Last night, Jimmy Kimmel kicked off his week in Brooklyn with a lively appearance by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The segment opened with Kimmel showcasing a series of clips featuring pundits predicting doom and gloom, warning that Mamdani would lead the city to ruin.
As Mamdani stepped onto the stage to enthusiastic cheers, Kimmel humorously remarked, “I live in Los Angeles, and that is not the reception our mayor would get.” He then playfully inquired, “How is the complete and total destruction of New York going?”
Mamdani’s response was light-hearted: “You know, it’s proceeding as planned.” Throughout the interview, the mayor elaborated on his creative initiatives aimed at improving life in the city. This included a new program called “Parents’ Night Out,” plans for a city-run grocery store, proposals for new public restrooms, and even the possibility of getting individuals to help address issues in the sewers, alongside efforts to repair the BQE.
“People are struggling and I have the privilege of having the greatest job in the world,” Mamdani shared. “Whatever I can do to make it easier for people to smile every day, that’s something I want to do.”
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Kimmel also touched on the mayor’s intriguing relationship with former President Donald Trump. “Another thing that is very unexpected is this relationship that you have with President Trump, which seems to be a very friendly relationship,” Kimmel noted. He asked Mamdani whether their rapport was immediate or if it involved strategic charm: “How did you do that? And can you help me?”
Mamdani replied, “Sorry brother. Look, the president and I have many disagreements. One thing we do agree on is this city, how much we love this city. From that first meeting in November of last year, I was just thinking of how we can make this meeting not about us, but about New Yorkers.”
Kimmel played a clip of Mamdani alongside Trump at Gracie Mansion, where the former president delivered an unfocused speech while Mamdani stood stoically beside him. Kimmel commented, “I mean, it is remarkable. I watch that and go, ‘OK, this is not a guy I’d want to play poker with.’”
He further highlighted Trump’s seemingly positive regard for Mamdani, questioning the mayor on what he hopes to achieve through this relationship. Mamdani specified his focus on securing federal approval for the ambitious Sunnyside Yard project. With plans for approximately 12,000 new homes and an estimated 30,000 jobs, the project aims to significantly benefit the city.
“From time to time we’re in communication, and it’s about Sunnyside Yard, and it’s about how we can deliver for the city,” Mamdani explained. He emphasized a key concern regarding Haitian New Yorkers, whose Protected Status has been ended, stating, “They’re part of the fabric of this city.”
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Finally, Kimmel jokingly asked Mamdani if he would consider sending Trump a selfie of the two together. The mayor chuckled, “Jimmy, I love you, but I love housing more.”
Kimmel’s show is being filmed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House, featuring an exciting lineup of guests including Mahershala Ali, Billy Crystal, Pete Davidson, Robby Hoffman, Paul McCartney, Seth Meyers, Tom Morello, John Oliver, Bernie Sanders, and Howard Stern, alongside musical performances by De La Soul, Goose, and TV On the Radio, who performed last night.
