David S. Pumpkins Is From Ibiza: Tom Hanks Revives His Iconic SNL Halloween Character

November 02, 2026

Ibiza has received an unexpected mention in American television comedy thanks to one of the strangest Halloween characters in recent Saturday Night Live history. David S. Pumpkins, the eccentric pumpkin-suited character played by Tom Hanks, has a rather surprising connection to the island: according to the fictional character himself, he is from Ibiza.

The unusual detail was highlighted by US publication Boing Boing in an article published on 30 October 2026, revisiting the character's previous appearance on the long-running NBC comedy show.

And the timing could hardly be better. On 31 October, Hanks returned as David S. Pumpkins for another Halloween appearance, bringing the character back to the programme ten years after his original debut.

David S. Pumpkins: The Strange Halloween Character Who Is From Ibiza

David S. Pumpkins first appeared on Saturday Night Live on 22 October 2016, during an episode hosted by Tom Hanks.

The sketch, titled Haunted Elevator, featured a group of visitors exploring a Halloween attraction when they encountered a mysterious man wearing a black suit decorated with orange pumpkins.

Accompanied by two dancing skeletons, played by Mikey Day and Bobby Moynihan, David S. Pumpkins quickly became one of the attraction's most confusing and memorable characters.

Rather than behaving like a conventional Halloween scare performer, he dances, repeats his name and insists that he is part of the experience, leaving visitors increasingly bewildered.

The character's popularity came from precisely this absurdity: nobody seemed to understand who he was, why he was there or what he was supposed to represent.

The Unexpected Ibiza Connection

David S. Pumpkins returned to Saturday Night Live in October 2022, during an episode hosted by musician Jack Harlow.

In that appearance, the character once again appeared alongside his dancing skeleton companions. Among the details that made the sketch memorable was the revelation that David S. Pumpkins was from Ibiza.

The unexpected reference gave the fictional character a connection to the Mediterranean island, adding another layer to an already deliberately bizarre comedy creation.

It is not a reference to a real Ibiza-based character or a filming location. Rather, it is part of the sketch's humour, which plays with the audience's expectations and the increasingly strange details surrounding David S. Pumpkins.

The reference has since attracted attention from online publications, including Boing Boing, which revisited the sketch in its 30 October 2026 article, We learn that David S. Pumpkins is from Ibiza.

Tom Hanks Brings David S. Pumpkins Back for Halloween 2026

The character's latest return took place on Saturday, 31 October 2026, during the Halloween episode of Saturday Night Live.

Tom Hanks once again stepped into the pumpkin-patterned suit, joined by Mikey Day and Bobby Moynihan as the dancing skeletons.

The sketch opened with visitors exploring a fictional haunted attraction called Tombs of Doom. David S. Pumpkins appeared during the tour, delivering his familiar dance moves before the scene took another unexpected turn.

The comedy sketch was interrupted by James Austin Johnson, playing US President Donald Trump, who made jokes about the character's repeated appearances and his own connection to the year 2016.

The Halloween episode was hosted by actress Inde Navarrette, making her SNL hosting debut, with singer Gracie Abrams appearing as the musical guest.

A Decade of David S. Pumpkins

Since his first appearance in 2016, David S. Pumpkins has become an unusual but enduring part of Saturday Night Live's Halloween comedy tradition.

The character's appeal lies in his complete lack of explanation. He is simply David S. Pumpkins, accompanied by two dancing skeletons, and apparently from Ibiza.

For the island, the reference is an amusing addition to its international cultural visibility, even if its connection to the character exists entirely within the fictional world of an American television sketch.

With Tom Hanks reprising the role again in 2026, David S. Pumpkins has demonstrated that, ten years after his debut, he can still surprise audiences.

And somewhere in the strange mythology of the character, Ibiza remains part of the story.

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