New York City’s Democratic socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, took aim at the press and jabbed former New York leaders during his first Inner Circle dinner Saturday night.
Mamdani drew laughs at the Ziegfeld Ballroom when he compared his dynamic with Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul to a past governor-mayor feud, the New York Post (NYP) reported. “We’re like Andrew Cuomo and Bill de Blasio — except we don’t want to murder each other and there’s way less sexual tension,” he told the black-tie crowd on the 87th night of his administration. (RELATED: Mamdani Finds New Ally In Bid To Slap New York City’s Rich With Eye-Watering Taxes)
The city’s first Muslim mayor also targeted the NYP directly. “Now, this is the 87th night of my administration — or as the New York Post would describe it: Arabian Nights,” he said, according to the outlet. He invited anyone with travel plans to Uganda to rent his parents’ home, which comes with a “New York Post reporter permanently stationed outside.” Mamdani then turned on the Daily News, crediting Instagram creators with 33,000 followers as the city’s true press corps. “If you lose a few hundred followers, you’ll still have more readers than the Daily News,” he said.
Reporters roast Mamdani in song at Inner Circle dinner https://t.co/xZ7MEsZnsz pic.twitter.com/I4zpT3gAPB
— New York Post (@nypost) March 29, 2026
Mamdani also shared the stage with Curtis Sliwa, the 2025 Republican mayoral nominee and well-known cat enthusiast, the NYP reported. During the skit, Mamdani got an allergy shot ahead of his plan to bring a cat to Gracie Mansion.
Before the mayor’s set, reporters put on their own musical send-up of City Hall, the NYP reported. Jeff Coltin, editor-in-chief of City & State, played Mamdani in an apron with no shirt, a callback to one of the mayor’s past music video appearances. A parody song called “Mamdani Math,” performed to the tune of “Pink Pony Club,” landed among the night’s biggest laughs.
The Inner Circle has staged the annual roast since 1923, making it a 103-year-old institution, PIX11 reported.
Proceeds from the gala support student journalism programs in NYC public schools and a fellowship at the City University of New York, according to the organization’s website.
