kind of ambassador for Staten Island, as much as we'd like to claim the young talent as such -- emphasis on the young. He's got a Comedy Central special coming out this weekend that is legitimately funny, but probably won't be to those who have disowned the comedian for his Staten Island burns.

I'm of the belief that like much of the borough, he can love it but still hate it, and that the kinds of things Pete is complaining about are what any young person might say about his or her hometown. But I'm from California, what do I know?

For a different take, we turn to the natives, who reacted with a mixture of indifference and disownment, but ultimately, a recognition that comedy is comedy. Here's a sampling from our comments, social media and reddit.

Poet Thomas Fucaloro is of the belief that Staten Island needs some constructive criticism anyway. He shared this short poem: "Using the same tactics / as Pete Davidson. / Ahh Staten Island, / always reaching / for the dirt / because the grass / is too high."

The Williams Family (Frank and Laura Bruij Williams) started a hashtag over it, pointing out the very Staten Island things Pete jabs at: "Pete Davidson is so Staten Island...he never went to the North Shore."

Musician Joey Patches: "Davidson's a celebrity. Celebrities are out of touch. That's fine. Also he's young. I'm very happy for him and his success. If the sentiment that Staten Island sucks resonates for you, please leave. Because you're the reason it sucks. We don't want you here."

Reddit user Shaolin718: "That's pretty foul for him to say. But, is he really that wrong? I mean NYC is full of a**holes, but some on Staten Island really take the cake. I mean, the more I think about it, Staten Island really is home to some of the least intellectual, racist POS people I have met after living in a few places along the eastern sea board.

And this is coming from a native Islander, who loves SI but not the biggest fan of its inhabitants."

Facebook commenter Dorothy Barnes Sause: "Yeah because Staten Island is the only place to find drugs. Well guess what if Pete Davidson died I wouldn't lose any sleep either."

This Way on Bay's Chris Olivieri, an advocate for the good of Staten Island: "It's naive to ignore the fact that Staten Island has an image problem. The rest of the world thinks of us as a joke, and we do little to nothing to improve that image. The typical response is to go "f**k em, who needs em" which just perpetuates the image. There's a lot of good here, but en masse, we're cliquey, we're alienating, we're jealous, we're territorial, and we're contemptuous towards anyone who says otherwise. This is not a good thing.

Davidson is a "tellin' it like it is comedian" it's his job to be "edgy," and while I think that he's lumping a lot of good people with the masses, b****ing about him is just ignoring a bigger problem that nobody wants to admit is a problem. I mean, if we ignore it, we keep our s****y image and fewer people want to move here and we'll have less traffic and overcrowding right?

Nah, that stuff is going to happen either way. We should be looking to improve in every way possible instead of asking people if they want to take it outside."

Reddit user marsyred: "When you peel off that layer of very typical Staten Island BS, you find some truly spectacular people, and a very strong sense of community. At least that's what I've experienced!

Comedian Tim Duffy gets the comedy thing: "Guess I'm a weirdo 'cause I liked it when the angry guy told us all to die. Starting to seem like maybe humor is subjective. Troubling."

Facebook commenter Rob Gilmore: "People from Staten Island talk harshly about the island daily, the difference is this dude is profiting from his jokes and the rest of you aren't so you just get mad instead lmaoo."

Comedian Molly Lisenco, a transplant: "I made fun of Staten Island all of my life ... didn't change the fact that I moved here as an adult. Stop whining whiny babies."

Facebook user Rebecca Charlotte: "I was sad to see his comments, and felt bad for his total lack of perspective. He's exactly the thing he hates about this place, and he has no idea."

Reddit user CaptainCompost: "I don't particularly think he's funny but I don't think he's a bad guy, and I don't think he's wrong. I bet from what he's experienced, or perhaps more precisely what he's thinking about when answering this question (politics, his interactions with people), that it is a terrible place that he's happy he left. I do not think he's experienced all the positive things (or met all the positive people) that I have, and I don't blame him for that."

SILive commenter Gankstah:

"People are easily influenced. Especially when they make it onto the stage. Maybe he's lost his way but let's see it before everyone starts judging him."