Colin Jost and Pete Davidson's Staten Island Ferry Project Faces Legal Troubles

Colin Jost and Pete Davidson's vision for the Staten Island Ferry has hit a significant snag, with reports indicating they are struggling to settle their legal bills.

The duo, alongside comedy club owner Paul Italia, is facing a lawsuit from a downtown law firm seeking to recover $13,500 in unpaid fees. Court documents reveal that the firm has been waiting for payment for years.

In March 2022, the trio purchased the decommissioned John F. Kennedy ferry at auction for $280,000, enlisting the services of Nicoletti, Hornig Namazi Eckert & Sheehan to manage dockage and towing contracts.

They rebranded the vessel as Titanic 2, intending to transform it into a $34 million entertainment venue. However, progress has stalled significantly since the acquisition.

“There has been no reason given by Titanic 2/Mr. Italia for the non-payment,” stated attorney Val Wamser from Nicoletti. “We have received no response to our repeated efforts to obtain payment for the legal services rendered.”

Wamser noted that the firm has not performed any work for the group since April 2022. The original bill exceeded $27,000, but only partial payments have been made, according to legal filings in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Italia did not respond to requests for comment regarding the situation.

A source indicated that Staten Island natives Jost and Davidson were unaware of the financial issues, as they do not oversee the daily operations of the ferry project.

The project has become a frequent target of humor, with Jost recently acknowledging that purchasing the ferry was “absolutely the dumbest and least thought-through purchase I’ve ever made in my life.”

In January, Jost appeared on the “Today Show” alongside his wife, actress Scarlett Johansson, in a comedic segment discussing whether they should sell the ferry for scrap. Last month, he made a rare appearance in an SNL sketch humorously pleading for someone to take the troubled vessel off his hands.